Do’s and Don’ts for Video Interviews

In the wake of the global pandemic of COVID-19, the fundamental definition of a viable workplace and sustainable working environment has started to change. The workplace is no longer a confined space inside a commercial building nor is it restricted to the confinement of tiny cubicles. Covid-19 has shown the world that many of the jobs for which we have commuted far and long until now, are possible to be accomplished by staying inside at the comfort of your own home. Needless to say, the interview techniques have adapted as well. Employers are not only just interviewing over video calls, they are doing everything else from onboarding and training, to large-scale team meetings over popular video-calling platforms. Previously, video interviews although used to happen sometimes, but they were nowhere nearly as commonplace as they are today.

Keeping in mind the rapidly changing horizon of hiring procedures, we are presenting seven surefire ways to ace your video interviews. Regardless of the presence of the current pandemic, the company you are applying to, or the position you are being considered for – always treat your video interviews like in-person interviews.

Before you start the actual interview in front of a screen, you will need to prepare yourself to be in your best form and to appear professional in the video. These are the guidelines Smart Careers Today recommends:

1. Your presence:

Attire:

1. Dress in appropriate business attire. For most positions, business casual would work just fine – however, depending on the company culture and the role you are applying for, you may need to take it up (or down) a notch. For women, any formal outfit, such as – a formal dress in any light colour or pastel shade, or a pant-suit / formal skirt and blouse in neutral colours, along with minimal jewelry always works well. If your prospective employer is a high-end financial corporation or a law firm, or if you are interviewing for a senior-level management role (especially for anything at the level of Senior Director, VP and upward) in any organization, it is highly recommended that you dress in formal business clothes and complete your look with a tie and suit.
2. For start-ups and some selected organizations, a pair of jeans and a casual t-shirt might work just fine – but be sure to research about their culture beforehand, so that you don’t mess up anything simply because you have decided to dress down.
3. I would not recommend dressing in anything that looks more casual than a t-shirt and a pair of full-length jeans pants – because very few companies/employers, if any, would be open to hiring someone who feels interviewing in a sweatshirt and pajamas or in a tank top and sweatpants or in a pair of shorts – is an acceptable option.
4. Dressing in any kind of ripped clothing items is always a big no-no.

Hygiene and appearance:

1. Taking a shower and brushing your teeth before the interview (especially if it’s scheduled for the morning) will make you feel awake, fresh, and fully ready to go.
2. Make sure you have nothing stuck on or in between your teeth from any previous meals. You will also have shaved your facial hair or trimmed your beard & mustache properly, clipped and shaped your nails which should be dirt-free, and in general, you are sporting a clean look and appearing well-groomed. This would include having no gunk at the corners of your eyes (from sleeping), no drool stain around your mouth (trust me – I have seen it), and no food stain anywhere on your face or on your clothes. All of these are absolutely crucial before appearing in front of your prospective employer.
3. Your hair should look tidy and neat. If you do not have the chance to cut it properly (or style it professionally for any reason whatsoever), make sure you do not look unkempt. At the very least, you will have washed and dried your hair, brushed/combed it, and have made it look presentable to the best of your ability – either by applying gel/mousse or some other hair product or by tying it up in a nice ponytail or a formal bun / french roll.
4. For women, minimal make-up is almost always a safe bet because the more tasteful and neutral you look, the better you appear. Vibrant or loud colours should be avoided at all costs – if not for anything else, then just to avoid fashion faux pas – unless you are seeking a glamorous modelling opportunity or you are interviewing for a fashion magazine where your future boss will be someone like Miranda Priestly – then proceed at your own risk by all means!
5. No matter what, resist the urge to dress half-formal (also known as ‘mullet attire’) – i.e., business on top and pyjamas/partywear on the bottom.

Your Room / Backdrop: Aside from your own appearance (and qualifications), the second most important thing that will reveal a lot about you to your interviewer, is your room/backdrop. Remember, whatever is behind you while you are on the video call, would reflect on you – so, make sure your room looks tidy and is tastefully organized.

2. Your Immediate Surroundings:

1. Do not, under any circumstances, interview from a bed (even if you’re sitting up) – with the sole exception of having broken legs that leaves you with no other option.
2. Do not sit on a Lay-Z-Boy or a recliner when you are interviewing on video.
3. Do not interview from a chair that squeaks at your every little movement.
4. Your desk must be organized so that you can find things readily when needed and do not have to waste a second looking for any object.
5. Declutter your computer’s desktop as well, and get rid of any unnecessary screens/windows before your interview begins – so that you can find important information stored on your computer relatively easily.
6. Make sure you and your surroundings are free of all distractions at least 10 minutes prior to your expected call time. For that, you will need to do the following things: a) turn off your cell-phone; b) clear your schedule for the stipulated time period; c) take care of any pending task by finishing them beforehand or by rescheduling them for a later time; and d) most importantly, communicate clearly to others with whom you share your living space to not knock on your door for an extended period of time. In a nutshell, make sure you will not be disturbed by anyone.
7. Please, please, please avoid using the restroom for the duration of your interview. Visit the loo before your interview starts, and resist the urge to go there again until after your interview is over.
8. Avoid having to get up from your chair for any reason whatsoever once the interview starts. Get a warm beverage of your choice (coffee/tea) before sitting down with your interviewer, and do have a bottle of water and a box of tissues handy – just in case!
9. No eating of any kind – have a snack at least 30 minutes before the interview starts.
10. Although it doesn’t need to be pronounced for most people, I will still state the obvious – do not consume any alcoholic beverage during or before the interview, irrespective of the time of the day, the company culture, or anything else – even if you are interviewing for a company that produces or distributes alcoholic beverages, do resist the urge of showing your solidarity by consuming their brand of alcohol during your interview to ensure that you get the chance to show it in many different ways later.

3. Technical and Logistic Preparation:

1. To avoid the “can you hear me” situation back and forth, please check your techs (audio & video quality, microphone volume, choppy feeds, delay in transmission) by making a couple of calls to your friends about 15-30 minutes before your interview starts.
2. Close all other programs to steer clear of all notifications or pop-ups, and to avoid any unfortunate technical mishaps.
3. Double-check the time of your interview at least one full day ahead of your interview if you and your interviewer are in two different time zones.
4. Keep a copy of your resume in front of you so that you can check anything that the interviewer can possibly refer to. Although you are aware of the content of your resume, you might not remember every single little detail you have put in there – especially numerical figures or quantifiable achievements that you have listed under each position. It is highly likely that your interviewer would like to talk to you about specifics, and you should not appear unprepared or lost when that happens.
5. Keep a notepad and a pen near you in case you need to jot down something quickly. Typing can be loud and distracting for the interviewer, so writing down by hand would be the best option (however, be ready so as to not appear distracted if your interviewer types throughout the duration of the interview). You may always request your interviewer to email you any important information that is relevant for the next steps, but you never know what exactly will happen – so, the habit of quick note-taking cannot do any harm!
6. Keep a list of questions you are planning to ask your interviewer. Select the questions carefully so that you appear as someone who is intelligent, prepared, resourceful, and doesn’t mind taking initiative. When you ask questions, listen to the answers carefully and truly engage in the conversation – so that you can understand it thoroughly and avoid asking something unnecessary later, and you can ask a follow-up question if needed, even if that was not on your list of questions to ask. As a general rule of thumb, prepare multiple lists of questions to ask your interviewer(s) for different stages of the interview, appropriate to the specific stage of the hiring process you would be at. Have the list of questions that is appropriate to the stage of hiring you are in, handy.

4. Body Language:

1. Your body language should reflect a positive, curious, and confident image. Be cautious and mindful about the thin lines between confident and arrogant, curious and irritating, positive and over-enthusiastic.
2. Smile when you greet your interviewer at the very beginning of the call (and at the end when you say goodbye) and in the event you introduce yourself on-screen in front of someone you haven’t talked to before (if applicable). Remember, they will see the close-up of your face – instead of being nervous about it, make it count!
3. Sit up straight. Slouching can be misinterpreted as a lack of interest on your part.
4. Look directly at the lens of the camera to make and maintain eye contact with your interviewer (instead of looking at your image on the screen) for the entire duration of the interview – this is important.
5. Maintain an energetic voice, a polite but confident tone, and a curious attitude from the beginning to the end.
6. Watch your interviewer’s expressions and confirm that she/he is listening and is engaged in the conversation. Be aware of social cues and body language your interviewer might be projecting to indicate what exactly is she/he looking for in your reply – for example, when to elaborate more on something or when the interviewer is feeling that you are over-explaining something etc.
7. Try to be as calm as possible in your demeanour and try not to move your hands or any other body part too much – since it can be quite distracting.
8. Be aware of the general vibe that you’re projecting, as audio-visual cues can be misinterpreted in the virtual medium.