Video Interviews are Very Different Animal and New to Many Potential Candidates – Read on and Good Luck!
- Get on the link early. Sometimes there are problems getting on and being late for a video interview is a no no. Making a good impression means you may have to wait for them. It’s better to ensure they know you respect their time and appreciate the opportunity. Also, make sure you have a dial in number ready if your video has a poor connection or fails.
- Background noise can be a real problem. Find a quiet spot. Use the mute button when needed.
- High energy is a must but too high energy could be a deal breaker. Be yourself. Smile and stay engaged, don’t allow yourself to be distracted.
- Dress for success. While it may seem like a casual setting, dress professionally. Make sure the bottoms match the top, some companies want to be sure the people they interview are dressed for the occasion top to bottom.
- Make sure you’re in well-lit place with a clean and organized background ready for video (picture perfect)
- Research the company and people interviewing you and as appropriate share what you learned.
- Prepare a cheat sheet of questions you want to ask and points you want to make. Unlike a face to face interview you can have that sheet off camera.
What are the key accomplishments you’d like to see in this role over the next year? What type of people are successful here? What’s the timeline for making a decision on this position? What makes your top salesperson different?
- Think about answers to common questions they might ask in advance and don’t be too quick to respond. Process the question and your response in a thoughtful way.
Tell me about yourself? Why are you interested in this job? Why are you leaving current job. Why have you changed jobs so frequently. What makes you a fit for this role? Tell me about your greatest success/failure. Why should we hire you? What is your comp expectation?
- Sell yourself. If you don’t promote your strengths, nobody else will.
- Do you have any questions for us? What the interviewer is trying to do is to find out how interested you are in the position. Be curious (and mindful of the time)
Tips: List five or six questions on an index card. Ask at least one question, even if all of your prepared questions have been answered. Never say, “No, you’ve answered all of my questions.”
- Never trash-talk your former or current employer.
- Leverage any solid relationships you have with current employees but make sure they are respected and would talk positively about you. Tell them in advance you will be using their name and might get a call.
