5 Tips to Prepare for a Video Interview

For many applicants, remote video interviews are still a new experience. As much as they know how to prepare for a classic interview, this innovative recruiting technology for them is an uncharted territory - full of promise, but also intimidating by its novelty. We know that the process is attractive for its practical advantages – you can do a video interview whenever you want, from wherever you want. It is natural to have a bit of anxiety mixed with enthusiasm for the first few times. To manage the challenge and prepare for the interview, we offer you 5 common-sense tips. 

Let us briefly recall the principle of a video interview: the recruiter(s) of the company for which you are applying prepared a few questions which you will have to answer in video and/or in writing within a defined period. How much time does it take? About twenty minutes. What’s the point? To go beyond the CV, to present your motivations, your experience in a more interactive way... Do not waste this opportunity and get ready for the video call! 

1. Common sense above all 

It’s self-evident, but it’s the basis. Only sometimes, when stakes are high, common sense may be forgotten... Therefore, it may not be useless to remember that no one is bound to be perfect, and that people who will assess your interview are fully aware of this. So don’t try to be perfect and be yourself (literally and figuratively: asking your tech-savvy cousin to take the interview for you is a terrible idea). Also, it goes without saying, you should not wait to do your interview until the specified deadline. Maybe at college, you used to write your essays the night before you had to produce them, but it is not a good idea in this case. So don’t miss your window so as time and tide wait for no man. So get ready and get started. 

2. Useful information 

Preparing your interview well is essential. The least you can do is find out about the company you plan to work for. This is no different to the first step warm-up you take for a classic interview. So visit the company’s website, linger on its career page; if necessary, ask people in your network who have a connection with the company. In short, do not fudge - it is a very helpful approach that requires little effort and allows you to better understand the culture and expectations of this potential employer. The same is true for the position for which you are interviewing. The more information you have about the position, the more relevant your answers will be. 

3. The right time 

Choosing the right time means favoring a time when you are available and focused only on the interview. Do not put water to boil, make sure that the neighboring apartment is not on fire, feed the cat and put your smartphone in ‘airplane mode’ (unless you have the interview via your smartphone, if so mute your flashy specialized apps during the interview). Above all, choose a quiet place: the right moment is also the place where you will not be disturbed, where you are sure you can sit and do your thing in peace. You, your device (computer, tablet or smartphone) and your answers: this triad is the guarantee of an interview in the best conditions. You’re doing the interview at home, and it’s your chance. Take it.

4. Presentation suggestions 

A quiet place, yes, but suitable too. Your bedroom may not be the place to be; neither does your bathroom, even if there is perfect calm and you feel good there. In short, make sure that the right place is quiet. Highlight yourself - avoiding dark places and backlighting. Sitting in front of a window, for example, is not the best way to be seen! Find a suitable background - preferably a nice painting or a bookcase to your Lego Star Wars collection. Go for the simplest, the most tempered background - when in doubt, this is always the best option. 

This applies to the choice of your clothing as well; your video interview, it’s not The Voice show, you can’t have a blind audition; the voice counts, but not just the voice. So make sure that the visible part of the outfit you wear is appropriate. For the bottom part, you are free to wear your lucky flip-flops if you wish (and even to wear them with socks, which, by the way, is a fashion faux pas, but who will know, right?). 

5. Training 

You would not sign up for a race without some training beforehand, would you? Well, the same goes for an interview, which is a moment that requires concentration, breath and endurance (about 20 minutes, remember). It is, therefore, best to prepare for it just like you would do with sports. Before the interview, you can test yourself as many times as you want. This is an opportunity to familiarize yourself with the tools you use, to see yourself and hear yourself answering test questions. It’s a good way to adjust your voice (which you won’t like, but nobody likes their voice, for that matter), your phrasing, your pace, your head shape (meaning, your haircut) and your attitude. In addition, do not panic. That said, don’t overdo it all the same; keep it fresh and spontaneous. Be confident and be yourself. You are ready, and you will shine like a star, baby!

• Summary:
• Be yourself!
• Find a quiet moment when you will not be disturbed, for a better focus
• Get to a quiet and suitable place
• Find a framework that highlights you, a suitable background and clothing

• Some mistakes to avoid:
• Don’t pass the interview on to someone else: don’t forget it’s your interview!
• Don’t do a selfie mode with your cell phone while walking down the street
• Don’t Google search in the middle of the interview or read a text
• Don’t use a bad Internet connection at the risk of looking like a pixelated Minecraft character
• Don’t forget about time: keep an eye on a stopwatch answering questions not to get carried away with your storytelling