Video Interviews – Be Prepared

Following the pandemic and the increase in working from home or in a hybrid role, video interviewing has become more of the norm than exception. The use and value seen in conducting a video interview as part of an interview process is that it can often be easier to arrange and attend for all parties, as well as the increasingly important minimising of physical contact.

As an early part of an interview process, we are seeing increased engagement and commitment on all sides following video introductions. We are also seeing that individuals are comfortable not ever meeting or seeing the office environment before agreeing to take a new role.

Here’s a simple checklist of things you can do before and during a video interview to make the most of your time with your potential new employer.

• Familiarise yourself with the platform that is to be used. Perhaps do a test run with your recruiter and/or a friend
• Ensure your WiFi and band-width is of significant size/stability to support the video interview and remember, the room you are in can impact this
• Choose a room that will be quiet, well-lit, free from interruptions and has an appropriate neutral back-drop
• Test and re-test the camera and audio
• Prepare and dress as is appropriate for the business you are interviewing with, as you would for a physical interview – at least your top half anyway
• Prepare as you would any type of interview, do your research
• Have work examples, creative portfolio and your CV ready to share on screen if required
• Body language is still important. Be expressive, nod and smile to show engagement
• Maintain eye contact. If you like to have notes available in interview then consider positioning these near to the camera so that you don’t need to break away from contact too dramatically
• Ensure your phone is on silent mode or better still turn it off or leave it in another room

If things go wrong

You can prepare all you like but things can still go wrong, what can set you aside from the crowd is how you handle this situation. The golden rule is easier said than done but do not panic! Keep your composure as it will show how you handle an unexpected and challenging situation.

• To prepare for the worst consider sharing mobile numbers at the start in case there is any issues with the tech being used
• If you are interrupted by external noise, do ask to take a second and think about muting the mic
• Should you be interrupted by a person or a rogue pet, again ask to take a second and think about muting and also turning the camera off before you launch into a tirade of expletives

For further advice on how to master a video interview, just get in touch with one of the team and if you’ve any further advice feel free to leave it in the comments.