Forget making sure your shoes are polished and your breath is fresh, the next interview you have is likely to be done via video, which brings with it a wealth of new challenges! Facetime, Zoom, Teams – they’ve all changed the face of how companies are recruiting, so read on to learn how to deliver the best first impression (albeit virtually).
Have you checked your technology?
It’s not easy to guarantee internet speed – especially if you’ve got others at home using Wi-Fi – but make sure you’ve tested it in advance. Is there a time you can be the only one online? Have you thought about switching to an Ethernet connection instead? Would using a hotspot connection make your speed more reliable?
It goes without saying that making sure your device is charged is important, but check your headphones are working ok too.
We all know that practice makes perfect, so consider doing a dry run through beforehand with a friend or family member, which will not only help you iron out any potential connection issues, but will make you feel more confident and rehearsed on the big day.
The perfect interview setting
Make sure you pre-plan where you’re going to sit and find somewhere quiet, private and well lit. Don’t worry about your interviewer reading too much into your decorating choices but as a rule keep beds and clutter out of sight. Most video chat services allow you to test how you look on camera, so use this to create a space around you (and just cram anything unsightly out of shot).
Dressing for the job
There’s no single right way to dress for an interview; a suit won’t scream ‘creativity’ if you’re going for a design role in a trendy startup in the same way rolled up jeans won’t cut it in finance. Explore the site and the company’s own social feed to get a feel for what people wear day to day. Find a version that’s a couple of degrees smarter and you’re set. Patterns can appear distracting on camera so avoid these if possible in favour of a solid colour.
Do not disturb!
We’ve all seen the BBC News clip of poor Robert Kelly having his TV interview gatecrashed by his excitable children, and while his situation has ended up with cult status, you’ll want to take all the precautions you can to ensure you maintain your privacy and composure during an interview.
While the measures needed will be different for everyone, at a basic level make sure that you’ve informed housemates/partners/parents/children etc that you’re having a video interview between X and Y time so shouldn’t be disturbed, that your phone or any other notifications from your laptop are silenced, and a note is put on your front door to request that the doorbell isn’t rung. Although you may not be able to control any noise and disturbances from the outside world, making sure any interruptions from inside your household are limited will be a relief. And if the worst does happen? Stay professional, apologise and if necessary turn off your camera & microphone momentarily to deal with the interruption, after which calmly return to the interview. You never know, you may even earn brownie points by demonstrating your ability to remain calm under pressure.
Use your surroundings to your advantage
While you may be more used to in-person interviews, the fact that you can utilise your desk space during video calls can be worked to your advantage. Aside from the usual advice of ensuring you have a glass of water to hand as well as a pen, notepad and copy of your CV to refer back to, consider also taking some time pre-interview to brainstorm some questions that might be asked, and writing key points on post-it notes to easily refer back to. That way, if you find yourself stuck for an answer to that killer question, you’ve potentially got a brilliant answer staring you right in the face. Just remember to use them as a prompt, not a script.
Body language is key
Very few people feel comfortable seeing themselves on camera and how are you even meant to make eye contact when you’re not even sure the other person is looking at you? Just because you’re behind a screen, maintaining warm and open body language is still as important as ever. Be as natural as you can, nod and smile, rather than sitting locked in space, and make sure you look at the camera, as opposed to the interviewer(s) on the actual screen. If you’re too self-conscious to see yourself, pop a post-it over your screen viewer so you can’t see yourself.
Plan B
You can be the most prepared person in the room and technology will still let you down, so if this happens, first of all don’t panic! Make sure your interviewer has your number and remind them to call if any tech issues do come up. It may be worth also trying to load the app on a second device just in case you need to switch, although be wary in case this takes up precious bandwidth.
As working from home looks set to stay (for now, at least), video interviews are almost certainly going to become more and more commonplace. Remember, we’re all tired of Zoom (and keeping kids, housemates and parents out of shot), but don’t let that get in the way of your chance to shine! Hopefully with our handy hints, you’ll feel more confident about acing your next interview and if you have any other tips, we’d love to hear them in the comments.
Good luck!
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