Posted by on Mar 21, 2014 in Business | 0 questions

Businesses are no longer limited to hiring local candidates for open positions.

In fact, video interviews are becoming a common tool to reach out to top candidates in other areas. Video conferencing can speed up the first round of interviews, and save both the candidate and the company on fuel costs.

However, if you’ve never done a video interview before, the process can be intimidating. Planning and preparation are the keys to a good video interview, just as they are for an in-person interview.

Read the tips below to brush up on video interview best practices.

Practice Common Interview Questions

A quick internet search will turn up the most common questions asked during an interview. Review them and practice your answers with a friend. Practice in front of the camera by filming yourself, too.

Don’t forget to research the company you’re interviewing with—the ‘About Us’ and ‘FAQ’ pages on the company’s website are good places to start.

Practice Using the Equipment

In addition to practicing your interview questions, you also need to practice using the video equipment. Here are some tips for creating a picture perfect video interview environment.

  • Set up your camera to clearly show your face at an appealing angle.
  • Try placing your microphone in different areas to get the best audio quality.
  • Make sure you’re far away from other electronics to avoid noise interference.

Dress the Part

Just because you’re on video rather than interviewing in person doesn’t mean that you can skip out on the business suit. Don’t just address the top half, either, because you may have to stand up during the course of the interview.

Dress as you would for any interview in a professional setting. Men should wear business suits, complete with a tie, dress pants and nice shoes. Women should wear also wear a nice skirt or pants suit, looking as polished as ever.

Arrive Early

Whether you’re interviewing using your own computer and video equipment or traveling to a company office for the video interview, get in front of the camera early. Don’t make your interviewers wait on you. Arriving early helps you position yourself, calm down and arrange your surroundings, if need be.

Clean Up Your Workspace

If you’re interviewing from your desk, make sure you tidy up first before getting in front of the camera. Clutter is distracting. Furthermore, it could lead your interviewers to think that you do sloppy work if you’re messy with your current workspace.

Keep It Quiet

Although the interviewer has more control over the time than the interviewee does in many cases, try to schedule it at a quiet time. If you’re interviewing from home, choose a time when the kids are in school. Keep your pets quiet, too.

Microphones pick up on any noise present in the room, so turn off the television and any background music. Avoid tapping your foot, clicking your pen or shuffling papers.

Make Eye Contact with the Camera

Establishing eye contact—or at least the appearance of it—is difficult to do when you’re not face to face. Follow these tips to look more authentic in your communications on video:

  • Place your camera at eye level. Elevate the computer or camera if needed to avoid having it below your chin.
  • Keep your eyes on your camera.
  • Avoid looking at the screen because that will give the impression that you’re disinterested.

Remember, a video interview is just as important as an interview in an office. It may be more important, because recordings of the interview can be replayed later. That’s why video conference interviews are so valuable when conducting first round interviews.

Think before you answer, use your manners and dress the part. If you follow the tips you’ve been given, you’ll look like a pro in front of the camera. Nothing instills more confidence in a candidate than being able to use and communicate effectively through advanced technology.