you're preparing for a video interview
whether it's a Skype interview a zoom
interview or anything in between you
might be wondering how to succeed in a
video conference interview and that's
why today I'm sharing with you my best
video conferencing interview tips stay
tuned
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plus the notification bell I release a
new video every Tuesday whether you are
going to have a zoom interview a Skype
interview or really any interview
technology in between if you are
preparing for a videoconference
interview there's a couple of additional
things that you need to do in order to
prepare now the great news is a lot of
the logistics in terms of parking and
transit and timing totally goes away
with video conference interview but you
still need to make sure that there's a
few things that don't impede your timely
arrival and to make sure that you are
presenting your best professional self
if you're ready for my best video
interview tips click that like button
and let's get right into it my first tip
is to test the tech beforehand and I
cannot stress how important it is and
how few people actually take this step
and I have been both on the interviewee
side and the interviewer side when
someone has a hard time getting into the
video conference for the interview
because it really doesn't take any
effort at all to show up on time any
tardiness to a video conference
interview is really going to be a strike
against you luckily this is something
you can easily prepare for simply look
at the interview invite to determine
which software conferencing solution
they are going to use and go and test it
if it zoom get zoom if it's Skype
download skype and ask a friend there's
even a test option on there and while
you're in that test session to make sure
that you can get in without any major
issue make sure that your microphone and
your headphones are working chances are
you're just going to be using your usual
earbuds and that's no big deal because
those are going to deliver the sound
quality that you need but you just want
to make sure that it works
and that you won't be dealing with audio
troubleshooting for the first five
minutes of your twenty five minute
conversation and the great news is once
you have the text squared away that can
actually use a lot of the nerves about
things that can potentially go wrong
when it actually comes to arriving for
the interview because in a video
interview that's all that there is and
that leads me directly into my second
tip which is what you need to do 30
minutes before your videoconference
interview once again sticking with
attack make sure that whatever device
that you are going to be doing the video
interview on its charged or that it's
plugged in depending on if it's your
phone or your laptop also take a moment
to double-check that you already have
your headphones and if you need to right
now to buy a new pair you don't need to
have a professional production but you
do want to be aware of a few things for
your video conference interview in terms
of background lighting and sound for
example right now there are sirens you
might be able to hear the sirens and if
you live in a city that's going to be
something that isn't avoidable however I
wouldn't go into the same room where my
kids are playing right now and have the
video interview in there because that's
gonna be a lot of background noise if
you're currently employed and you're in
an office do your best to find a phone
booth if that's not available or you're
having to go to a coffee shop do a quick
check to see what is going to be the
quietest option in advance next we have
lighting right now I'm using a
professional ring light to record this
but I can guarantee you that is not
typically what I use when I'm having a
video interview generally finding some
good light so that you are actually
visible is going to be more than
sufficient after all you don't want the
video conference interview to end up
looking like this see this just doesn't
work you can barely see also be
strategic in terms of your backdrop
whenever possible for example when
you're doing a video conference
interview from the comfort of your own
home find an area that has a pleasant
but generally plain looking backgrounds
a plain wall is also absolutely going to
do the trick the thing that you
absolutely want to avoid anything like
this if you're in a real pinch you can
also use your video conference software
to either change the background or to
obscure it for example if you have a
Skype job interview you can actually
blur the background which looks a little
bit weird but it's better than a lot of
people walking by
stuff like that exhume you can upload a
photo also really important to know in
that preparation before your
videoconference interview is what to
wear essentially you want to dress to
the same standard that you would if you
were going to the interview on-site at
least from the waist up
which is going to be visible now you
might think I don't need to see this
but I've seen some questionable attire
in my years of experience including some
really ready hoodies I even had one
story about a candidate being naked on a
bed on a video interview not cool if you
don't know what to do going with a
simple colored shirt is going to
absolutely meet the criteria in probably
98% of circumstances and that brings me
in to tip 3 which is what you need to
know when you're actually in the call in
terms of the questions that you can
expect to get in your video job
interview they are essentially going to
be the same questions that you would get
if you were attending the interview
on-site and by the way if you do need
some help in terms of prepping for your
a standard interview questions you
absolutely need to get into my group the
strive squad we're doing a lot of
interview prep there this week and I
know you won't want to miss it there is
going to be a couple of things that are
going to be a little bit different in a
video conferencing interview though that
you do need to be aware of first of all
I contact when you are speaking you
should be looking directly into the
camera straight ahead when your
interviewer is speaking you can break
eye contact with the camera lens in
order to look them in the eye don't be
one of those people that just stares at
themselves the entire time it is super
awkward and even the lack of digital eye
contact is going to have an impression
of a lack of trust and a lack of
reliability which is an impression that
you don't want to give to the person who
is doing your interview
the other thing that a lot of people
don't think of is that they should
really print off a copy of the resume
especially if you're working with a
single screen you don't want to be
distracted and navigating between
different applications because at the
end of the day the light on your screen
is going to change that is likely to
reflect onto your face and your
interviewer isn't going to know if
you're looking at your resume or if
you're just maybe shopping online
while you're speaking with that or you
know looking at Glassdoor reviews which
leads me to the other component here
which is absolutely under no
circumstance should you be multitasking
during your videoconference interview
make sure that you close down all of
your browser tabs yes even your email
and your messengers and turn off all
notifications ideally you're just
setting your entire system to do not
disturb mode so that you're not getting
notifications pop up to tempt you and of
course you're not going to want to be
doing other things on the computer such
as looking at Glassdoor reviews while
you're actually on the call do all of
the preparation that you need before the
call and you can always send follow-up
questions should they arise or just ask
the interviewer there's really no reason
for you to be multitasking during the
interview if you like to keep notes on
the computer let them know and make sure
that that is just a minimal screen and
that you are cognizant of the fact that
sometimes your computer microphone might
pick up your typing ultimately you don't
need to be multitasking when you are
having a video job interview especially
if this is a job that you really want to
have give the interviewer and yourself
the benefit of your full and undivided
attention during your videoconference
interview because when you do you are
going to be able to captivate delight
and impress your interviewer and that
leads me now into my tips of what to do
after your video job interview is
complete first of all we need to make
sure that mistakes are not made make
sure that you have closed out of the
interview application if it's zoom shut
it down if it was a Skype interview shut
it down make sure that it is done that
your camera is off that your microphone
is off you don't want to accidentally
still be sitting in the room and I don't
know having casual conversation or doing
something kind of embarrassing like
having an awkward snack or picking your
nose you laugh but I've seen people do
this in video conferences before the
other thing that you're going to make
sure that you do after your video
conference interview is you are going to
send a thank-you note within 30 minutes
it's going to be a really simple email
you should absolutely also send a
thank-you letter directly to the person
following your video conference enter
you if possible this is really important
because they know that you're on the
computer and everyone knows that they
should be sending thank-you letters but
trust me the vast majority of job
candidates do not send thank-you letters
and it is going to make you stand out as
someone who is attentive interested and
pays attention to detail
now with those video conference
interview tips I know that you were
going to slay your interview but I
actually have a bonus tip for you and if
you did find these tips helpful make
sure and give this video a thumbs up the
better that you can approach the video
conference interview in terms of your
vibe and your state of mind the better
it is going to be so one of the things
that you really should do the same day
as your job interview is make sure that
you were starting your day off well if
you need a little bit of help to do that
go and check out this video right now
where I tell you exactly how to get into
a positive mind space to create a great
day which is really going to show up in
your video conference interview I'll see
you in the next one
bye for now and when your interviewer
and then what you don't recognize me I'm
going to be sharing in this video I'm
going to be sharing video conferences
I'm going to be sure