Wondering if it's OK to Look At Your Notes During a Video Interview? Watch This!

Key Concepts:

• Video interview preparation
• Note-taking strategies for video interviews
• Memorization vs. understanding
• Project management framework
• Verbal and non-verbal communication in interviews
• Practice techniques

Note-Taking Preferences for Video Interviews

The speaker states a preference against having extensive notes visible during video interviews. While a Word document with a few key pieces of information is acceptable, relying heavily on notes is discouraged.

Structuring Content for Recall

The speaker outlines a method for structuring information to minimize reliance on notes. This involves identifying the core topics or "meat and potatoes" of the subject matter. For example, when discussing an "inhibitors" video, the main points were:

• Inhibitors (general)
• Posture
• Verbal communication
• Non-verbal communication
• Mistakes
• Practice tips

The speaker emphasizes knowing the outline in your head.

Project Management Example

The speaker uses a project management example to illustrate how to structure information:

1. Research
2. Develop a solution
3. Sell the solution
4. Design/Architect the solution
5. Roll out the solution
6. Iterate
7. Evaluate

The speaker states that every project they've ever done follows this pattern.

Condensing Information into Key Points

Instead of writing out full sentences, the speaker recommends condensing information into bullet points that serve as memory triggers. For example, when discussing a project involving warehouse assessments, the notes might include:

• 15 warehouses
• 200 warehouse workers

During the interview, this would translate to: "I assessed 15 warehouses. There were 200 workers. We had to look at each of their job descriptions."

Practice and Refinement

The speaker advises writing everything out initially and practicing until the information can be recited without looking at the notes. Then, the notes should be stripped down to key bullet points.

Dealing with Omissions

The speaker suggests that if you miss a detail during the interview, it's often not noticeable to the interviewer.

Synthesis/Conclusion

The key takeaway is to prioritize understanding and internalizing the core concepts rather than memorizing scripts. By structuring information logically, condensing it into key points, and practicing, you can minimize reliance on notes and present information more naturally and confidently in video interviews.