Video interviews are becoming increasingly important as more and more companies are using them. We understand how daunting they can be as a way to give a great first impression, especially for someone working in the tech sector. We’ve put together 8 top tips to help you absolutely ace your video interview and secure your next position.
Prepare others
We’ve all seen the video clip of the man giving an interview to the BBC when his children wander in, followed by a woman crawling on all fours to retrieve them. As funny as it is for us it doesn’t exactly look professional for him! Tip number one is to always prepare others, this means making sure everyone in the household knows when the interview is going on and which room you will be using. If you have any pets try to remove them from the room, or at least distract them with something to keep them quiet.
Prepare your environment
Make sure that the place you’ve chosen has plenty of light, be it natural or through the use of strategically-placed lamps, this will help your webcam get a clear picture. Equally important is being aware of your background and what can be seen on camera, this means decluttering the area and making sure it is clean before you start your interview.
Positioning
If possible try to elevate your laptop or webcam so that it sits at eye-level, any lower and it will be double-chins galore! Good positioning will also mean that you avoid neck-ache and bad posture for the duration of your interview, creating a great first impression.
First Impressions Count
A video interview is still an interview so dress accordingly! Do your research on the company to find out what their usual dress code is and then go smarter, there absolutely is no such thing as too overdressed. Speak clearly and confidently, try not to fiddle and fidget, and always keep focused on the interview no matter what may be happening in the background (think about the man we mentioned earlier).
Eye-contact
This is going to seem like a strange one but keep eye-contact with your webcam to give the impression that you are maintaining eye-contact with the interviewers. We always recommend that candidates prepare questions so use sticky-notes (or physical post-it notes) to position them close to the top of the screen. Not only will you look super organised because you haven’t had to shuffle papers to find them but you avoid looking away from the camera.
Do Your Research
In this instance we’re not actually talking about the company (although you should always thoroughly research a company prior to interviewing with them) we’re talking about the platform they’re using. Usually you will be sent the link when the interview confirmation comes through or a day or so before. Use this to make sure you understand how the platform works and can access it with minimal issues. Some platforms automatically mute you when signing in so accessing it beforehand means you won’t be trying to figure out why they can’t hear you during your precious interview time.
Being on Time is Being Late
Don’t worry, we’re not expecting you to log in hours beforehand and sit nervously waiting! Simply log on a couple of minutes before your slot to make sure you’re happy with how everything looks on the day. You’ll start the interview feeling confident and this will definitely come across.
Quality is Key
Check the quality of your existing webcam and microphone as older laptops and PCs can have lower quality built-in cameras. Find a willing participant and try a skype call with them so they can tell you whether it’s acceptable or not. Good quality equipment is not as expensive as you might think and definitely worth investing in so you don’t look like a mass of pixels or sound like you’re coming from the bottom of the sea.
Follow these tips and we’re confident you’ll find yourself in your dream job in no time!
Want to find out more about how we can help? Get in touch.