Video Interviews, be ready to give your best!

It has become far more common to interview candidates by video link over recent years but now, in the wake of the current COVID 19 crisis, you can expect it to become the norm. If you are not already accustomed to this make sure you are prepared as you will almost certainly be required to do so soon.

We have some tips to help ensure you make the most of any online interview opportunities. However confident you are about your suitability to the role some thought and preparation is always vital to make the best impression. Sometimes even the most confident and capable individuals still find the idea of being on camera a little intimidating, taking the steps we suggest will certainly help you give your best performance.

The format may be different and you are not turning up at an office and physically meeting your interviewers but in all other respects, it’s the same as any conventional interview.

Be prepared for the usual questions like:

Do your homework regarding your prospective employer and the position you are applying for, prepare as you would for any interview. This includes your own physical presentation, dress for success and not just above the waist. Wear an outfit that is appropriate for the role, formal is best and safest in most cases but if you know that it’s a trendy youthful tech startup, where smart casual is de rigueur then go with that if you’re comfortable.

Test and test once more, make sure the software and hardware work. If you need to download and create accounts for apps such as Skype, Zoom or whichever it may be, ensure it is all working and try it out with a friend or family member to confirm. This includes sound and image from your device, preferably a laptop rather than a phone or handheld tablet. Picture and the sound quality need to be good so make sure the microphone and lighting are all adequate.

Make sure your device is plugged into power or at least fully charged up to avoid a sudden black screen and that you have full WiFi signal, take no chances of falling offline.

Experiment to find your best location. A well-lit living room or study with an uncluttered background is a good choice. Certainly avoid distracting or unprofessional environments where sounds or interruptions could put you off or leave a bad impression. Outdoor or public places are best avoided.

When you have found the best spot, make sure nothing else could interrupt the interview such as alarms, reminders, noise from other devices or even someone coming to a door.

Sit comfortably in front of your laptop with notepad and pen handy, a desk or suitable table being ideal.

Once you have tested all your tech, hardware and software, chosen your location, are happy with the lighting and practised your answers to the predictable questions, you should have at least one dry run.

When you are not in the same room as your interviewer things like body language and eye contact do not come naturally so it’s worth rehearsing them. Practice looking into the camera and maintaining good posture so that you remain centred on the screen and focused on your interviewer. Check also that your voice is recording clearly so that you can be easily understood.

At the end of the interview make sure you thank your interviewer for their time and the opportunity, just as you would if you were meeting them for the first time in person.

Follow up with a note the next day reaffirming your interest in the job and mention something you learnt or discussed during the interview which adds a nice personal touch.

Take these steps and you should be better prepared to nail your video interview, whether it’s your first or one of many, your are certainly more likely than ever to be invited to interview remotely in the future.

If you are looking for your next role in technology take a look at our latest vacancies or submit your CV.

Good luck and remember we are always here to help you find your next technology job in one of our five specialist practices:

SAP | Business Applications | Development & Integration | Cloud & Infrastructure | Data