Video Interviewing Tips

Video interviewing is becoming prominent in job applications, not only due to covid-19 but also because of the success to date. More companies are using it now because of how efficient time-wise it is for both the interviewer and the candidate. Another video interviewing statistic suggests that “98% of candidates interviewed via video said the employer was innovative.”

Especially if candidates make it past the first selection round, video interviews can be a replacement for meeting face-to-face. How can you master your next video interview? Here are some video interviewing tips to help:

Effective Tips for Video Interviewing

Set-Up, Equipment, and Preparation:

Find a quiet and well-lit area

• This is important because you want your video interview to feel like a face-to-face meeting. You don’t need music in the background, dogs barking, or children playing, because that would distract you. Loud places, in general, won’t only disturb you, but they’ll also distract the interviewer as well.

• They also need to see you well, so don’t sit in a dark room. Make sure the lighting doesn’t cast any shadows on you. Also, you don’t want someone to come in and interrupt the interview, so having a private space helps. Treat this interview as a professional face-to-face. Finding a quiet, private place for you concentrate that is also well-lit is essential.

Test the technology before starting

• If your technology crashes or messes up during an interview, it could be seen as being unprepared on your part. Test everything beforehand. Does the sound work well? Is the lighting good enough to see yourself well? Is the video quality good?

• Having a technology crash, in the beginning, can put the interview off to a bad start.

Ensure devices are charged ahead of time

Of everything, you don’t want your technology to die in the middle of the interview. About an hour beforehand, start charging your laptop or phone. Most interviews do not last over fifteen to thirty minutes, so having about an hour’s worth of charge should cover you.

Dress for success

Just like an interview in person, you want to dress for success. Always look the most professional you can. There’s no such thing as being ‘too professional’ when it comes to an interview. Showing that you care enough to dress to impress them, puts you at a good spot from the beginning.

During the Video Interview:

• Frame yourself from the chest up

• During the interview, the interviewer should only see you from about your chest up. You don’t want to be so far away from the camera that the interviewer cannot see you clearly. But you also don’t want to be so up close that the interviewer can see every little detail on your face.

• Speak clearly and slowly

• After all the preparation, you don’t want the interviewer to have a hard time understanding you. Make sure you don’t speak too fast since the interviewer is taking notes on what you say. Also, make sure you speak clearly.

No googling while talking

During the interview, you shouldn’t be looking up answers. That doesn’t put you in a good spot with the interviewer. Instead, take the day before or two to research the company. What kinds of questions are asked during the interview? What is the company’s mission statement? What is the environment like there? What is the company known for? But once the interview starts, the googling stops.

Have a pen, notepad, and a copy of your resume on your desk

• Having these three things prepared helps you immensely. A pen and notepad allow you to take notes in case you want to remember something that the interview said. Perhaps the interviewer told you something about the company that you want to remember or outlines the rest of the interview process with you. You want to be able to write that information down before you forget it. Telling the interviewer to hold on as you scramble to find a notepad and pen can seem unprofessional.

• Also, the interviewer will most likely be reading off your resume during the entire interview. It’s good to be on the same track and go over the information with them while your resume is also in front of you. That way, if they have a question, you know exactly what they’re talking about.

Use hand gestures when it’s appropriate

During an interview, having your hands fly around everywhere could be distracting. Try to limit your hand gestures only when you feel like you have to.

Maintain good eye contact and body language

f you look distracted or that you don’t want to be there, that may give the wrong impression to the interviewer. Make good eye contact the whole time, so the interviewer knows that you’re paying attention to everything they have to say. Having a relaxed body language and smiling helps as well.

Pause and project

• Project your voice, so the interviewer doesn’t have to turn up the volume or strain to try to hear you. Remember to speak clearly too, so the microphone captures your voice well. Anything you can do to make sure the interviewer can hear you well is key.

• Before you answer any question though, pause for a moment. This may seem nerve-racking and unnecessary but taking a pause after questions can show that you’re thinking about your answer. It also could boost your confidence since you’ll know that you answered the question the best you could rather than blurting out an answer as soon as the question is asked.

Things to Avoid Doing:

• Don’t fidget

• Having your phone’s ringer on

• Having your emails open, don’t be distracted.

• Close the video interview without saying thank you

In conclusion, video interviewing is becoming more common as our world advances. With the job searching getting harder each year, it’s important to learn the skills necessary to overcome any video interviewing challenges you may have. The easier the interview is for the interviewer, the better you’ll stand out as a better candidate.