So much has changed in the era of COVID-19, and no more so than the professional world.
Record numbers of office workers now work from home, and human resources departments have taken to Zoom and Skype’s virtual technology to interview candidates for job openings.
If you have had an invite to a virtual job interview, how should you prepare? In this article, we’ll reveal the three most crucial video job interview tips.
Tip #1: Create a Professional Look
At home, we feel relaxed. In familiar surroundings, we get used to our personal space. That type of look is acceptable in the time of Covid, where your locked-down home is unlikely to welcome guests.
However, when it comes to virtual job interview tips, first impressions count, and that goes for you and your home.
Start with your environment. Find a room in the house that will be quiet and private.
Declutter the part of the room that will be visible on the camera. Add a few props to the view to make the room look presentable. A vase of flowers or a few carefully stacked books works well.
Don’t forget your appearance. Loungewear might be the craze for 2021, but you still want to make an effort for an interview, even if it’s virtual.
You don’t need to go to the entire effort of wearing a suit, but do choose a light-colored, perfectly-ironed shirt or blouse. If your hair is long, tie it up in a neat style as you would a face-to-face interview.
Tip #2: Test the Setup
We’ve all seen the cringe-worthy viral videos of Zoom calls gone wrong. Don’t make the same mistake in that all-important interview.
Find out in advance what technology the interviewer will be using and get it set up on your laptop. Ask a friend to run a test call with you before the big day.
Check that the camera and microphone work. Test the wifi connection to ensure it is good enough to manage a video call.
Don’t forget to consider background noises that might disturb your call.
Do you often get deliveries at that point in the day? If so, put a note on your front door asking any visitors not to ring the bell.
If you have a dog, get a friend to look after it during the interview, so you don’t have barking in the background.
Tip #3: Write Notes
If a headhunter has approached you about a prestigious job opening, one benefit of a virtual interview is that you can have notes to hand (provided they are out of sight from the camera).
Some candidates take this strategy a step further by using digital tools to assist them during the conversation. For instance, an AI assistant like interviewcopilot.ai can listen to the questions in real time and suggest helpful talking points. This type of tool runs quietly in the background without the interviewer knowing. It helps you stay calm and gives you quick ideas when you get stuck on a difficult question. Having this kind of support makes it much easier to speak with confidence.
Use this to your advantage because it’s likely other candidates will do the same. Make written notes in advance of your interview and type them up in big font so that they are easy to read at a glance.
Make sure you include a list of questions. Interviewers always gauge someone’s interest in a job by the questions they ask, so this is an area for you to be as insightful as possible.
Use These Video Job Interview Tips to Get Hired
If you haven’t previous experience in how to do a virtual job interview, it’s natural to feel apprehensive. However, excellent preparation will work to your advantage.
Use these video job interview tips, and it could mean the difference between getting hired for that dream job or missing out.
Have you had a virtual job interview? Share your experience with us in the comments below.
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