My tips for clients and candidates for online interviews

It is incredible how so many people have started new jobs at new companies despite the fact that they have never met their manager in person or have ever stepped foot in the office of their new company.  Many people have adjusted well to this new world, but some people still really struggle with interacting, engaging and selling themselves in video interviews. 

One thing is for certain, the virtual interview process is here to stay, even if it only becomes part of the process.  It will no longer be unusual for a company executive from another city to hop in on a video interview call to inspect potential new hires and offer their input in the search process.  Reserving conference rooms and having multiple stakeholders on call to meet potential candidates in an office setting for a first interview is not likely to continue for many companies.  The added benefit to these companies will be that the interview process will be accelerated when a company tries to address an urgent personnel need.

At this point, most people know the basics in preparing for a video interview. (i.e. ensure headphones and microphone work, make sure background isn’t distracting, ensure a strong internet connection etc..) Technical issues can rattle an interviewee and completely sink an interview so don’t overlook these aspects

So, having already stated these obvious points, these are my 6 tips for people who struggle with presenting themselves in video interviews. 

1.  Doing interviews from the comfort of your own home can lead to a false security. It is a familiar and comfortable physical setting BUT this can quickly work against you if you are not careful.  Often an interviewee can let down their guard down and become too causal in nature.  The interview could be over before it has even started.  When body language and verbal language becomes too relaxed, there might as well be red flags popping up on an interviewer’s screen.  Companies are often looking for reasons to NOT hire someone so don’t give them any added reasons.  Always remember etiquette and formality.   

2.  Excellent eye contact is always critical when trying to create a bond and gain trust.  It is even more essential when you are not able to do this in person.   You really need to over-deliver in this area on video because there is very little physical presence or physical energy to compensate for someone with poor eye contact.  We all know people who are good at their job who are weak in this area.  Preparation and practice can help combat these issues.  Remember to look at the camera and not the faces on video.  There are many people who also look around while answering a question only to return eye contact when finishing their statement.  Don’t be one of these people.  Your attention should be on nothing other than your laptop screen when you are on camera. Looking away from an interviewer makes someone look shy and/or untrustworthy in person and it looks even worse on video.

3.  Remember that it is OK if things do not go as smoothly as expected during an interview.  Interruptions are acceptable and if dealt in way that shows professionalism and care, it can actually work in your favour.  For example, the wording used when a child interrupts, can tell a lot about what a person is really like in the moment. 

One great secret is that people (including interviewers) often like to see a person‘s real background or real environment.  It can also work in the interviewees favour and help them build rapport or showcase their personality or interests.  Digital backgrounds are not nearly as interesting as you might think.  That beach background shot from your trip to Cuba is neither clever nor interesting.  The interviewer may even think that the interviewee is trying to hide something.  Everyone understands the importance of privacy and security, but digital screens may not be helping you build rapport or intrigue with the interviewer. 

4.  Many companies are adding additional video calls to their typical interview process when interviewing.  The hiring manager may even wish to share the risk of a bad hire by involving as many people as possible into the interview process. You should be prepared to meet with many company employees.  Be sure to jot down names and titles on a notepad beside your computer to keep track of stakeholders.  This will allow you to further engage them in the conversation and potentially win approval from them, as well as allow you to send thank you notes/emails to them after the interview.    

Some people really struggle in answering questions in this type of multi-stakeholder interview environment.  Even two conversations or two people speaking at the same time can rattle some interviewees.  If you are one of these individuals, it is important that you establish some control of the process and politely state that you will try to answer one question at a time.  This will allow you to focus on one recipient at a time so that you can provide your most thoughtful and relevant answer.  By taking charge and instilling a process also displays leadership and organization skills.

5.  It is no longer unusual for an interviewer to ask the interviewee if it is possible to continue a conversation after the interview time has expired.  With less commuting time for everyone, the workday hours have become more fluid.  A follow up conversation is no longer considered an unusual request.  It allows the company to gain more insight into a potential hire BUT the interviewee can also use this to their advantage!  As oppose to an interview call going longer, a candidate can also suggest making themselves available after hours.  This shows a commitment and an interest in the opportunity, and it also allows you to reflect on the original conversation and make adjustments and better prepare for the follow up conversation. This could mean reflecting on statements from the first meeting, considering more examples of your relevant work experience, develop stronger follow up questions and even conducting more due diligence on the company or individuals. 

**Note  Do not assume that the second conversation will be more casual in nature based on it no longer being during business hours.  Even if the second meeting is presented as a casual follow up or an opportunity for the interviewee to ask more questions about the company/opportunity, the interviewee needs to treat this as a continuation of the formal interview as they will still be very closely watched.  See tip #1

6.  Remember the importance for human skills for companies moving forward.  AI has the ability to replace most skills except communication skills collaboration skills and creativity.  These areas should be showcased to better position yourself versus your competition.  Communication will certainly be watched very closely in the interview.  Collaboration questions could come in the form of asking for examples of when you have worked well with other departments and stakeholders.  Creativity could be investigated through questions around problem solving.  More work will be done remotely by companies and by teams within companies, so these three areas are fundamental for long term hires.

Farewell!

Mike

mike@recruitking.ca

Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions.