- Video interviews are one of the fastest growing
alternative interview styles around today,
and if you're a job seeker, you're bound to have one.
In this video, you'll learn how to best prepare
for your next video interview so that you can enter
it with confidence and ease and hopefully land
your ideal job offer.
(upbeat inspiring music)
And hey, if you want a knockout resume,
one that's going to land you more interviews
and better job offers, make sure you take
a look at my free training, The 5-Part Formula
to Make Your Resume a Success.
I'll go ahead and link it below.
If we've never met before, I'm Heather Austin
from professoraustin.com and The Career Club on Facebook.
And on this channel, I teach working professionals just like
you how to build your personal brand
so that you can land your dream job and grow
in a field you love.
So if you're new to my channel, make sure you hit
the Subscribe button down below and the bell notification
so you're notified when I go live
or publish a new video every week.
Here's the thing, more and more companies
are using video interviews as a way to hire talent.
In fact, it's been reported that 60%
of hiring managers and recruiters now use video interviews
as a way to streamline the hiring process.
They're quickly learning that video interviews take less
time, they cost less and they actually decrease
the overall employee turnover rate.
Not only that, but video interviews
are becoming more effective than phone interviews.
Before we jump into the five tips you need
to master before your next video interview,
you need to know about the two most common types
of video interviews that you might run up against.
The first one is a one-way video.
A one-way video interview is a series
of text or video-based interview questions.
Each question is presented one at a time,
allowing you a specific timeframe to answer it.
You're the only one presenting and doing all the talking.
Common one-way interview apps on the market today
are Spark Hire and HireVue.
I will say that one-way video interviews
are more awkward because it's just you
on camera answering a set of questions.
There's no one on the other end
to turn it into more of a conversational interview.
It's just you and the interview app.
The second type of video interview is a live interview.
This type of video interview is very much
like an in-person interview except
that you're conversing with your interviewer
or interviewers using an online platform such
as Zoom or Skype.
Live interviews are definitely more natural
and easy to maneuver than one-way video interviews
because there's another person on the other end making
it more conversational.
No matter the type of video interview
you're required to do, make sure you master
these five tips.
Tip number one, pick the location.
Treat your video interview
as you would an in-person interview.
Would you invite your interviewer into your messy bedroom
or maybe even your messy kitchen?
Probably not.
So pick a place that is neat
and tidy and free of distraction.
Preferably a home office or a room
in your home that has a neutral background.
Make sure no one else will
be home when you do your interview
and pick a spot that will be very quiet.
You want your full attention to be on the interview process.
Tip number two, test your equipment.
Figure out the equipment you'll need
before your interview starts.
Most video interviews can be done using
a mobile device, a tablet.
They can even be done using your laptop
or a desktop machine and a webcam.
Pick which of these devices you are most comfortable using
and then make sure the internet connection
is solid and that it's powered up 100%
before your interview starts.
Now if you decide to use a webcam for your video interview
which I highly recommend, one of my favorites
is the Logitech C920S.
It's the same webcam that I use to do my live career
Q&A show on YouTube and it works like a charm.
It even has a privacy shutter.
Here's the neat thing.
If video conferencing is part of your weekly
or monthly schedule, I highly recommend you
to invest in this webcam.
In fact I'll place a link below
this video where you can grab it.
Tip number three, make sure you have good lighting.
Having good lighting during your interview is key.
Your interviewer needs to clearly see
your facial expressions.
They need to get a better sense
of your personality and character
before they're even going to make a decision to hire you.
And no matter how great your answers
are to their interview questions, if your lighting
is poor, likely they are going
to forget about you.
One of the best ways to make sure that you're well-lit
in your interview is to position yourself
in front of a window.
This will provide a good source of natural light
and will bring out your best color.
This will also get rid of any unwanted shadows
or funky lines.
Now if you're unable to find a window,
make sure you place a light directly behind
or on either side of you.
Keeping in mind that you don't wanna wash yourself out
with too much light.
Now if you decide to use your mobile device
for your next video interview, I have
the perfect cell phone holder with a ring light
that will allow you to answer the questions
while being hands-free.
I'll actually place the link to the cell phone holder
below this video.
Tip number four, make sure your audio is working.
To ensure that your voice is clear
and audible and that the interviewer
can hear you, make sure you use some sort of earbuds.
This is by far the most convenient option.
And if you want a more sophisticated audio experience
for your interviewer, make sure you get
your hands on a lavaliere mike.
This can be plugged into your desktop,
your laptop or your mobile device
and then connected to your shirt.
This will provide a clear audio
experience for your interviewer.
The lavaliere mike that I like to use is the Rode smartLav+.
I'll place a link to that mike below this video.
Most of the time you'll have the opportunity
to test your audio before the interview even starts.
Tip number five, angle your camera properly.
In terms of your camera placement,
you don't want it too close to your face,
but you also don't want it too far away.
My recommendation is to keep it within arm's length.
If you're conducting a one-way video interview,
the interview app will allow you to place your face
on the screen to make sure you're aligned properly
so that the interviewer can see you.
If you need to, make sure your mobile device
or laptop computer is propped up so that you're not too
far below the lens or too far above the lens.
You wanna position yourself in the center of the screen.
Tip number six is to dress appropriately.
Treat your video interview exactly
as you would your in-person interview.
For men, wear a dress shirt with a tie.
For women, wear a blouse and preferably
a blazer over your blouse.
Make sure the colors you choose for your interview attire
work well with your skin tone.
You don't want anything that will wash you out.
You also don't want anything that's too bright
and will be distracting for your interviewer.
Tip number seven, increase your energy.
When it comes to your video interview, bring your A-game.
Energy translates different on camera
than it does in person which means
you need to bring even more energy for the camera.
One thing I like to do before I get on camera
is some quick jumping jacks.
Maybe some pushups, something to get my energy going
so that when I show up live or on camera for you,
you can sense that my energy level
is a little bit higher than if we were meeting in person.
And I have a bonus tip for you,
practice, prepare and be present.
So what do I mean by practice?
Practice your answers to popular
interview questions on camera.
This will help you work out some
of your gestures for interview day
so that you can make any adjustments
that you might need.
When it comes to preparing, prepare important documents
ahead of time.
Have your resume printed out and in front of you.
Also jot down notes or items that you know you wanna share
in the interview.
Because this is a video interview,
you can have them in front of you or placed
off to the side and glance at them
while you're answering questions.
And then when it comes to presenting,
bring your A-game and make sure you smile.
I know you'll do fantastic in your next video interview.
And to help you interview with confidence and ease,
make sure you take a look at the video I made right here.
And if you like this video, be sure
to give it a thumbs up.
Make sure you subscribe to this channel
for more videos just like this
and I will see you in the next video.
(casual uplifting music)