Virtual Job Interview Tips

Video conferencing and virtual job interviews have never been as popular as they are today in the world of business. Video interviews are on the rise, making the need to look good on a video call all the more important.

The following article will go through some of the most important tips from preparation, to equipment and presentation when it comes to virtual job interviews.

‍

Be Prepared

‍

Before starting any job interview, you need to be prepared. It's no different when it comes to virtual job interviews. You want to know what interview questions you might get, how you will address them, and useful information about the company.

Make sure that you have anything you might need for the interview beside you before beginning the call. By being well-prepared, you show the interviewer or hiring manager that you are organized and serious about the position.

If you need to get up and get things during the video call, you won't make the sort of impression you want to. It is easy to avoid this by being prepared and having everything and anything you might need during the video interview within arm's reach.

‍

Camera and Microphone Quality

‍

Unlike a face-to-face interview, a virtual interview will require a web cam and microphone. In order to maximize your chances of making a good impression and securing the job, you'll want to make sure these pieces of essential equipment are up to par.

Most smartphones have an excellent camera and microphone, as do many tablet devices and laptops. If for whatever reason your chosen device has a poor-quality camera and/or microphone, it may be worth investing a little bit of money into an upgrade so that your virtual interviews will be crisp.

Improving your camera quality so that you have high definition picture will allow you to appear more professional to the interviewer. A useful tip is to keep your laptop at eye level so that you can look straight at the camera lens. Equally, a good quality microphone will facilitate the conversation and not draw attention away from the focus of the interview questions.

‍

Manage Your Internet Connection

‍

Speaking of unwanted distractions, your internet connection should be stable and secure before starting your virtual job interview. In many ways, virtual job interviews are not ideal, but the last thing you need is a poor connection breaking up your call or dropping out the interviewer.

By making you sure your internet connection is reliable, you will have one less thing to worry about and can focus entirely on answering questions and acing your interview.

‍

Look the Part

‍

Just because this is a virtual job interview doesn't mean you should treat it any differently from an in-person interview.

This is particularly important when it comes to attire. You may be at home, but dressing appropriately is still important for your virtual interview. Wear something you would wear to a regular job interview, and show the hiring manager that you are taking this seriously and mean business, even if it is on Google Hangouts.

‍

Good Quality Lighting

‍

Poor lighting is an easy way to make yourself look less professional. However, it is relatively simple to fix and will make a world of difference.

Consider your positioning in the room and where the light source is. Try to go for natural light from a window if at all possible and make sure you are evenly lit during your virtual interview. By doing so you will look more presentable and come across better overall.

‍

Background and Setting

‍

Another consideration to help you improve how you come across in a virtual interview is your background. Make sure to pick an appropriate location for your video interview and avoid anything unprofessional in the background. That includes cuddly toys, wrappers, posters, anything that you wouldn't ordinarily see in an interview, keep out of the shot.

This extends to people too. Tell anyone who might otherwise disturb you that you will be in a video interview. You will want to keep background noise to an absolute minimum and keep other people out of the room during virtual interviews.

‍

Body Language and Eye Contact

‍

Most of the tips thus far have focused on external things but this next one is very much related to you and your actions.

Making eye contact is a natural human response in a face-to-face conversation but is complicated in a virtual interview. You might not be able to make direct eye contact like with an in person interview, but you can establish some for eye contact by looking directly at your camera from time to time.

At the very least, keep your eyes focused on the screen for the majority of your virtual interview call. Looking around the room will give the same impression it would in real life - that you are not interested or engaged.

‍

In Summary

‍

Video interviews are unnatural for many people, but they are becoming increasingly common. Following the video interview tips above will help you adapt and give you the edge when it comes to sitting down and having one.

As with most things, practice makes perfect, so get in front of a camera and have a few mock video interviews with friends or family if it makes things easier for you. Keep things professional and treat your video interview as you would a face-to-face interview and you will give yourself the best chance of emerging with a job offer from the interviewer.