Tips for Mastering an Online Video Job Interview

You’ve got an online job interview coming up! Great work so far, let’s make sure you ace this stage, too. Here’s a handy list of online job interview tips to give yourself the best chance of success.

It’s not 2004, get a decent email address

You may be quite attached to your “gamewizard96” address from back in the day, but don’t be dusting it off for a job interview. Change your username or create a whole new account just for professional settings to give the best impression.

Can I get your number?

Be sure to confirm all the details with your interviewer in advance of the call. This should include his username, the time, duration, and materials to be prepared for the interview. Don’t be the panicked candidate scrambling for someone’s Skype address a few minutes before the call!

How’s your set up?

Choose a quiet, private place where you know you won’t be interrupted.

Make sure your WiFi can handle the demands of video calling. A high-quality call can use between 0.5MB and 1.5MB per second. So unless you’ve got an enormous 4G data allowance, it’s best to use fast, reliable WiFi. Do a test call with a friend in advance of the real thing.

Whatever device you’re using, try to mount it on a sturdy pile of books or a stand so that the camera is at eye level. It looks a lot more professional than that ‘accidentally opened the front camera’ angle that you get if you’re just resting it on the desk.

Keep a blank background behind you so there is nothing distracting or embarrassing for the interviewer to look at.

Use headphones with a microphone if possible. Even a cheap pair will most likely improve the quality of the audio versus your computer’s microphone. This is because it’s closer to the source of the sound.

You’ll also limit the interference of other sounds and you’ll be able to hear the interviewer better.

If you have any visual aids like notes, prompts, and reports, set these up at eye level. If you need to take a look at them, you won’t have to tilt your head.

Dress to impress

From the waist up at least, you need to look the part. In the modern workplace, this doesn’t always mean a suit and tie for men and professional attire for women. Some can be more relaxed and will be open to smart casual or even casual dress at work.

If in doubt, pitch the formality of what you wear towards the more formal end. It’s better to be overdressed than under — as long as you don’t wear pajamas.

During the call

Once your setup is on point, all that remains is to take on the interview. Try to look into the camera. It will appear to the interviewer like you’re making eye contact with them which is more engaging. This is a difficult skill to master because your natural impulse will be to look at them on the screen so take a bit of time to practice this beforehand.

Lag and signal dropping can be a problem on these calls, even when you’ve done everything right. Allow for a decent pause of 2-3 beats at the end of the interviewer speaking to make sure you don’t talk over the top of them.

So, there you have it!

These are the online job interview tips you need to succeed. Good luck!

See Also: 10 Answers You Should Know Before Your Job Interview