Video interviewing is much like having an in person interview. Video allows job seekers to get some much needed time with recruiters and hiring managers. So make sure you make the most of this time with some simple tips on how to impress in your video interview.

Speak Clearly

We've talked about the importance of communication skills and here is the perfect place to show off those skills. You might be nervous but now is not the time to let the nervs to get in your way. Your dream job could be just one Live Interview away, after all. 

Set the Stage

Staging is important for an effective virtual interview, whether you’re answering questions or speaking live to a hiring manager. Look behind you, is your backdrop ready? If the background of your video is cluttered you’re sending the wrong message. Your verbal and nonverbal cues could be great but your staging is telling a different story. Make sure to find a well-lit, professional, and clean space for your interview.

Dress for Success

Think just because it’s an interview online you can skip the suit? Think again! Employers are going to be judging you just as they would if you met them in person. What you wear tells employers important information about who you are. More specifically, it tells employers just how serious you are about the job, so dress professionally. 

Prepare!

The most important part of any video interview (or any interview in general) is preparation. Research the company and practice answering common interview questions. If you prepare for your interview you’ll be well on your way to landing your dream job!

Your goals for a traditional interview (where you meet a recruiter or hiring manager face-to-face in their office) should be no different from your goals for a video interview. You should still be aiming to present yourself as a desirable candidate. Here are some tips that will guide you from potentially making any mistakes in your recorded interview that could cost you a job:

Read the instructions

It’s always important to thoroughly read instructions provided to you, especially if you’re about to do something that you may not be totally familiar with. If you carefully read the recorded interview instructions, you can avoid delays in completing your interview.

Having people in the room with you

Try your best to find a quiet, private area to record your interview. If there are other people in the room or nearby, it can be a distraction to you and to the hiring manager reviewing your interview. The focus should solely be on you.

Recording with no audio

If you are using a computer to complete your record, make sure to verify the microphone you are using before recording. Additionally, you should always play back your first recorded answer to make certain that your audio and webcam are working properly.

Recording without seeing yourself on the screen

If you don’t see yourself on the screen when recording, that means your webcam isn’t properly connected or verified. Don’t make the mistake of continuing to record if this is the case.

Recording in a messy space

Be conscious of what the background of your video will say about your candidacy. Make sure to record in an area that looks clean and professional.

Not speaking clearly

Don’t force a recruiter or hiring manager to turn up the volume or strain their ears to hear your answers to their interview questions. Speak loudly and clearly so that you can be understood. It would be a shame for your recorded interview to be passed over just because the person reviewing it had no idea what you were saying. 

Getting too comfortable

A great thing about recorded interviews is that they’re convenient for both employers and job seekers. You can complete your one-way from anywhere via your mobile phone or from the comfort of your own home using a computer and webcam. However, you should still be professional and treat the recorded interview as if it were a traditional in-office interview. Dress appropriately from head to toe; don’t pair your dress shirt and blazer with pajama pants and slippers. Also, now’s not the time to get cozy in your favorite armchair. Be aware of your posture and make sure you are sitting up straight to show that you are confident and taking the interview seriously.

Being unprepared

Your preparation for a recorded interview should be no different from how you prepare for an in-person interview. Rehearse your responses to the interview questions so you can sound natural and sincere when you’re ready to record.

How do you go about answering the recorded interview questions? You definitely want to seize this opportunity to show the employer or hiring manager that you are a good fit for the job and that you are sincerely interested in the company and position.

Below you will find several of the more popular questions employer and hiring managers ask in recorded interviews along with tips on how you can form great responses:

Why are you interested in this position?

Take this opportunity to talk about how your past experiences have helped to prepare you for this job. You should also mention any success you experienced in a previous position that will show that you are the right candidate.

What do you know about our company?

There is no reason that you shouldn’t be able to answer this question. Thanks to the internet, you can easily find anything you need to know about a company. The employer or hiring manager is asking this to see if you’ve done your research prior to the interview, therefore, make certain that you do. Research the company by browsing their website, reading articles about their accomplishments, and checking out their social media accounts (if any) to get an idea of their company culture. You don’t need to recite every single fact you find, but make sure you mention at least some of the following:

The type of product or service the company sells

How long the company has been in business

The company’s recent accomplishments

What the company culture is like and how it relates to your values and personality

What are your strengths? 

Your response should relate to the job description and your ability to perform the tasks assigned to you. For example, if you are being interviewed for a position where you will be leading a large group of people discuss your strong communication skills and ability to work with a variety of people and personalities.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

There is no perfect answer to this question because responses will vary depending on the industry and the individual. A employer or hiring manager simply wants to find out how well you plan ahead and if your goals match those of the company. It’s important, though, to avoid saying anything that makes you seem abrasive, short-term minded, or lacking in goals.

What is your ideal work environment?

This question is asked so a employer or hiring manager can determine if you’d be a good fit for a company’s culture. Be honest in your response. If you would work well in a large, bustling office, say so. If you prefer working in a small office so you can easily collaborate with colleagues, explain why this is important to you.

Describe your work ethic.

Again, this question is asked to find out how well you can fit into a company’s culture. Describe how important it is to you to complete all of the tasks assigned to you effectively and efficiently.

Tell me about yourself.

Don’t answer this question by rambling on about your hobbies and your pets. Use this as another opportunity to direct the employer or hiring manager’s attention to your skills and accomplishment to really impress them. Talk about what interests you about the industry and what you hope to bring to their organization.

It's essential to make sure that you are put together and looking your best for a recorded interview, but you should also give equal importance to having good body language. You must to be conscious of your body language to make certain that you are presenting yourself in the best way possible throughout the entire interview.

Communication is 55% body language. Even if you are not speaking a single word, you are communicating. Everything about your body language conveys something about you; whether you are nervous, confident, proud, annoyed, humble, etc.

Establish eye contact

Maintaining eye contact in a video interview may seem tricky and even awkward, but it is possible and necessary. When recording your rvideo interview, be sure to look straight into the webcam - do not look at yourself on the screen. Imagine that there is a person sitting across from you listening to your answers. When you look into the webcam, the employer/hiring manager who will be reviewing your interview will feel more engaged because it’s as if you’re looking at them.

Sit up straight

Having good posture in an interview is very important. Slouching or leaning back in your seat may give off the vibe that you aren’t taking the interview seriously or are bored and disinterested. Crossing your arms should also be avoided because you’ll appear unapproachable and defensive.

Avoid moving too much

When people have a lot of nervous energy, they tend to shake their legs, move their hands around a lot, or tap their fingers on the table. Try your best to avoid movements that may convey that you’re nervous and may be distracting to the employer/hiring manager reviewing your interview.

Smile!

You may feel nervous and stressed during your video interview, but that doesn’t have to show in your face. A smile can hide your insecurities and nerves, but also make you seem approachable. Be sure to smile and show the employer/hiring manager how friendly and pleasant you are.

Some tips that may not immediately come to mind for video interviewing preparation that the infographic highlights are:

Have light facing you - not behind you!

This is necessary because when light hits a webcam, it will compensate by going dark and you'll end up looking like a faceless shadow. Consider having two lamps surround either side of your face to really make you look good on camera.

Center yourself

It's important that you position yourself in the center of the webcam. Make sure all of your head, neck, and shoulders can be seen. You should also be aware of your posture. If something bothering you or you feel uncomfortable, the recruiter/hiring manager reviewing your interview may get the vibe that you're not very interested in the position or that you're a timid person; not usually traits people are looking for in employees. 

What you choose to wear for a video interview is also important

Go about picking an outfit the way you would if you were meeting the recruiter in person. Choose clothes that fit you well; nothing baggy or too tight. Furthermore, be sure to dress appropriately from head-to-toe. In a recorded interview, you'll most likely be seated the whole time, but wearing a complete set outfit can help you to focus and maintain the state-of-mind needed for having a successful interview.

Also keep the following in mind:

Avoid white

Most people will equate white clothing with looking clean and very presentable. That can work for in-person interviews, but on camera white is not a wise choice. White clothing will appear brighter on camera and may overpower your face, potentially making eye contact difficult. Instead, choose darker colors like navy and avoid patterns.

Avoid too much/flashy jewelry

While you may think that new necklace would go perfectly with your cardigan, it's best to wear minimal jewelry for a video interview. You should also stay away from especially shiny jewelry that could catch the light on camera. 

Don't forget the basics

A video interview is no less formal than an in-person interview, so men, don’t think you shouldn’t have a clean-shaven face. And women, keep your makeup minimal and conservative.

You're most likely very familiar with the traditional job interview where you meet with a employer or hiring manager face-to-face in their office. Nowadays, companies are implementing video interviews into their hiring process to better and quickly connect with candidates. The recorded interview, in particular, is used by many Live Interview customers for the early stage of their interview process.

Below are answers to questions that you may have about your video interview so you can fully prepare: 

Will there be someone else on the other end?

In recorded video interview only you, the job seeker, are present and doing all the talking. The interview questions will be presented to you in either text or video form. Once you have recorded and submitted your responses, the employer or hiring manager will review your interview on their own time.

When is my recorded interview due? How long do I have to complete it?

The due date for your one-way interview is set by the employer or hiring manager who invited you. The amount of time that you have to complete it depends on the date and the time they have chosen for the interview to be completed by. You can find this information on the landing page for your recorded interview.

Where should I do my interview?

Ideally, you should record your recorded interview in a quiet area with no other people around. A employer or hiring manager will not appreciate being distracted by people coming in and out of the room you recorded in. The company wants to know more about you, therefore, you need to be the sole focus of the video interview. It's also important to make sure that the space you are recording in looks clean and professional.

What if I don’t have a webcam? Can I use my phone?

If you don't have access to a computer and webcam, you can conveniently complete your recorded interview by using your mobile device. Just simply download the mobile app and you're ready to go! The mobile app supports iOS or Android devices.

How many questions are there? Do I see the questions ahead of time? How much time do I have to answer?

The number of questions for a recorded interview is decided by the employer or hiring manager. Once you start the interview, you will be told the number of questions you will need to answer. The questions will be presented to you one at a time so you will have an opportunity to think about your response before recording.

How many times can I re-record?

Anything can happen. Maybe your dog suddenly jumped onto your lap as you were halfway through a response. Or you suddenly got tongue-tied. Whatever the case may be, you will have the ability to re-record a response. However, don’t get caught up trying to perfectly record your responses and note that the new answers will automatically delete the previous entry.