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Video interviews are a good way to connect remotely with a potential employer. It saves you the additional cost of having to travel, especially if the prospective job is out of town. It also provides the advantage of facing the hot seat from your own turf- a comfort zone. But don’t be fooled, there are certain potential pitfalls to avoid.
If you have been invited to a video interview, congrats because you are roughly 33% through. However, you need to impress your interviewers to advance to the next stage. To do this successfully, it is important to adhere to the conducts of video interviewing. You may answer the questions correctly, but little behavioural faults could count against you.
In this post, we won’t be addressing interview questions, but the basic conducts regarding behaviour and etiquette of a video chat.
1. Don’t be too casual
The temptation to wear a vest and pyjama bottoms is high, after all you will probably be calling in from your sitting room. Whatever you do, don’t make this mistake. Your potential interviewers are not close enough to assess every aspect of your personality, so they will focus strongly on the little things they can. Your appearance is one of them.
Dress the part- as you would if you were in the same room with them. It shows the interviewers your willingness to take the job seriously. Besides, smart dressing can boost your confidence.
2. Don’t answer the call in your bedroom
We are used to taking Skype calls with friends in the bedroom or even while on the bed, and it’s alright. But when it comes to a job interview, you should be more selective. Prepare your surroundings and keep things clean. Another tip: avoid noisy coffee-shops.
Make sure the view behind you is not distracting. You can opt for a plain wallpaper background or a bookshelf. Yes, cannily give them an idea of the kind of books you read.
3. Don’t break the flow
During an interview, there might be temptation to leave the table for some reason. Perhaps your pet is getting into something you don’t want, or one of the kids needs some help. While these are normal, they can be avoided. It is little distractions like these that break the flow of the interview.
Plan the duration of the interview. Before then, get your pets out of the way or ask someone to look after the children. It will only take a few minutes, so it shouldn’t be much trouble.
4. Don’t have poor visual quality
Always test the lighting of the room and how it would appear to someone on the other end of the chat. Some buildings have poor natural lighting and can obscure your appearance on camera. If this is the case, compensate with sufficient alternative lighting such as LED bulbs.
If your interviewers can’t see you clearly, it could disrupt the communication flow. Before the D-day, set everything in order. Ask a friend to call you and perform mock tests. If they are satisfied with the communication, then you are good to go.
