Recruiters share Video Interview Tips and Preparation Guide

Tejasvee Sharma

Oct 09, 2021 - 7 Min read

Video Interview Tips

As work from home (WFH) is ongoing, every company is taking job interviews virtually. Video interviews are becoming a common part of a company’s hiring process. But it is also new to the users as they don’t know how to take video interviews. So, here we present the video interview tips and preparation guide shared by MNC’s recruiters, where we’ll tell you how to prepare for video interviews, what you need at the time of virtual interviews, and some helpful instructions and tips on body language and eye contact.

Basic Virtual Interviews Key Takeaways:

Before going deep in tips to prepare for a video interview, you must ensure these key takeaways:

You need to find a quiet space with no distractions when interviewing virtually. Tell everyone in your surroundings not to disturb you.
Make sure you have good lighting in the room and have clear face visibility.
Log in at least 10 minutes before your interview and check your audio and video are functioning properly.
Have confidence, a positive attitude while interviewing and make eye contact with the interviewer, and listen actively.
Choose a laptop or computer with a properly functioning webcam.
Must have a stable high-speed internet connection.

Dress Professionally:

I don’t think it’s a virtual interview, so you don’t need to dress properly. You must dress professionally and formally as you would choose for in-person or walk-in-interview. Knowing about the company culture and their social media page and website gives you an idea about what to wear.

As it is a video interview, you need to look best on camera, so follow these tips for proper visibility:

Avoid bright colors and choose softer colors.
If you are wearing a tie, then choose a solid color rather than a patterned one.
If you wear glasses, then fix the lighting to reduce the glare on the lens.
Position a camera in which you’ll be in the center of it, and your half body is visible.

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Video Interview Body Language

The body language is different when you interview virtually than in person. During video interviews, you only have limited ways to contact in which eye contact plays a major role. While answering the question, you need to look at the camera rather than the screen. It makes for better alignment of eye contact. If you are listening, then look back at the screen.

During the interview, you need to be more optimistic and show a positive attitude through your body. You can show by sitting straight on a chair with your shoulders open and placing your hands on the lap or desk.

While listening to the interviewer, always nod and smile, which shows you are paying full attention to what they are saying. Use appropriate hand gestures while explaining your answers and keep the movement close to your body and not close to the camera.

Know and Understand Company’s Product and Core Values

It is vital to know & understand the company, its services, product, and core values. Firstly, find the answer to the questions about what the company does? What are their products and services, how does their service solve consumers’ problems, and what product or service is related to your job role? You can’t solve a consumer’s problem if you don’t know the product or service and their problems.

Secondly, you need to know the company’s core values and what skills they search for in a candidate. Are there any specific values on which you’ll be judged? Know their values and make yourself more skillful, and show your values in your answers.

You also need to research the competitors of the company and how the company differs from their competitors. If you can crack this answer, then you will show yourself a more qualified candidate than others.

Tips to know the company’s product or service:

Scan the complete website, their blog posts, and product or service page.
Know their competitor and do good research about their product and services.
Search Google News of the company to know the recent updates, developments, and innovations happening.
Do a review check, read articles, and go through the customer/ clients/ employees and ex-employees reviews to know the company’s brand value.

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Tech Set-Up:

Firstly you need to know about the app and its features before joining the call. For example, if you are attending the interview on Google Meet, you must know about the chat section to send messages, present the screen (if required), options to turn on/off camera and mic, and other essential features.

You can practice some video calls with friends and family to check the features and know-how you’ll be displayed on the other side. Is the microphone, camera working properly? You can also know about the lighting in the room and audio clarity. Ask for feedback about your audio, video, appearance, and body language (especially eye contact). Try 2-3 times to be fluent, and it also enhances the confidence for video interviews.

Review these set up on the day of the interview:

The background is not messy but clean and well settled.
Carry a notepad and pen/pencil to take notes.
Keep your resume handy.
Keep a water bottle near you and for permission before drinking.
Check that your webcam, audio is working properly.
Clear your browser and close unwanted tabs or applications.
Check your internet connection and speed.
Put your phone on silent mode.

Having a technical setup is not enough, as technology can go wrong anytime without any prior notice, so here are some essential tips to help you out.

If your camera or microphone stops working: Before the interview, take the contact number of the interviewer, so if you face any difficulty, you can ask to continue the interview over a call or ask for rescheduling.

If noise interrupts the conversation: If there are uncontrolled background noises like siren or construction etc., then take a pause and ask to wait for a few moments and apologize for the interruption. You can also mute the microphone if the noise is loud.

If someone enters the room unexpectedly: If by chance any family members, roommates, or pets enter the room during your interview, then first apologize, then ask for a few moments, mute your mic and turn off your camera, and then deal with the person/pet. Before resuming the interview, make sure everything is settled and there will be no further interruption.

Don’t forget to thank the interviewer via email or any formal mode of communication.

Advantages of a Video Interview

Virtual interviews help the interviewer to objectively evaluate a candidate’s skills, behavior, personality, and technical knowledge:

Virtual Interviews are fairer as you can choose the person who answers well to the same questions asked by all candidates.
Give a chance to candidates to show their skills and experience written on their resumes.
It saves a lot of time traveling for a candidate and makes everyone punctual in attending the interview.

Also, Know about these Companies:

A video interview is a chance to show off your skills and define your resume correctly. Here you can prove your potential to the employer by your confidence and knowledge. It’s your time to tell the story and grab the job with your work’s possessed knowledge and experience. Good Luck!