Video Interviews – Reminders & Guidance

Give yourself some extra time to prepare your technology set-up

Microsoft Teams and Zoom interviews along with other video conferencing platforms is now the most common tech tool used by companies when setting up that first job interview.

Most often, they have one representative of the company meet you, but you can be often set-up with a team of interviewers. These interviews require being with a good preparation at two levels; you need to show thoughtful video presentation skills as you present your well-prepared framing of your matching candidacy strengths for their role!

Choose a proper location that offers:

Good Background & Lighting and a Proper Camera Angle

Test your hardware & signal before the meeting

A simple non-distracting background is the best way to present and while video applications offer specialized background features, they’re usually fake looking and unadvisable. An organized wall or orderly room (not a bedroom) is typically received by the viewers as most acceptable.

Find somewhere private and quiet where the positioning you have to the camera and the light can be adjusted to be most optimal and any noises from outside the interview can be prevented.

Be positioned in the center of the screen ideally with your full head, eyes, and shoulders all showing. Have your camera to head level so you that can be making eye contact with your interviewer as you are looking at your screen.

Lighting is also very important, and getting that right, might require some adjustments. Asses the best lighting adjustments when you test your video & audio – before the interview.

A reliable Wi-Fi connection is important. Also, choose your device and we highly advise it not be your cell phone. Download the video software that you’ll be using and test how to use it. Best picture and sound qualities are found with a webcam and headphones.

Have a work-around plan ready – to ensure the meeting takes place or can be restarted and continued quickly (if your video technology gets disrupted).

Technology is often surprising us with roadblocks. Make certain you have the interviewer’s phone number along with your phone ready at hand should the meeting connection or hardware fail.

Attire: In any interview situation, face-to-face or in video, present yourself as a polished professional

Interviewers will want you to be someone who reflects their culture and can be a well-groomed representative of their company. Research their dress code and dress professionally. And once you’ve started your video meeting – minimize the box with your image (looking at yourself can be distracting) and its time to focus on the dialogue and communicating all the important messaging.

More on Preparation

Have your research completed on the organization and know their business. Your resume and the job description along with your prepared notes should be in possession. Read the LinkedIn profiles on the people you’ll meet & keep those files nearby. Have a good list of potential questions readied. Unlike a face-to-face interview you can have all these notes off camera. Be ready with pen and paper for anything you need to write down and also a bottle of water.

Interview techniques for Video dialogue

Video interviewing is the new norm, while it adds convenience it also creates some body language limitations. Try the following methods to make it work more naturally.

Look directly into the camera – this may take some discipline, but it will ensure for more eye contact with your interviewer and better the personal connection being made.

Aim to connect with a conversational tone – just as you would in a face-to-face meeting.

Prepare notes and use them, if needed. Sometimes just writing them down brings them faster to your tip-of-the-tongue, should you have critical facts you want to remember, but don’t allow yourself to get too distracted by them.

When responding to questions, pause for a moment. Be mindful of presenting yourself with an attentive & upbeat facial expression before your response to the question. Sometimes a short nod can give the dialogue a split-second break, it sends a positive vibe, and it helps you to not talk over the interviewer.