In the current job market, acing a video interview is crucial. With remote work on the rise, companies are swiftly shifting to digital hiring practices. Tips for Video Interviews will be the focus of our discussion, ensuring you impress potential employers from behind the screen.
Expect to learn how to set up your space, master the technology, and understand the essential do’s and don’ts. Stay tuned for actionable advice that could land you a job offer without stepping outside your home.
Key Takeaways – Summary
- 💡 Mastering video interviews is essential in today’s job market, especially with the rise of remote work and digital hiring practices.
- 🖥️ Preparing your interview space, understanding the technology, and knowing the do’s and don’ts are key to success.
- 🎓 Formal training and rehearsal can significantly improve performance in a video interview.
- 👗 Deciding on clothing, hairstyle, and other personal appearance aspects in advance can reduce stress on the day of the interview.
- 🌿 Creating a professional, minimalist background with elements like bookcases and plants can enhance the interview setting.
- 💡 Proper lighting, especially natural light or a good desk lamp, is crucial for a clear visual presentation.
- 🚫 Avoiding negative body language like crossing arms or fidgeting is important for a professional appearance.
- 📹 Thoroughly testing your technology, including internet connection, webcam, and audio, ensures a smooth interview process.
- 🤔 Preparing for behavioral and niche-specific interview questions can give you a competitive edge.
- 🤝 Starting the interview with a “digital handshake” (non-verbal connection) sets a positive tone.
- 👀 Making eye contact by looking directly into the webcam and monitoring facial expressions can improve engagement.
- 📝 Minimizing note-taking during the interview and focusing more on active listening is beneficial.
- 🔄 After the interview, reviewing notes or recordings and learning from any mistakes can aid in future improvement.
- 📧 Following up with the interviewer demonstrates proactivity and serious interest in the position.
What is a Video Job Interview?
A video job interview is when you interview for a job using your webcam and a phone call (no in-person interview needed). This type of interview is much easier to set up and conduct, cheaper for the employer.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Video Interview?
The most significant advantage is time because an in-person traditional interview requires travel and time away from home for both the Interviewer and job seeker. Not so with a video interview; it is much cheaper and easier to set up and conduct from the convenience of your own home. In addition, it makes a great option when there are many applicants, and you only need to interview a few. Another advantage is it allows you to do remote work.
In contrast, the most significant disadvantage is the employer has no face-to-face interaction with you. Unfortunately, this can lead to a wrong hiring decision. When talking to someone face-to-face, you can often tell if they like you or not just by looking at their body language.
While doing a video interview, we eliminate many of the nonverbal cues we usually use—eye contact, body language, and small murmurs of agreement. Unfortunately, this might lead the employer to a not-so-good “gut feeling” about you.
Quick Video Interview Tips for candidates –
Use the below table to quickly make sure you are not missing anything in the Video interview.
| Steps to Follow Before your Video Interview | Steps to Follow During your Video Interview | Steps to Follow After your Video Interview | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get formal training. | Start With a "Digital Handshake."(simply a quick exchange of smiles and nods) | Refer to your notes or video recording. | |
| Rehearse thoroughly. | Give heads-up and options if any technical glitch happens. | Learn from your mistakes and do better next time. | |
| Decide everyday things like clothing, hairstyle, etc. before the interview day. | Maintain Good Posture. | Follow up with the Interviewer. | |
| Create a professional background for the interview. | Use Your Face to Show You're Engaged. | ||
| Set up the proper lighting. | Make eye contact. | ||
| Watch your body language. | Monitor your facial expressions. | ||
| Test Your Tech thoroughly. | Do not interrupt and let the Other Person Finish Speaking. | ||
| Prepare for Behavioural Interview questions and answers in advance. | Minimize taking notes. | ||
| Prepare for niche specific questions in advance. | Give Signals that you are interested in the conversation and listening effectively. | ||
| Close properly |
How to prepare for a video interview:-
Get formal training
Put in the time to learn formally. If you believe you need additional assistance, consult with a job coach. In the case of students, the career development office at their university may provide further assistance.
Rehearse thoroughly
Do a trial run of the entire setup, do a video chat with your family member and friends to see how you look and talk on a webcam.
For instance, do you stammer or seem nervous? If so, the employer will pick up on this, affecting his impression of you. The more you practice, the more relaxed you will seem and the better your impression will be.
Decide everyday things like clothing, hairstyle, etc. before the interview day
It will avoid last-minute guesses and will make your mind relaxed.
Choose something comfortable that you would normally wear to an in-person interview.
Make sure you are clean and neat.
Shower and shave if necessary.
You can go with a button-down shirt or blouse if you want to keep it simple and classic. Stay away from bold, dark, and crowded patterns and colors. Wearing white, light blue, light gray, or another light shade is the safest option if the color doesn’t blend into your surroundings. For example, don’t wear white if a white wall is in the backdrop.
Tips for video interview background 2021
Create a professional minimalist backdrop for the interview. Bookcases and plants help to create a professional environment that is both elegant and soothing. Avoid using bright colors in the background. Remove any debris from the room and avoid sitting near a scuffed-up wall.
If good backdrops are not possible and you live in a clunky place, use technology and learn to change the background during the call.
Set up the proper lighting
The best lighting is natural light. If your room lacks natural light or dark in your time zone, consider using a better light source like a desk lamp instead of a room bulb.
Watch your body language
Do not cross your arms, fidget with your clothing, or tap your foot. These actions will make you look unprofessional and can cause you to lose your job. In addition, avoid looking at the camera. Instead, look at a spot on the wall just above the webcam. Surprisingly, this will keep you focused on the task at hand and take the attention away from the fact you are video recorded. Maintain a positive attitude. Always remember, if you do a good job, the employer will feel optimistic about hiring you.
Test Your Tech thoroughly
Test your internet connection and make sure it has enough speed for a video call. Next, check your electronic device, for example, your webcam, and see if it is working correctly, and you can use it for an interview. If it is not, get it fixed or get another webcam. If it is working, test your audio. Do a video call with someone and speak into the microphone and ask if he hears your voice correctly to know if the audio is clear. Then, try it another way around, and ask the person on the call with you to speak and check yourself if you can hear adequately.
A quick tip:- Ask the Interviewer in advance what type of video conference solution (Webex, teams, zoom, google hangout, etc.) they will use for the interview. Install that software on your laptop before the call and learn how to use it properly.
Prepare for Behavioural Interview questions and answers in advance
Prepare for niche-specific questions in advance
For example, if you have been interviewed for a Network role then make sure you prepare for OSI layer, Redundancy protocols like HSRP, VRRP, and GLBP, Routing, Switching, etc related topics in advance.
Also, study all Tips and Questions with Answers for Network Engineer.
I would also recommend you to read about VLANs, VLAN tagged vs untagged, and VLAN Trunking Protocol topics to grasp the basic understanding of networking.
Video Interview tips During Your Interview?
Start With a “Digital Handshake.”
The first thing you should do when doing a video interview is establishing a non-verbal connection. This gesture is called a “digital handshake,” simply a quick exchange of smiles and nods. It helps put the other person at ease and show him that you are on the same page. It also gives you a chance to get to know each other a little bit without talking.
Give heads-up and options if any technical glitch happens
In preparation, discuss with the Interviewer what you will do if your connection is lost or you will have any technical difficulties. It will reaffirm your proactive attitude.
Maintain Good Posture
In any case, don’t slouch or lean back in your chair. Instead, keep your arms relaxed at your side. If you do this, you will appear more confident and less like you are trying too hard.
Don’t fidget. It’s very distracting and makes you look untrustworthy. If you have something to say that you need to get off your chest, do it after the Interviewer asks you a question. This simple act will give you a chance to compose yourself before you reply.
Use Your Face to Show You’re Engaged
The most exciting part of a conversation is when both people are interested and showing it. Watch people in live discussions. You’ll see one person is constantly talking and the other one is nodding or simply listening intently. That is a sure sign that the speaking person is engaged, and that person is more likely to get the response they want. Because your upper half is only visible, use your face to show that you are genuinely interested and paying attention.
Make eye contact.
This one is easy when you are doing an in-person interview. Now, how can you make eye contact in a video interview?
The trick is to look into the webcam directly to give the impression of making eye contact. One of the most common mistakes with video interviews is looking at the image or video of the other person on the screen.
That comes across like you’re staring at the floor or out into space. And that looks unprofessional, or it will give an impression that either you are not interested or have never done any video interview before. In either case, it is not suitable for you. So make sure you follow the above advice and do it right.
Monitor your facial expressions
It is good to keep a neutral expression on your face to make you appear more trustworthy and less likely to try too hard.
You should look engaged and interested while you’re listening to the Interviewer. While on the video call, try reducing your image and line it up near the webcam. That way, you can look at your facial expressions secretly without breaking eye contact.
Do not interrupt and let the Other Person Finish Speaking
People do not like being interrupted, making them feel like they do not respect their time. Let the other person finish speaking. It is rude to cut him off in mid-sentence. People can sense this a mile away, and it will immediately put them on guard.
Another neat trick is to let the other person do most of the talking during a video interview. It is a neat trick and will give him the feeling he is in control and that you are a cooperative partner. In addition, this makes him more likely to work with you.
Minimize taking notes
In a video interview, it’s okay to look at your notes, and it isn’t a deal-breaker as long as you do not make it obvious every time. Instead, use them to help you answer any challenging questions or recall details about the position or a company.
Alternatively, you can record the session to prevent taking lots of notes. Make sure you take permission from the Interviewer before recording the session.
If you have questions to ask, it is better to memorize them to prevent you from looking down and respecting the time limit.
Give Signals that you are interested in the conversation and listening effectively
It is vital to SMILE ( yes, I keep it in caps), use hand gestures and give brief signals like nods, shakes of the head, or maybe even a short “uh-huh” or “yes” now and then to let the other person know you are listening and paying attention.
It is also good to verbally tell the Interviewer that your answers are finished and ready for the next question.
Close properly
Improve your closing. It’s easy to become so engrossed in the moment that you lose focus of the routine tasks you’d perform during a regular interview.
Express gratitude to your Interviewer and inquire about the next steps in the process.
Steps to Take After Your Video Interview?
Refer to your notes or video recording
If you are taking notes or did a video recording of the session, review them after the interview is over. You will probably find little things you missed or areas where you could have been more effective.
Learn from your mistakes and do better next time
If your interview did not go well, then jot down all the points that went wrong and went well as per you. Then, prepare possible solutions and answers which could have made the interview better. Use google to find answers or ask someone to help you to fix your issues.
Follow up with the Interviewer
Follow up with a call or send an email to thank them for giving you the opportunity and let them know you are serious about improving and getting the job. This act of proactiveness will go a long way in enhancing your image with the Interviewer and showing that you are a responsible, hard-working, and serious candidate.
Conclusion
I hope you found this guide helpful. If you did, please share it with others. Tips for online video interview mentioned above are designed to help you get a jump start on your job search. Of course, you should always do your research and put your unique spin on things. However, if I can be of any further assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Good Luck!
How do you ace a video interview?
Ten Ways to Ace A Video Interview
- Don’t use a bright color for the background…
- Make sure you have a proper camera angle.
- Invest in a good microphone.
- Professionally present yourself.
- Make direct eye contact with the person you’re speaking with.
- Don’t do anything else throughout the interview.
- Make an effort to learn more.
- Mock the interview process by practicing in front of a mirror.
- Practice in front of the camera
- Smile Often
What kind of questions are asked in a video interview?
- Why should I hire you?
- Tell me about yourself.
- What makes you such a strong candidate?
- What do you know about our business?
- What do you consider to be your most significant accomplishment?
- What kind of working atmosphere would you prefer?
- Where do you see yourself in the next five years?
How do I prepare for a video interview?
These are the tips to prepare for your video Interview.
- Get formal training.
- Rehearse thoroughly.
- Decide everyday things like clothing, hairstyle, etc. before the interview day
- Create a professional backdrop for the interview.
- Set up the proper lighting
- Watch your body language
- Test Your Tech thoroughly
- Prepare for Behavioural Interview questions and answers in advance.
- Prepare for niche specific questions in advance.
Tips and tricks for video interview?
These are the tips to prepare for your video Interview.
- Get formal training.
- Rehearse thoroughly.
- Decide everyday things like clothing, hairstyle, etc. before the interview day
- Create a professional backdrop for the interview.
- Set up the proper lighting
- Watch your body language
- Test Your Tech thoroughly
- Prepare for Behavioural Interview questions and answers in advance.
- Prepare for niche specific questions in advance.
Best practices During Your Video Interview?
- Start With a “Digital Handshake.”
- Give heads-up and options if any technical glitch happens
- Maintain Good Posture
- Use Your Face to Show You’re Engaged
- Make eye contact.
- Monitor your facial expressions
- Do not interrupt and let the Other Person Finish Speaking
- Minimize taking notes
- Give Signals that you are interested in the conversation and listening effectively
- Close properly
Tips for video interview background?
Create a professional backdrop for the interview. Bookcases and plants help to create a professional environment that is both elegant and soothing. Avoid using bright colors in the background. Remove any debris from the room and avoid sitting near a scuffed-up wall.
If good backdrops are not possible and you live in a clunky place, use technology and learn to change the background during the call.
Tips to prepare for video interview?
These are the tips to prepare for your video Interview.
- Get formal training.
- Rehearse thoroughly.
- Decide everyday things like clothing, hairstyle, etc. before the interview day
- Create a professional backdrop for the interview.
- Set up the proper lighting
- Watch your body language
- Test Your Tech thoroughly
- Prepare for Behavioural Interview questions and answers in advance.
- Prepare for niche specific questions in advance.
How do you look good in a video interview?
- Decide everyday things like clothing, hairstyle, etc. before the interview day
- It will avoid last-minute guesses and will make your mind relaxed.
- Choose something comfortable that you would normally wear to an in-person interview.
- Make sure you are clean and neat.
- Shower and shave if necessary.
- You can go with a button-down shirt or blouse if you want to keep it simple and classic. Stay away from bold, dark, and crowded patterns and colors. Wearing white, light blue, light gray, or another light shade is the safest option if the color doesn’t blend into your surroundings. For example, don’t wear white if a white wall is in the backdrop.
How do you stand out in a video interview?
Use these tips to stand out in a video interview.
These are the tips to prepare for your video Interview.
- Get formal training.
- Rehearse thoroughly.
- Decide everyday things like clothing, hairstyle, etc. before the interview day
- Create a professional backdrop for the interview.
- Set up the proper lighting
- Watch your body language
- Test Your Tech thoroughly
- Prepare for Behavioural Interview questions and answers in advance.
- Prepare for niche specific questions in advance.
Best practices During Your Video Interview?
- Start With a “Digital Handshake.”
- Give heads-up and options if any technical glitch happens
- Maintain Good Posture
- Use Your Face to Show You’re Engaged
- Make eye contact.
- Monitor your facial expressions
- Do not interrupt and let the Other Person Finish Speaking
- Minimize taking notes
- Give Signals that you are interested in the conversation and listening effectively
- Close properly
What should you not do in a video interview?
Avoid doing these things in interviews.
- Do not interrupt and let the Other Person Finish Speaking.
- Minimize taking notes.
- In any case, don’t slouch or lean back in your chair. Instead, keep your arms relaxed at your side.
- Do not cross your arms, fidget with your clothing, or tap your foot.
- Do not sit in a noisy room.
- Do not sit in a dark room or room with bad lighting.
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