Top 7 Tips For Video Interviews
During the Coronavirus pandemic, video interviewing candidates has become more and more common. We’ve been enabling virtual interviews with our video interview software for over two years and figured we should share some tips.
If you are practicing for a video interview, feel free to reach out to us and one of our candidate success team can give you some one on one coaching.
Job interviews, especially video interviews can be worrying. After the Coronavirus pandemic, it looks like video interviews are here to stay.
At Searchie, we’ve spent several years building a video interview tool which is robust for recruiters and immersive for candidates. After all, we want you to enjoy it too!
Below, we have outlined some of our top tips for video interviews. Some of them are shared guidelines that the team over indeed think are relevant as well.
Others are based on our own experience in taking, giving and reviewing video interviews.
1. Relax
It might sound obvious but hiring managers and recruiters want to see the real you.
They are interested in how you are going to work in the team in the long run so be authentic.
Take it easy, go slowly and concentrate on showing them who you really are.
Recruiters see tonnes of candidates all the time. There is no shortage of people applying to jobs. The candidates who stand out are often the ones who are relaxed and clear in their answers.
2. Refer To The Job Description
Keep a copy of the job description nearby. Chances are that if someone has gone to the effort of writing this thing, they are going to be using it to measure you.
Having a copy of the description nearby will help you to stay focused in your answers.
It’s really helpful for a recruiter too. They’ll have some boxes that they want or need you to tick for them. If you can go through the interview and cross them all off for them, it will really help.
3. It’s remote. You Might Exaggerate Some Behaviour
Sometimes, you may want to exaggerate some behaviour.
Details can get lost on camera so it might be smart to make sure that when you are listening you exaggerate that you are listening a bit. Same goes for other behaviours, use your hands, lean in, the list goes on.
4. Check Your Hardware
It’s no use having your interview all planned out if you run out of battery half way through the interview.
Some one-way interview tools will allow you to resume your interview where you left off but don’t run the risk.
- Charge your laptop
- Check the camera
- Check the microphone
5. Light Matters
You are in a virtual interview. People want to see you.
Make sure that you are in a well lit, quiet place.
Don’t sit with your back against a window because nobody will be able to see you.
Let the light shine in on your face and keep the kids calm.
6. Remember People Can See You
It’s easy to forget that the camera is on but…try not to.
Dress for the occasion. Different positions will expect different dress codes. It sounds silly but the way you dress is a signal that you send to other people.
The signals you send in a video interview are even more pronounced than in person.
7. Stay In The Frame
It’s easy to move out of the frame, especially on a mobile phone.
If you are taking your video from a phone, put it flat and try not to move it.
Staying still and in the frame helps the people on the other end to concentrate on what’s important – you.
