Over the past several weeks, businesses have turned to video chat to conduct interviews during the coronavirus pandemic. This is a new process to a lot of people, so we put together a few video interviewing tips to help set yourself up for success.
3 Video Interviewing Tips to Set Yourself Up for Success
Video communication software, like Zoom or Google Hangouts, allows hiring teams to preserve their recruiting process while maintaining health and safety standards. Not only that, but digital interviews show job seekers that businesses are willing to be flexible and are still committed to finding great employees during tough times.
Video interviewing is a great way to get to know a prospective employer and figure out if the job you’re interested in is the right fit. Because this process may be new to some people, we put together a few video interviewing tips to help set yourself up for success and land the job you want:
Familiarize yourself with the software
When scheduling the interview, the employer should tell you which software they’re using (if not, ask). A few hours before the meeting time, you should ‘get to know’ the software, including how to launch the program, mute/unmute, and hide/display video. Consider checking out troubleshooting or FAQ pages for the software just in case of an issue. By familiarizing yourself, you’ll be ready once your interviewer is.
Prepare your environment
Ahead of the interview, you should plan out your environment, taking the following into account:
- Do I have a neutral background? Try finding something that isn’t too distracting.
- Will it be noisy around me? If so, make sure you have a pair of headphones ready or try to find a quiet space. Notify your family members or roommates when you’ll be interviewing so they can save the smoothie-making or exercising for later.
- How’s my internet connection? Find out with a free internet speed test.
While you’re thinking about your interviewing space, remember that more people are working from home than ever, and it’s new to a lot of people; if your children are running around, pets are being loud, or construction’s happening outside, don’t panic – because it could be happening to your interviewer as well. Notify them up front of possible distractions which will help you feel more in control. Overall, preparation is huge when considering video interviewing tips.
Remember classic interviewing tips
Despite the change in scenery, you should continue to follow normal interview procedures, such as: dress professionally (from head to toe, not just where the camera can see you), have your resume on hand, ask questions, and send a follow up email. Prospective employers will respect you taking the process seriously.
With little understanding of what the future looks like, some hiring managers believe that virtual interviewing will become a norm due to health concerns. Use these video interviewing tips to become comfortable with video conferencing and so you’ll be prepared for whatever the hiring process looks like.