Employers have plenty of ways to whittle down a field of candidates using contemporary computer technology that makes the job search process more efficient and expedient. A video interview is one tool employers can use to try to gauge the personality of a potential hire without spending extra time and effort on an in-person interview. Follow these tips to ace your video interview and land the job of your dreams.
1. Check Your Home Office
A video interview is just like a regular interview, except you sit in front of a webcam and talk to an interviewer in a remote location. Prior to the interview, look around your home office to see if anything needs to change in the background of the video image. Remove any distractions, and create a colorful, relaxing background that fits your personality. The room should be well-lit and quiet. Turn on lamps to remove shadows behind you.
2. Know the Technology
Become familiar with your equipment. Consider investing in an HD video camera that produces a sharp image as opposed to the computer's built-in camera. Image is everything in a video interview.
3. Dress for Success
Dress as if you are going in for an in-person interview. Study the culture of the company to assess how you should look, and choose a suit or polo shirt. First impressions are very important, so you want to make the right impression from the start of a video interview.
4. Practice, Practice, Practice
Practice interacting with a friend or family member on your computer. This familiarizes you with your computer technology, the process of connecting a call and using the correct volume of your voice. Practice answering questions you may hear during the interview.
5. Keep Notes in Front of You
Post notes in front of you and off to the side, out of sight of the camera, so you can refer to any answers, questions or issues you want to discuss. Keep a copy of your resume handy as well. This makes you look prepared.
6. Remove the Possibility of Interruptions
Interruptions and distractions can ruin a video interview. Make sure your kids have a babysitter, tell your family and friends you need to take an important call, and make sure you have privacy. Close other programs in the background to eliminate any noisy alerts or pop-ups during the interview.
7. Plug In Everything
Instead of relying on a wireless connection, plug in your Ethernet cable so you have uninterrupted Internet access. Your laptop should have a full charge, and it should be plugged in to avoid any power disruptions.
8. Look at the Camera
Look into the camera throughout the interview instead of looking at the computer screen. Additionally, place the camera as close to the computer screen as possible, as this helps you maintain eye contact with your interviewer.
9. Follow Up
Follow up with your interviewer promptly to determine the next step. Send a quick email shortly after the interview, and reflect on what you talked about with the person on the other end of the line.
A video interview should be second nature. You may already use video chat programs to communicate with friends and loved ones, so extending this technology to an employer isn't much of a stretch with a little fine-tuning.
Photo courtesy of bm_advent at Flickr.com
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