Virtual Interview Techniques
With in-person interviews a thing of the past, there is a new set of rules to put your best foot forward in a video interview.
The Set Up
Your opening dialog and backdrop make the first impression. It’s just like a handshake in the past.
Pick a room that can be locked and separated from the sounds of younger siblings and dogs.
Chose a straight back chair and desk if possible. Interviewing from a couch or low chair will look bad.
Check your background. Be sure that no lights, windows, funky artwork or debris will distract behind you. Don’t let the ceiling be your background. Watch your camera angle. Don’t use a custom Zoom background.
Practice with a friend on Zoom, FaceTime or Skype, depending on the interviewer’s preference. Be sure you have the technology down pat. Your audience has high expectations for you to look and sound like the 6 o’clock news. Practice again.
Have a pad and working pen on the desk.
Write down 3 pre-planned open-ended questions (beginning with How or Why).
Ask for names and titles at the outset. That shows respect.
At the beginning:
Smile and thank interviewer(s) for taking the time today to speak to you.
Ask if they can see and hear you properly.
Ask about their family and their health.
Your Look and Sound
The image on a screen is a magnified version of you. Every movement and detail is critical.
Make one last hair and smile check before showtime.
Men should wear a light blue shirt, a properly tied necktie—striped not solid; no jacket.
Women should wear something muted but not black, a suit and blouse.
Once you are positioned at a screen distance to show shoulders and head, stay put. Sit straight. No leaning in or back or side-to-side. Look straight into the camera. Remember, it’s not in the center of the screen.
Smile—at the outset, occasionally during the interview and at the final thank you.
Do not touch your face. Again, do not touch your face. Take notes. It’s flattering to the interviewer. Keep your hands on the desk when you are not taking notes.
Language:
Enunciate and speak in a conversational tone.
Purge the words “like” and “um” from your vocabulary. They are fingernails on the blackboard to anyone over 40. The virtual interview accentuates the impact of those filler words. Give a dollar to charity for each use!
Do not end sentences with a question inflection unless they are questions.
Contact Bob at 617-455-5170 or email rmahoney1111@gmail.com with further questions.