Our Top Tips to NAIL Your Video Interview!

Congratulations, if you have landed on this post, your resume has impressed Talent Acquisition / Hiring Managers for the DREAM role you have applied for, and you've been invited to a virtual/video interview.?

I want to share our top tips to ensure you are 100% ready for the video interview process.?

First up, let's be clear on what a video interview is.?

The pandemic accelerated all aspects of working digitally. We embraced working from home, communicating via Slack, MS Teams, and Zoom. We managed projects remotely on Trello and recruitment through Job Adder, WorkDay and Greenhouse, to name a few.?

As a Talent Acquisition Manager and Agency Founder, my life is so much easier through video interviews. We access candidates quickly and can schedule interviews on the same day, despite being in different cities or countries. In addition, clients are more accessible, requiring less coordination to coordinate a video interview.?

Video interviews are virtual job interviews that take place remotely via video conferencing, predominantly Zoom and MS Teams, rather than a face-to-face interview.?

?It is ALL about Preparation!

There's something about video interviews that can make the interview process more daunting. For some, it's the risk of technical difficulties. For others, it's the inability to read body language.

However, video interviews are better than face-to-face meetings. First, there are no travel time requirements and more time to prepare.??

Like a traditional interview, a video interview is your moment to sell yourself to the interviewer and put a personality behind your fantastic cv.?

Here are our top tips to ensure you STAND out from the crowd and nail your video interview!

1 Preparation is vital to your success for both Video and Face to face Interviews.?

Sharing your story is what will set you apart from others. Research and preparing behavioural-based questions will allow the interview to flow and allow you to listen and gauge body language actively.?

Revise the Job Description and review the company online; look for the key competencies or skills essential for you to succeed in the role.?

Could you go through your career history and prepare two or three examples of where you have completed a similar task? The STAR technique is the best technique to ensure you answer succinctly: Situation, task, action and result.?

2 Before the big event, TEST your equipment!?

So that you know, you will be notified of the software you need to complete your interview well in advance. Talent Acquisition will send you an invite via MS Teams or Zoom.?

Download the software if you haven't already, and make sure you understand how it works.

This is also a great time to test how your webcam interacts with the software. No two video technology services are the same. So, you'll want to try the following:

• Microphone
• Lighting
• Camera
• Video/ Virtual room.?

?Frame your camera so the interviewer can see your face down to your shoulders and that there are a few inches of room above your head.

?3 Set up Proper Lighting

Because you won't be meeting your interview in person, it's essential that they can see you on video.

This is the perfect time to test your lighting when testing your technology. You can sit in front of a window to benefit from natural lighting.

If that's not possible, you may need to buy a desk lamp to help illuminate your entire face.

?4 Set up your Virtual Video Room

During the pandemic, working parents often shared screens with their children. Please check your Zoom or MS Teams background. As entertaining as you may find it as a parent, sitting on the moon as a Martian or a Disney Princess will not present you in the best light.?

?Many of the programs provide virtual rooms you may use. You may blur the background or have a neutral location behind you. Please be aware of what the interviewers will see. If you are sitting in a messy room, this will decrease your ability to make a positive impact.?

?5 Minimise Disruptions?

There are distractions you can control. For instance, could you turn your phone off??

Additionally, plan to conduct your interview outside of the office. If you are working from home, ensure that all members of your household know that you are running an interview and close the door and ensure they stay quiet.?

Could you clean up your background, so the focus stays on you??

?6 Be early – 5 minutes as a maximum.

I have had weeks of back-to-back meetings. Nothing is worse than having a message flash up 15 minutes before your next meeting notifying you that your next candidate is waiting to be admitted to your interview.?

Be early, but not too early; no less than two and no more than 5 minutes.?

Please take this as a time to breathe, do some Power Poses, and mentally get in a suitable head space for your interview.?

Warm up your voice and ensure you can pronounce the names of your interviewers correctly. Test your equipment and know it makes a significant difference to go into an interview calmly and composed rather than rushing and late.?

?7 Keep your notes accessible.?

The rule of thumb is that the best-prepared candidate is likely to succeed more than the best candidate for the role.?

PREPARE, make sure you research the company, research the people you are meeting and understand all aspects of the Job Description. Then, prepare your behavioural-based answers aligned with the duties, and never speak negatively of your previous employers.?

If you find referring to notes when interviewing helpful, please keep them in front of you.

?8 Maintain eye contact with the interviewer.?

The only difference between a video and a traditional interview is that you aren't in the same room as your interviewer. I'd like you to maintain eye contact with your interviewer.

The best way to maintain professionalism regardless of the outside environment is to keep eye contact and ensure the interviewer knows you are engaged. Also, please provide that the device you are using is at eye level, you won't be looking down your nose at them, and the lighting shows your face.?

SMILE, mirror their body language and non-verbal cues to build rapport.?

9 Finally – Dress to Impress!?

Even though your interview will be through a screen, dressing for the interview communicates to the interviewer that you still know how to maintain professionalism in a virtual setting.?

It also assists with your mindset. For example, suppose you are dressed to impress with clothing appropriate to the interview and your hair and make-up done. In that case, it will help with both your mindset and confidence and assist in helping you stand out.?

Finally, remember the task at hand: sell yourself. Don't let the screen interrupt the purpose of the interview. You know you have what it takes to land that role, and with these tips, you'll knock that interview out of the park.

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