[Top Tips] Succeed in your video interview

With the increase in technology usage for efficiency, the number of interviews being conducted via video are on the rise. The thought of a video interview will either make you feel uneasy, or overjoyed that you don’t have to leave the comforts of your house, or maybe a bit of both.

You will find many similarities to a face-to-face interview with video, but here are some tips and tricks to help you ace your upcoming video interviews.

Do your interview preparation

Preparation for a video interview is just as important as it is for a face-to-face interview. The result of any interview ultimately depends on the amount of research you have done, in order to answer the questions well. Ensure that you research the company so you understand the business beyond the basics. What sector is the business in? What are the current challenges it faces? What are the latest projects the business has been involved in? What role are you applying for? Make your research role relevant, such as if you’re applying for a marketing role, appraise the marketing activity. You need to understand the role too. Read over the job description, so you know what you would be expected to do and how your skills/experience would fit into the role. 

TOP TIP: Try not to leave preparation to the last minute and prepare some questions to ask the interviewer, if you are doing a live interview.

Dress for success

How would you dress for a face-to-face interview? It is vital you make the right impression, even when you are not meeting the interviewer in person. Dressing well for your video interview, not only gives a good impression, but power-dressing inspires you to perform at your maximum capacity. When choosing your outfit for the video interview, make sure you consider your surroundings to ensure you won’t clash with the background.

FACT: Interviewers often make their decision within the first 7 seconds of seeing you, which also applies to video interviewing. So make sure you dress for success.

Set up in the right environment

Ensure you are in the right environment and away from any potential distractions. You need to be seen and you need to be heard, so choose a quiet, private and well-lit location to do your video interview. We suggest avoiding communal spaces such as coffee shops. Any distractions such as people, pets or noises need to be limited as much as possible. Try positioning your camera with a neutral background behind, this will help you to come across as professional to the interviewer.

TOP TIP: Ask a family member or friend to help you do a practice video interview in your chosen location. Ask them to check: Is the room light enough? Is your outfit appropriate? Can they hear and see you clearly?

Check your technology

You have spent time researching the company, read over your CV and job description so you are as prepared for your video interview as you could be. Moments before you are due to record or receive the video call invitation, you realise your webcam is not working correctly. What do you do? You make sure your internet connection and webcam are all working correctly at the latest, the day before. Fully charge your device and even have a backup if possible. Familiarise yourself with the software you will be using before the day of your video interview, to ensure you can access any links and have the opportunity to ask questions if you’re unsure how to use it. 

Do your interview preparation

A perception often found in candidates towards video interviews is that body language is no longer important because you are not meeting the interviewer in person. This perception could not be anymore wrong, as eye contact and body language is possibly more important because it is more difficult to build rapport with the interviewer over a webcam, compared to in person. You need to maintain professionalism throughout your interview, as you would through a face-to-face interview. Consider the positioning of your webcam; try raising your laptop or device so the camera is not below your face. If you use hand gestures when speaking and the camera is too low, you risk covering the camera.

TOP TIP: Remember to smile!

What should you do if things do not go as planned?

Video interviews rely on technology so there is a chance something could go wrong. It is important that you don’t panic, apologise to the interviewer and follow our steps to resolve the situation.

If your technology stops working

Do you have backup technology? At the latest, the day before your video interview, ask the interviewer for a phone number so you can contact them in case you experience technical difficulties. Contact your interviewer, apologise for the issues and either ask if you could finish the interview over the phone or reschedule to another time and date.

If someone enters the room unexpectedly

Give the people you live with plenty of notice that you have a video interview, so they know they will need to be quiet and not to disturb you. Remind them again, just before the interview. If someone does enter unexpectedly, apologise to the interviewer, mute your mic and politely ask the person to leave. 

Final thoughts…

Video interviews can be a daunting process, but following our top tips and tricks you will be able to confidently answer the questions in your next video interview. Finally, we suggest that you send your interviewer a thank you email later that day or the following day after your interview.

For more information on our vacancies, check out our jobs page and good luck on your next video interview!