Video Interviewing Tips: You Ought to be in Pictures

Job interviewing has changed in the last year or two thanks to such external influences such as worldwide pandemics, lockdowns, restrictions on travel or even cost control on the part of a company during a public health emergency. Face to face interviews are falling more out of favor, at least in the initial screening and interview process. Many interviews are now being conducted on video platform such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype or GoToMeeting, to name a few.

We have covered phone interviews / screening before and many of the same rules apply, as do the rules for in-person first face to face interviews. The question-and-answer strategies still apply. However, there are still a few more things to keep in mind when engaging in a video interview. After all, it can be a bit unnerving; especially since video interviews are a different dynamic than the more traditional methods.

CHECK YOUR WEBCAM AND MICROPHONE

There are going to be a few additional steps you will have to make in preparation for your video interview. The last thing you are going to want is some technical glitch to derail your chances before you even get a chance to shine in an interview. You may be ready to answer how you saved the nuclear plant from melting down with a set of ball bearings and a bent spoon, but that anecdote is worthless if you can’t get the bloody microphone to work.

First and foremost, if you are using a laptop, make sure that your microphone and webcam are functioning properly. Test them out in your computer settings. A good website for checking your webcam and microphone is here.

LIGHTING

Also, check your lighting. If your interview is in the morning, check the angle of the sun so that it is not shining behind. If possible, test out the video at the same time of day as your interview.

CHECK YOUR INTERNET CONNECTION
Obviously, you have an internet connection if you are reading these words now. However, it is important to check your connectivity in the room where you are going to be on the video call. If you have a weak connection in certain rooms of your abode, consider setting up in a location closer to your modem.
Consider checking your upload and download speeds on such sites such as here and here. Also consider checking to see if your Internet Service Provider (ISP) has testing speed resources as well. (Here and here are a couple)

Finally, check your connection as well if you are going be using your phone for the interview. Decide if the connection is stronger via wifi or via a cellular data service connection. I would recommend wifi unless you are in a rural area or just an area with shitty internet.

DOWNLOAD THE APP AT LEAST 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE
The last thing you want is to be trying to get the download to complete at 9:05 for a 9:00 interview. The video Interview is a test of your ability to show that you your preparation skills. Unfortunately for you, it must go off without a single hitch and there are external factors at work. It is going to be more than just preparing for the questions and answers.

If the you are going to be on a PC, always download the app and do not try and run whatever app is being used for the interview through the browser. Ad blockers and pop-up blockers can sometimes make things go awry pretty quickly. Also, consider testing out the app with a a friend, spouse, partner, neighbor, cell mate or whomever.

TEST YOUR CONNECTION AGAIN BEFORE THE INTERVIEW STARTS

Even if you have tested out everything the day before and even if everything is humming as smoothly as a swarm of murder hornets raiding a beehive, make sure to test everything out again at least 30 minutes before the interview. This includes checking things like your camera, your microphone, or your internet connection. Make sure no untimely updates are running in the background that may automatically “reboot” your machine.

I know some of these things may seem far-fetched, but in the spirit of Murphy’s Law, it is best to plan for every single technological glitch that could possibly occur. Keeping that in mind, it is probably also a good idea to stay off of any off-shore gambling, online porn, dark web murder-for-hire, sketchy online gaming sites or anything that where you could transmit a virus to your computer or phone the night before as well. It might not even hurt to run a virus check on your machine the day before as an added precaution!

The bottom line is to prevent any internet disruptions during the call. That includes making sure that your internet, cell phone, and / or electric bills are paid and current. Conversely, you probably do get a free pass for such things out of your control like sunspots, EMP bombs, solar flares, or extra-terrestrial invasions that may occur during the interview.

Now that we have covered the technical issues, there are some other important aspects that must be considered.

DRESS APPROPRIATELY

Many of the standards for a face-to-face interview should apply, so it is probably best to not don the clown-suit, ketchup-stained t-shirt or t-rex costume to the interview. Dress professionally. This will help to put you in the proper mindset for the interview. Mentally, you need to be prepared as if this is a face-to-face interview. It really is no different as the stakes are the same. As my high-school History Teacher used to say: “Look sharp, act sharp, be sharp!” (Thanks, Mr. King!)

And for further interview attire advice, see here.

YOUR BACKDROP

Be very cognizant of what is in the line of site of your video. The general rule is to keep everything in the video at a professional level. It is probably to not record in front of your meth lab setup (even if applying for a job as a chemist – (side note, yes, I am a Breaking Bad fan) in the background. This is another reason why testing your video is important beforehand. You are going to want to remove all of the thing that you DON’T want people knowing about you

On the plus side, feel free to plaster the wall behind you with diplomas, awards and commendations from public officials. Also feel free to have a photo posted of you rescuing orphan kittens from a burning building.

KIDS AND PETS

Speaking of kittens…Many a video meeting has been derailed by children or animals. If you have small children, you may want to see if some alternative care options are available. Sedating them is an option, but I am told by my legal counsel that I probably should not have mentioned that. This can be really hard if you are a single parent. In any case, you want to make sure that you have some buffer between your interview room and your offspring should such hijinks occur.

As for animals, the same thing applies. You may even want to cage up the bearded dragon for the duration of the interview. Maintain that buffer! Any interruption of kids or pets ensures that the focus of the interview is not on you and your skills and questions for the interviewer but on the hilarious viral video that will follow.

CHEAT AND USE NOTES

Final tip. The video interview can be a huge advantage to you! You have lots of space in front of you that the interviewer(s) cannot see. Why not plaster that space with bullet points with notes that will help you in your interview? Can’t remember how to talk about yourself? (bam!) Need to have notes to answer the strengths and weaknesses question? (bam!) Maybe you would like to have a copy of your resume handy so you can walk through your job history? (bam!)

Your monitor or phone can be set up against a wall and notes and your personal interview tips can be adhered to the wall with scotch tape. You can even go so far as to include your questions for the hiring manager on the wall as well. The cool thing is that it will appear that you are more extemporaneous in your line of questioning. Rather than looking down at a notepad, you will not flinch when asked “do you have any questions.” You will look forward and confidently ask questions as if you had them memorized. It’s a nifty little trick that exudes confidence.

CONCLUSION

The most important things for video interviews are to prepare and make sure all of the technical aspects run smoothly. Prepare for the question-and-answer session as you would any other interview, however, pay close attention to you personal presentation, both in terms of attire and ambience. Finally, use the modus to your advantage by pasting tips, questions, and answers to probably questions on the wall in front of you.

Also, if you are in need of a webcam, this is a pretty slick one here that I have used for online meetings with clients for my business. It works just as well for job interviews!