How To Succeed In a Video Job Interview

I am a young professional eager to learn as I grow into my life long career. After graduating high school, I started working in the office of a small business, and although I loved my time there, I made the tough decision to look for a new position.

I have held four jobs in the past, all which required an interview and I've interviewed close to a hundred people myself, so you can say I have experience. Only issue, all of these were ‘tradition’ in person interviews. Thanks to the pandemic, I found myself facing the new experience of interviewing via video call.

Why did this present an issue? Well, it is simply unprecedented.

In my interviewing process, many new challenges arose. It took a total of six months of searching, and four interviews for me to secure the job that I currently hold. In that time I picked up on a few tips and tricks that might help others looking to ace a video interview.

Find the right location

Before the pandemic, you would show up to an interview and simply meet with whomever the hiring manager was. Now, since you are unable to visit the location, you need to find your own. If you are able to interview from your home that is ideal, but it might not always be the case. Sometimes, you have to meet while on your lunch break and can not make it home. In this scenario, do not go to a public space. Libraries, coffee shops, restaurants, etc., will not be ideal because in most states, masks are still mandatory inside. Even if you are able to sit down and take your mask off, now you have an added variable of not being close to an outlet to charge your phone, or it being simply loud and disruptive. My recommendation is to actually interview from your car. You will be able to have a private, quiet place with immediate access to a power source. Try to park at a coffee shop or anywhere with WIFI, that way you are able to maintain connection throughout your call. Since it is likely that your phone or computer will overheat, sit in the back seat away from direct sun and blast your a/c, maybe even keep a cooling pack with you. I know that having a car’s background being in your call might seem unprofessional so if it bothers you, change the screen's background. Many people on zoom calls will utilize this feature so it will not faze anyone interviewing you. Never forget headphones or your chargers!

Reinventing the wheel

We all know the basics or interviewing right? Wear a nice outfit, be friendly and make eye contact. Being friendly hasn’t changed, but the way of showing it certainty has. Instead of holding open doors, waiting for the interviewer to sit first, and greeting others, you have to find a way to portray this through a camera. What I would recommend is to simply be early and to smile. The host will get notified when you enter the meeting so your punctuality won’t be missed, and you would be shocked at how far a welcoming smile can take you. For dress, make sure everything is neat and neutral. Do not wear stripes or patterns because the camera will pick it up oddly and cause a distraction. Any dangly earrings, watches, bracelets, and necklaces, can potentially rub against your headphones microphones so beware of this before wearing anything overly intricate. For eye contact, don’t overthink it. Either look at yourself or look at the interviewer, they likely won’t be able to tell the difference. Avoid looking elsewhere, it may be seen as being distracted.

Take advantage

Once you get past the newness of a video call, start using it to your advantage. Zoom has the ability to ‘share screen’ meaning whomever is on the call can see what is displayed on your computer screen. When getting ready for your interview, prepare your computer to display a few examples of your skill set and past experience. For example, I have implemented many programs for my past company and was able to use share screen to show my capability on each program, as well as the manuals that I created for each program. Even if a possible employer does not request it, prepare it on your computer, and offer to show them an example of your skillset. This will set you apart from other candidates and build trust in your capabilities.

Interviewing is different at every company and within every career. Hopefully, you are able to take something away from my experience and use that to your advantage. I wish you well in your future interviews. Happy job hunting!

Hey guys, thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this story, maybe let me know by sending a like. Tips are appreciated as well! Happy job hunting!