Why this matters:
Different codecs output video at different resolutions, bitrates, and file sizes. Free social media services display video at lower resolutions for space and bandwidth reasons. The sharp video editor candidate will know the output standards — such as H.264 at a low bitrate setting — that are most appropriate for this situation.
What to listen for:
- Knowledge of modern video encoding standards and codecs
- Explanation of an appropriate compression standard to use, and why
- Understanding of bitrates and resolutions, and how these factors inform a video’s file size
Why this matters:
Due to the accessibility of video sharing sites like YouTube and Nebula, new ideas from more video storytellers on how best to visually tell stories are emerging and vanishing all the time. Excellent video editor candidates should be keenly engaged in the trends that are exciting others in their field to elevate their organization’s marketing output beyond the status quo.
What to listen for:
- Knowledge of video editing trends and popular videos that use them
- Methods for reproducing and elevating particular editing trends
- Understanding of effective storytelling techniques
Why this matters:
The functionality of a video editor’s software will inform their processes and skills — and these may not align with your vision for the role. Moreover, uncompressed video files only work with their native software, so candidates who aren’t familiar with software your organization uses may need to spend work hours rebuilding projects in their preferred package.
What to listen for:
- Significant experience with your organization’s preferred video editing software
- Deep knowledge of competitive video editing software
- Willingness to learn new software as necessary
Why this matters:
Video editors often won’t have final say on videos they edit. They may disagree with collaborators over matters of video flow, storytelling logic, visual direction, and other factors key to making great videos. But ultimately, video editors will need to be proactive in hearing and incorporating feedback — with the primary goal of elevating an organization’s content output.
What to listen for:
- Willingness to hear and incorporate feedback from others
- Prior experience resolving a creative disagreement
- Insights derived from feedback that benefitted future video projects
Why this matters:
Video editing is often a solitary practice, but some videos are too involved and their deadlines too short for a single editor to feasibly handle solo. In these cases, video editors must be capable of dividing up work — a difficult process to intuit for editors who’ve never done so. For this reason, the successful candidate should be an expert collaborator.
What to listen for:
- High adaptability to unfamiliar environments and situations
- Excellent communication skills for effectively expressing strategies and ideas
- Emotional intelligence for determining when to lead, listen, or support others
Why this matters:
Changes in marketing direction happen constantly — and sometimes unexpectedly. When these kinds of brand voice or product direction changes occur, video editors need to leverage their expert knowledge in a calm and tactful way to address any new challenges with a constructive approach that benefits the work and organization.
What to listen for:
- Detailed and coherent explanation of an unexpected challenge
- Resourcefulness and creativity, especially under pressure
- Ability to critically analyze problems and quickly engineer top-notch solutions
Why this matters:
Clients hire video editors when words alone can’t sufficiently tell their story or communicate their message, yet they lack the visual language or skill set to do their ideas justice. For this reason, video editors should be excellent verbal and written communicators — and must also be great at mocking up visuals that quickly realize the ideas and visions clients express through words.
What to listen for:
- Capacity to speak to clients who have varying levels of expertise
- Avoidance of technical language and buzzwords
- Clear speech and simple explanations that can capture nuance
Why this matters:
New project requests make it to a video editor’s desk all the time. As these requests stack up, many editors will feel a significant degree of pressure to ensure all tasks meet the quality standards set by clients and themselves. The successful candidate should have processes for effectively dealing with these pressures as they emerge.
What to listen for:
- Ability to keep calm when stressed, using decompression strategies such as meditation or walks
- Multitasking skills and an instinct to tackle highest-priority work first
- Awareness of limits and willingness to ask for help when needed
Why this matters:
In creative roles at an organization, a person’s output isn’t fully their own — it’s the organization’s. This can lead creative individuals such as video editors to feel less engaged in their work, which can impact their productivity. Video editor candidates should have outlets for staying motivated to help them remain as productive as possible in the workplace.
What to listen for:
- Inner motivation and intrinsic desire to produce high-quality work
- Deep commitment to staying motivated while servicing clients and supporting colleagues
- Professional goals that align with the organization’s mission
Contact a sales consultant.