Ready to land your next job?
Remote work continues to be booming, which means many hiring processes involve video interviews rather than in-person ones. If you're on the job search, here are some tips and techniques from our Career Experts on how to have a successful video interview - including how to be prepared, professional, and positive!
Get Comfortable With Your Surroundings
Before your video job interview, make sure to give yourself enough time to get your surroundings ready, whether you're working in a home office or your kitchen table:
- Eliminate all potential sources of noise or distraction - whether that means putting your phone on silent, asking your roommate to close their door for a bit, or banishing your cat in another room!
- Check your internet - consider using an ethernet cable for a faster, more reliable connection
- Test your audio/video settings
- Adjust your lighting - if possible, place your laptop in front of a lamp, ring light, or a window
- Keep your video background simple, clean, and professional
- Optimize your seating, desk, and laptop/monitor positioning so that you're comfortable
If needed, familiarize yourself with the video platform that your interview will be held on. Here are some popular ones:
- Zoom
- Microsoft Teams
- Google Meet
You can set up a mock meeting with yourself or a friend on different platforms so that you can click around and get comfortable with the interfaces:
- Audio/video settings
- Screensharing
- Toggling between different windows and/or screens
- Whiteboarding
Video Interview Etiquette
Video interviews are similar to in-person ones in terms of behaving and dressing professionally - but there are some key differences you should keep in mind:
- Verbal cues and body language are especially important when on video - make sure to nod and smile to acknowledge that you’re listening and understanding
- Sit up straight and make eye contact with your computer's camera, not the screen - put a sticky note near your camera to draw attention
- Ideally, your head and shoulders should be in the picture - don't place yourself too close or far from the screen
- Make sure your video is in horizontal/landscape orientation (not vertical, as it would appear on your phone)
- Don't speak over anyone else, and mute your audio when you’re not speaking
Frame Your Answers For A Remote World
When answering interview questions, make sure to showcase how your skills and past experiences will flourish in today’s world of remote work. Some skills you should highlight:
- Adaptability
- Strong Team Player
- Communication
- Growth Mindset
These skills have and will continue to become in-demand as companies continue to operate remotely, even after the pandemic is over. Try to reiterate these skills as much as possible throughout your interview - we recommend following the STAR framework to concisely and effectively showcase your strengths through past work experiences:
- Situation
- Task
- Action
- Result
How To Overcome Interview Anxiety
It’s totally normal to feel nervous before a job interview! Try to make the most of these jitters, and take them as a positive sign that this interview is meaningful to you, and you want to do your best. Often anxiety and excitement produce similar feelings!
Here are some tips on how to handle job interview anxiety:
- Practice with your friends and/or in front of a mirror - try recording yourself and watching it after to see how you can improve your answers and/or body language
- Prepare an interview cheat sheet with keywords and answers - keep it close by during your remote interview so you can refer to it if needed
- Do something you love before the interview - this will help boost your confidence!
- Get a good night’s sleep, hydrate, and meditate
- Focus on positive thoughts - try saying them out loud to yourself!
Soon enough, you'll be shining through the screen of your next video interview!
More Interview Tips: What Questions Should You Ask Employers At The End Of An Interview?
Remember, a job interview is a two-way street - you’re also interviewing the employers to see if their company is a good fit for you and your values! Here are questions that every job seeker should ask employers during job interviews - especially in a post-pandemic world.