Tips on How to Prepare for a Video Interview

With the Covid-19 pandemic, we witnessed an increase in remote hiring which accelerated the trend towards virtual job interviews owing to the restrictions. Now as we come out of the pandemic, interviews on digital platforms continue to remain increasingly common among employers, giving them greater flexibility of time and granting them access to candidates beyond geographical and logistical boundaries. Video interviews further allow for better candidate evaluation as recruiters can always record the interview and use that to guide their final decision.

Certainly, Covid-19 has drastically changed the way businesses operate making online interviews an integral part of the hiring process across industries. And, the popularity is expected to remain unaffected in the foreseeable future, given the rise in remote work and virtual communications. With our helpful video interview tips and strategies, get ready to impress your recruiter.

Technical Preparation

From a technical standpoint, it’s better to be prepared in advance to avoid any unexpected glitches on the day of the interview. Struggling to fix your camera lens or appearing for your interview in a cluttered and enclosed space is sure to put off your employer.

First and foremost, where you appear for your interview can greatly affect how well your interview goes.  Ensure to pick a room that’s simple, clean, and most importantly, away from any loud noises and disturbances to avoid missing out on any important details or questions throughout the process.

Secondly, so as to not distract your interviewer, refrain from opting for a background with vivid colors and busy patterns. Go for something subdued, preferably a plain wall with neutral decor, which ought to look more professional. In terms of lighting, natural light works best, you can sit by a window or invest in a ring light if that’s more convenient. Whatever you choose, just be mindful of staying away from overtly bright lights glaring in your face that could possibly block the interviewer’s vision.

Lastly, when it comes to placing your camera for your job interview video call, angle it in a way that’s comfortable to look at since positioning anything too high up or low can negatively impact your video quality. The most optimal placement is slightly above eye level in order to maintain steady eye contact with the interviewer.

Don’t forget to test your laptop’s/phone’s microphone, camera, and internet connection prior to your interview, preferably a day before. Do a trial run with a friend or a family member to evade any last-minute mishaps.

Read our full guide – How to prepare for a job interview

Personal Preparation

Now that we have the technicalities taken care of, let’s move on to the personal preparation required at your end. As far as personal preparation is concerned, you need to take care of two key things at your front, first, researching the company and the position in advance, and second, dressing appropriately for the interview.

As a rule of thumb, you should be looking into a company’s background, researching its competitors, USP, working culture, financial health, key accomplishments, and job openings. Doing thorough research is essential as it lets you ask all the right questions that are relevant and specific to demonstrate your enthusiasm and curiosity. More so, by arming yourself with such crucial information you can then incorporate these details to tailor your answers to fit the company and the role, setting yourself apart from your counterparts. Basically, take it a notch higher by showcasing your knowledge and suitability for the job role highlighting how your skills, experience, and values align with what they are looking for, and how you can contribute to their goals and vision, boosting your chances of getting hired.

Coming to your attire, dressing up for a video interview isn’t any different than how you would appear for an in-person interview. How one dresses up reflects who they are and their personality, so be sure to put your best foot forward. As a general rule stick to professional attire, like trousers, shirts, formal dresses, pencil skirts, solid-colored tops, blazers, or suits. Women should refrain from wearing low-cut tops or anything too revealing that may be considered inappropriate for a professional meeting. Wearing makeup and simple jewelry is acceptable as long as you don’t go overboard. Having chipped nails or messy hair can impact the first impression your interviewer has of you, so have your hair neatly put, and trim your nails. Basically, invest as much time in grooming yourself as you would in picking your outfit.

Communication Skills

We understand that interviews in general can be nerve-racking and anxiety-stress-inducing, but how you communicate should never be telling of your nervousness. If anything, your communication skills and the body language you hone should emanate the utmost confidence and self-assurance.

Make sure you practice your speech much in advance to lessen your anxiety. You must take cognizance of your tone keeping it friendly, steady, and confident at all times as a shaking voice or fumbling too much can greatly affect your likability at the recruiter’s end. Be clear when you speak and avoid over-communicating or interrupting by all means. Pausing briefly before you start answering ensures the interviewer has finished talking. If for any reason you’re unsure of what a question means always seek clarification, it’s better than giving incorrect responses. Overall, how the interviewer communicates should set the tone for the rest of the conversation. If they are business-oriented it’s best to respond in a similar tone steering clear of any casual talk. However, if they are chatty and more receptive you can respond similarly whilst still remaining professional.

Moving on, having strong body language can impact how things turn in your favor. Most recruiters today are looking out for employees who are determined and motivated, and your body language is a powerful metric of that. Even though they may not be able to see your whole body, they can still pick up on nonverbal cues through your hand gestures, facial expressions, and body posture. To signal both confidence and approachability to the recruiter, maintain a straight posture with a pleasant smile as you kick off the interview. Nodding and leaning in as the interviewer speaks demonstrates active listening and interest in what they have to say. Resist looking at yourself on the screen or away from the lens as you may come across as distracted or even disinterested. Instead, maintain steady eye contact by looking straight into the camera as it helps foster a bond with the interviewer allowing better engagement. Communicating with your hands as you speak to add emphasis to your point is completely acceptable as long as you don’t make any exaggerated movements that may seem unnatural. Lastly, keep away from slouching, fidgeting, shaking your leg, or playing with your hair during the course of the interview as it indicates a lack of confidence or interest in the conversation.

Bidding words….

As we come to the end of the blog article, we advise our readers to closely follow the video interview tips we have outlined to ensure they can succeed in getting their dream job. Virtual interviews are the future of recruitment and the sooner you start preparing to adapt to this new age of digital assessment, the better you are expected to perform. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that these interviews are any different than in-person interviews, we can assure you that it requires the same level of preparation if not more. By preparing thoroughly you can demonstrate your professionalism and outperform other candidates.

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