Perform A Video Interview Test Run
It can reflect poorly on you and your company if youre unable to connect or struggle to use the video conferencing platform. To conduct the most successful video interview possible, interviewers should familiarize themselves with the technology in advance, says Peter Baskin, chief product officer of enterprise hiring software Modern Hire. This way, can troubleshoot and solve any potential difficulties before the conversation takes place.
Additionally, be sure to check that your computers audio is working, test your computers webcam, and ensure that your internet connection is stable and that the device youre using to conduct the interview is fully charged. If youll need to with the candidate, make sure you understand how to do so before the interview.
Tip #: Connection Is Everything So Check On That Wi
Ensure that your wi-fi is functioning at an appropriate level so you and your interviewer can have an uninterrupted video-chat experience. A poor signal can completely derail the rapport youre working hard to establish because it breaks the momentum and fluidity of the encounter and leaves you feeling flustered. Test the quality of your Zoom connection frequently in the days leading up to your interview and troubleshoot any glitches that arise.
Coming To The Interview Late
When it comes to job interviews, if youre not early, youre late. This is doubly true for Zoom interviews. Jump on the call a few minutes early, and you wont have to worry about last-minute technical difficulties derailing your effort. Theres nothing worse than starting a job interview stressed out and distracted.
Always confirm your interview details before the day of your meeting to make sure youre on time and prepared.
Also Check: What Are The Top 10 Behavioral Questions In An Interview
Tips To Crush Your Zoom Interview
If you’re reading this article, you probably have a zoom interview or other video interview somewhere in your future. And, if youre like most people, youre probably not really looking forward to that Zoom interview. Interviews have always been nerve-wracking experiences, and todays virtual format throws all kinds of new variables into the mix.
But guess what? Its not just uncomfortable for you. Its also uncomfortable for your interviewer. I mean, think about it. How weird is it to have to stare at someone on a screen for 30 minutes to an hour while firing questions at them and trying to listen to their answers and take notes so that you can report back to the boss about who you’re going to hire or who you’re going to give the MBA offer to?
Heres my number one tip for making video interviews great:
Find The Ideal Location
Perhaps you already have a state-of-the-art home office with soundproof walls and a non-distracting background. Great youre all set! However, if you usually work around kids, pets, a spouse, or unpredictable roommates, its important to create a nook thats isolated from all the hubbub.
Go ahead and get creative. For a recent interview, I set up a folding table in our bedroom since its the farthest spot from my childrens wild screams. Plus, I enjoy the cozy, warm vibe in my room, which put me at ease during the interview.
Pay attention to your background, meaning remove piles of laundry, bizarre paintings, or a reflective mirror. You want the interviewer to focus on you, not on the surrounding clutter. And avoid using a virtual background if possible because they often look phony.
Some people have resorted to having an interview in their car due to uncontrollable indoor sounds. As long as youve got solid Wi-Fi, proper lighting, and a comfortable location, go for it.
Don’t Miss: How To Interview A Real Estate Agent
Use An External Microphone
If youre a low talker or tend to mumble, we suggest investing in a headset or external microphone. We know a headset can make you look a tad dorky, but ultimately it will show your dedication to this interview.
Alternatively, you can get a free-standing microphone. Just make sure to play around with these options during your test run to find the best sound quality. Dont wait until the last minute, slap on your headphones, and hope for the best.
How Do You Politely Ask An Interview Result
Explain that youre following up regarding the job you interviewed for, to ask about the status. Be specific when mentioning the job include the job title, the date you interviewed, or both. Reaffirm your interest in the position. Ask directly for an update and say you look forward to hearing about the next steps.
Recommended Reading: How To Prepare For Naturalization Interview
How Do I Confirm An Appointment
Tell the customer the date and time that their appointment is set for. Gently, yet firmly, remind them of any cancellation policies you may have. If there are any other critical items for them to prepare, bring, or know before the appointment, reiterate them. Keep the language straightforward and inviting.
Conducting An Interview In A Messy Environment
Even if you choose a digital background, it is always a good idea to clean up before your job interview. Why? According to studies, your work environment has an impact on your mental health and decision-making abilities. 2 In summary, a calm work environment improves mental well-being.
Make sure you’re in a professional interview space in advance of interviewing.
Also Check: What To Say In A Phone Interview For A Job
Not Practicing With The Technology Beforehand
Speaking of technical difficulties, you can avoid many of them by making sure youre comfortable with the software ahead of time. Be sure to and get in at least one practice interview before the real event. Youll feel more at ease during the conversation and more resilient if other technical issues come up.
Prepare Like You Would For An In
Just because your interview is happening over Skype , doesnt mean its not a real interview. Other than preparations to travel to the interview, you still need to prepare the same way you would if you were going into the office. That means researching the company and role, preparing to answer common interview questions, and coming up with questions to ask your interviewer in return. Your interviewer is still looking for someone they can see themselves working with and who is passionate and knowledgeable about the role theyre applying tobe ready to show them why thats you.
Recommended Reading: How To Crack Servicenow Interview
Why Prep Is Paramount For Your Virtual Interview
Whether you choose Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, or FaceTime for interviews, first impressions matter.
There’s a learning curve to making the most out of the virtual connection . A checklist can guarantee the interview process runs according to plan. It may seem a bit over the top, but getting granular with what steps you need to take to set up each call can ensure quality and control.
Outline the specifics you need to cover with your candidate from start to finish for them to make the cut to the second round of interviews. This helps you steer the conversation and cover all the most important elements in a shorter time frame. Technology platforms can go a long way in adding additional details on a candidateâs profile to support an easy, breezy virtual experience that leads to a successful new hire.
Check The Interview Time
Of course, you need to make sure that you know the exact date and time of your Zoom interviewer. However, you also need to carefully check the time zone, especially if you are interviewing for a role in a large company. There is a good chance that the interviewer could be in a different state or another country altogether.
The last thing you want is to miss your Zoom interview because you got the time zone mixed up. If the time zone is not clearly stated, it is best to check in advance to make sure. Do not simply assume that the interviewer is in the same time zone.
Recommended Reading: How To Practice For A Job Interview
First Of All Check Your User Name
Some of you may have embarrassing email addresses and Skype names from when you were younger. We come across this a lot, candidates with embarrassing nicknames and inappropriate email addresses. This could be costing you that dream job you need to come across as a professional, not as an immature person! It will only take you 5 minutes to create a new account – so do it! It could be costing you your dream job.
Choose Your Favorite Layout
There are a few options for how you view your screen when using Zoom. Determine which layout you prefer from the following:
-
Active speaker: This will enlarge the video window of the person who is talking. So, if the interviewer is speaking, their video will take up the majority of your screen. If a second attendee is also on the video, then their screen will stay smaller until they begin speaking.
-
Gallery view: If you want everyone to be the same size, including yourself, choose gallery view. This will show all the meeting participants in a grid view. This makes it easy to view everyone at the same time.
To change your layout, select the option you want in the top right corner of your screen.
Recommended Reading: How To Prepare For A Special Education Teacher Interview
Choosing The Wrong Outfit
If youve been accustomed to being at home in sweats or pajamas for an extended period, it might be hard to remember what professional attire even looks like. As a quick refresher, business attire or business casual attire is usually the best bet for job interviews. A suit, sport coat, button-down, or nice sweater are safe bets. Try to peg your outfit to the companys culture as you understand it, but do dress up a bit, even if employees keep it super-casual.
Remember that whatever you choose should show well on camera as well as be professional. Avoid stripes, extremely bright colors, or wearing the same shade as your background.
Even if the interviewer cant see the lower half of your body, its a good idea to wear appropriate attire. Youll conduct yourself more professionally and avoid showing off your pajama pants if you need to stand up for some reason.
How To Prepare For A Zoom Interview
Before each interview I conduct, I spend a few minutes reviewing the information the candidate has provided and developing specific questions I’d like to ask them alongside the common questions I typically ask. I usually prepare for interviews shortly before the interview, so their resume, writing samples, and any project they’ve completed for us are all fresh in my mind.
Similarly, to prepare for your interview, I suggest researching the company and the role you’re interested in. This effort should give you a better idea of what you’re really interviewing for and help you feel confident that the role is right for you. From the recruiter’s perspective, it’s easy to tell if a candidate has no idea what they’re interviewing for, and it makes them look unprepared.
You should also reflect back on your experience and gather some examples of projects that made you proud, feedback that helped you grow, and challenging projects that taught you lessons. It doesn’t matter whether these experiences and examples are from classes, internships, or past jobs. What’s important is having some examples in mind so you don’t have to take too long during your interview to come up with responses to questions.
On the flip side, you don’t want to spend so much time preparing that every one of your answers sounds rehearsed or memorized. I want to get to know your personality and enjoy a conversation with you, not hear you offer answers you’ve memorized.
You May Like: How To Prepare For Data Analyst Interview
Prioritize The Camera When Speaking Not The Screen
Just as you would maintain eye contact during an in-person interview, you should do the same in a virtual job interview. It shows to the interviewer that you’re confident and respect their time. While video makes this a bit more difficult, just remember to look into the computer camera rather than at their video on the screen.
Are You Ready To Discover Your College Program
A job interview can be a scary and stressful experience but it doesn’t have to be.
In order to understand how to tilt the scales in your favor, especially as so many interviews move to virtual platforms like Zoom, we reached out to Erica Devaney, a hiring manager with six years of experience staffing positions like copywriters, editors, and UX writers.
Hi, y’all. My name is Erica Devaney.
I’ve probably interviewed hundreds of candidates in my time at Red Ventures and I love it. I enjoy getting to know prospective new coworkers and digging into their skills, experiences, and potential for growth.
Our interview process typically includes five one-on-one interviews on your interview day. Each interviewer focuses on a specific area, such as how your experience would help you succeed in this role or reviewing your portfolio.
All our interviews will be over Zoom for the foreseeable future, so candidates need to prepare differently than they used to. You’ll save some time on the day of your interview, since you don’t need to drive to the office or worry about traffic or parking, but you’ll still want to set aside plenty of time to make sure your Zoom is ready to go when you need to log on.
Whether your interview is over the phone, on Zoom, or one day! back in person, there are many things you can do to feel confident and prepared.
Also Check: How Do You Prepare For A Job Interview
How To Schedule Zoom Interviews
Video Tutorial: How to Schedule a Zoom Interview Meeting
Zoom Interview Mistakes To Avoid
If you want to make the best impression there are some things you should avoid when interviewing virtually. It’s easy to get flustered by technology or a poor internet connection which can often be the difference between an okay interview and getting a job offer.
To increase your chances, here’s what you should avoid before and during Zoom interviews.
Don’t Miss: What Is The Good Question To Ask In Interviews
Interview Setup Area Should Be Free From Any Distraction
After setting up and testing the technology as mentioned above, it is very important to find a room or area of your home which is the best fit for a Zoom interview.
You should always pick a spot that is quiet, peaceful, and distraction-free.
All the visual distractions like items on the floor or nearby walls should be avoided.
The interviewer should be able to focus on what you are saying, and distractions in the room will hinder their ability to do this. The windows in the room should be shut to eliminate any unnecessary noise like outside music, car horns.
And one very important thing to keep in mind is that if you have kids, make sure that they are occupied in some activity so that they do not interrupt the interview.
Also Read: Top 10 Telephone Interview Questions you need to know
How Virtual Interviews Differ From In
Understandably, you might have some questions about virtual interviewsweve created virtual interview FAQs to answer your questions about the virtual interview process, including an overview of the tools were using. Virtual interviews allow our interviewers to get to know you using video and web-conferencing services, without having to be physically in the same room together. You could experience a combination of three different types of interviewsJob Fit, Behavioral and Case Interviews. All of our interviews, regardless of the type, are now virtual.
While we recommend using a home computer for your virtual interview if at all possible, we realize not everyone has access to a computer, or even reliable internet, at home. No worries! Below, weve put together tips for how to use your mobile phone for a virtual video interview, and if you plan on using your phone for a virtual Case Interview, weve got you covered, too!
Recommended Reading: What Is A Hirevue On Demand Interview
Ask The Interviewer These Questions
Just because you are the one being interviewed doesnt mean you cant ask questions too.
Ask relevant questions to show the person conducting the interview that you took the time to do your pre-interview research.
Part of a job interview is to determine how well you would be able to work with each other and the existing team.
Show the person on the other side of the camera your virtual conversation skills.
One of my favorite questions to ask the person interviewing you is
- What skills or previous experience do you think are most important for the person that is selected for this contract or position.
This question allows you to tailor your follow-up answer to show that YOU are that person.
Or, if what they value most is something you do not enjoy doing it gives you an opportunity to decide if this is a contract or job that you really want to accept.
The same as it can get awkward during an in-person interview if a personal connection is missing, that can happen during a Skype or Zoom interview too.
- Prepare questions that highlight your skills.
- Give the interviewer an opportunity to want to continue to get to know you
- Ask questions that show why you are the right candidate for the job.
