There are various reasons why employers and recruiters conduct video interviews in their recruitment and hiring processes. Some of these are the following:
- Cost-efficient for both recruiter and applicant in terms of omitting the need to travel to the office or a designated meetup place where the interview will be conducted
- Talent gaps needed to be filled can be assigned for remote work, so there’s no need for a physical interview to take place
- Pre-selection interviews only last for less than an hour, so it would be counterproductive for both the recruiter and applicant to meet up face-to-face
Now, we see and realize why virtual interviews are getting more prominent and for now, it’s here to stay. With that, how should you prepare for a video job interview? Let’s take a look at the most important video interview dos and don’ts to heed most especially during situations wherein conducting virtual interviews is becoming the go-to strategy of most businesses.
The Do’s
As a job seeker, part of your preparation for your job hunt journey is to know what you should do before, during, and after your video interview. With that, heed the following points.
Do familiarize yourself with your tech and set-up.
Have your tools and equipment ready beforehand. Designate a space wherein you can comfortably sit during the interview and has proper lighting, free from distractions, and convenient for relatively long periods of online interviews.
Do your research.
Review sample video interview questions and answers. This would greatly help you if you can check the most common questions you expect the interviewer will ask you and prepare your best answers ahead of time.
Do prepare like you would for a face-to-face interview.
During virtual interviews, there are still practical tips you must practice like you would in a traditional job interview. Here are the following pointers:
- Dress appropriately, even if the interviewer will only get to see your upper body.
- Do speak professionally without getting too stiff and too formal.
- Build rapport and engage well with the interviewer.
- Use essential non-verbal cues. Look out for your body language, including eye contact, smiling, posture, and using your hands to help in expressing yourself.
- Do ask about the next steps after the video interview.
- Do send a thank-you note to the interviewer within 24 hours.
The Don’ts
Now, aside from the video interview tips on what you should do, you must also consider what to avoid doing in virtual interviews.
Don’t forget to stay professional.
Focus on the interview and avoid using your computer or other gadgets while the interview is ongoing. Also, avoid being too stiff nor slouchy as this may send out negative cues to the interviewer. Also, avoid discussing too much about your personal matters unless prompted to do so.
Don’t fail to have a back-up plan when it comes to your tech.
In times wherein more employers and recruiters use virtual platforms to conduct interviews, you must be prepared with your tech, and a back-up plan should be handy in case something happens unexpectedly or out of our control.
Have your other devices ready just in case you need to switch. Also, have them fully-charged and be ready with back-up mobile data in case your wifi connection becomes intermittent.
Further, here are more tips on what not to do:
- Don’t recite your answers. Instead, familiarize yourself with the common interview questions and memorize your answers ahead of time.
- As much as possible, don’t interrupt the interviewer. Pause in between questions, and wait for them to finish before speaking.
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