The current pandemic has forced everyone to resort to online platforms to carry out their business. While unemployment is at a record high, some companies are actually still hiring and if you have landed in that lucky spot, you have to make the most of this opportunity. Interviewing in person is very different from interviewing on a virtual platform like Skype, Zoom or Google Hangouts, but the nerves are real in both cases. However, there is nothing to worry about as I've collected some tried and tested tips to help you ace that online interview!

1. Dress to impress

At no cost should you slacken in your attire just because it is a video interview. Make sure you put on your dress shirt and jacket/blazer along with your trousers or formal skirt! Make sure you wear the entire outfit to give you the feel and creates that psychological effect of being in an on site interview. Try and wear solid colors and steer away from patterns and bright colors as that might be distracting on a video call.

2. Eliminate all distractions

Make sure that the place you choose to give the interview is secluded and free from all noises and distractions. Not only that, silence your phone, turn off all pop-ups on your laptop and make sure that your interview video platform is the only window open on your computer screen.

3. Room and desk settings

Try and choose a spot in your home with a neutral background. It does not speak well and is very distracting for the interviewer to have to see your untidy room or dirty laundry lurking around in the background. Having said that do not try and experiment with funky backgrounds or filters to try and cover it up. You could set up a small folding chair and table against a blank wall of the house instead (check out our product essentials). Have plenty of light, natural or artificial so your face looks well lit up. Make sure you position them at the right angles so that it does not create much glare on your face or blinds you completely while talking. You could also have a handy notepad and pen at your desk to take down any important notes while interviewing but make sure you give the interviewer a heads-up before doing so. Keep a printed copy of your resume at hand. A little cheat you could use is to have sticky notes with key pointers that you might need available albeit away from view on the camera.

4. Prioritize the camera and not the screen

This is something that most people make a mistake with. It’s the camera that you should be looking into and not your laptop or computer screen no matter how awkward it might seem. Looking at the camera is like making direct eye contact with your interviewer. While this is a little easier if you are doing it from your phone, you could elevate your laptop by stacking boxes/books underneath it to bring it to your eye level to avoid slouching while talking.

5. Test your equipment

Make sure all your devices like laptops and phones are completely charged in case of a mishap. Also, check on your internet connectivity and have a backup in case the home wifi crashes on you. Test your phone speakers and microphone, and have a pair of earbuds/headphones fully charged if necessary ready at hand so you are not panicking in case of an emergency.

6. Practice makes perfect

Try recording yourself speaking on a video to analyze your delivery skills and areas that need improvement.

7. Body language

Watch your body language and hand gestures while practicing. Avoid too many hand gestures and keep your movements close to your body. Keep your mood upbeat and have positive energy while answering the questions. Smile genuinely to convey positivity, acceptance, and understanding towards things that the interviewer might be conveying to you. Take a second to fully understand and interpret the question before giving your answer. Avoid fidgeting and drifting your gaze away from your device in-between questions.

I hope these tips help you in your next video job interview. If you enjoyed this or any of our blogs please leave us a comment below. If you want us to feature any specific topics too we would be happy to do so.