Preparing for a video interview
These days, everything is done online, and that has even extended to interviewing. More and more businesses introduced video interviewing even before the Covid-19 pandemic, but since then the trend for video interviewing has rocketed. Getting invited to a video interview may leave you relieve that you don’t need to leave the comfort of your house, or it might fill you with dread.
A video interview shares some similarities with a regular interview, but there are also some things you might want to do differently when preparing for a video interview.
Get your background right
Normally you will arrive at a company office, which will likely be a formal setting, and you won’t even give it a thought as to what your surroundings will be. A video interview is different, as you’ll probably be doing it from home. It’s always good to have a clear and uncluttered background. Check to make sure that there will be no inappropriate things in the shot of the camera. Things like posters on the walls, or your favourite film memorabilia cluttering the shelves. Even though it’s a video interview, you’re still interviewing for a job, so your surroundings should represent a formal environment, making it look like you care.
Dress to impress
You may be tempted to do the classic thing of dressing up from the waist up but keeping your pyjamas on the bottom. We wouldn’t recommend this; you’re leaving yourself open to getting caught out. What if you have to get up, or you knock your camera and it focusses downwards? It could happen, so why take the risk. Dress professionally and you won’t run the risk, and you’ll probably also find yourself in a better mindset for the interview.
Make use of notes
One advantage that you can have during a video interview is that you can use notes if you wish. As long as you do it subtly and don’t appear to rely solely on the notes you’ve made then this is perfectly acceptable. Use them to help you answer questions or remember specific facts about the role or company. Just don’t use them as a script, the interviewer will most likely be able to tell.
Look at the camera
When you’re at a face to face interview, eye contact is really important. That’s no different with a video interview, but it’s more difficult. You will see the interviewer on the screen, but the camera will normally be above the screen, so if you always look at the screen then your eyes will be slightly looking down. Focus on trying to look into the camera instead as much as you can, as this will give a much better impression of giving eye contact.
Remove any distractions
Another issue you might encounter at home is that you may have young children, pets or other interruptions which could bring awkward moments during your interview. Switch off your phone, call a baby sitter, shut pets in a different room, turn the TV and music off. Try to foresee any interruptions and do your best to prevent them. Also, make sure that other people you live with are aware that you are about to start an interview, you don’t want to
Get some practice
It’s probably a good idea to do a practice run. All you need to do is turn on your computer, laptop or smart phone and experiment with things like lighting, backgrounds etc. It would also be good to make sure you can find a good angle that works, and check that your microphone works before going into a live video interview. Get these things sorted beforehand to make sure your interview goes as smoothly as possible.
We hope you find these tips very helpful. Like we say, video interviews are getting more and more popular among hirers, so there’s a good chance that you’ll have a video interview in the future if you haven’t already. Follow our guidance to make sure you’re prepared as much as possible and get things right the first time as soon as you meet your interviewer.
