Avoid recording in HD if you need a quick upload. Otherwise, use HD 1280x720.
Before you upload
Useful if you recorded in HD and the video file size is large. Reducing the file size will help the video to upload faster.
Free software to make your video YouTube-ready.
After you upload
Make it unlisted if you're not ready to be a YouTube star.
You can rotate, add effects, and even find and add CC-licensed (i.e. legal) music to your video using this editor.
If your video looks cropped after uploading, you may need to format it. Experiment with the tags described here.
Other YouTube resources
Great for giving video feedback. You can make the video unlisted and edit it once it's done.