Congratulations you have a Video Interview for a new position.
Our guide will help you to navigate this new but more frequently commonplace part of the recruitment process.
1. Approach this just like an in-person interview!
2. Test audio and camera:
a. Do a dry run and test your video/audio capabilities at least one day prior to the scheduled call!
b. Make sure audio acoustics and video quality are good.
c. Make sure your login credentials are current.
3. Laptop positioning:
a. Don’t use a mobile phone – use a laptop!
b. Elevate your laptop to avoid staring down into the camera.
c. Connect your laptop to the charger - don’t let your battery die at the wrong moment.
4. Background/lighting:
a. Sit at a table, against a plain, neutral background.
b. Ensure the lighting in the room is not too bright or dark.
5. Attire - dress professionally from head to toe just in case you need to stand up for something.
6. Eye contact:
a. Move the image of the interviewer to the top of your screen so you can make eye contact and see their reactions to what you are saying.
7. Limit distractions:
a. Close all other applications and pop-ups on your laptop (email, etc.).
b. Make sure to silence Outlook/Gmail notifications.
c. Silence mobile phones and disable vibration.
d. If at home, silence virtual doorbells and Alexa/Google Home devices.
e. Exclude kids, pets, etc. from the room.
f. Avoid rocking in your chair and being fidgety.
8. Have a printed copy of your CV available.
9. Contact info – Ensure you have the phone number and email of the interviewer in case the video connection is lost.
10. Have both pen and paper at hand.
11. Have a glass of water available.
12. You’ve done your homework on both the company and interviewer and you have great skills and experience, so demonstrate them by speaking into the camera, NOT into the screen, with a nice smile!
13. Consider attaching post-it notes around the laptop screen with prompts and questions you wish to ask the interviewer.
14. Similar to all interviews, you’ll want to send a “thank you” note shortly after the interview