MAKING A GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION
How to nail your live video interview Once the big day comes, it’s time for you to shine! Here are some tips on how to present yourself effectively: • Before you even get down to your interview, check your Wi-Fi, webcam and microphone. An easy way to check how strong or spotty your Wi-Fi connection is for a video call is to stream a HD YouTube video. Observe how the video loads – does it play smoothly, or does it keep buffering? • Start off by greeting your interviewer as you would in real life. Just because you’re talking online doesn’t mean that you can drop social niceties! • Try and get to know your interviewer before jumping into the interview proper. Make some small talk, or ask them a bit about themselves and how they’ve been doing. Video conference calls are always slightly awkward for everyone, so your interviewer may appreciate you trying to break the ice • When talking, try to speak slightly slower than usual and put extra effort into choosing the right words to get your points across. The biggest difference in a live video interview and a real-life one is that non-verbal communication doesn’t translate as easily. So remember that your words are all you have to rely on • If the call glitches, freezes, or lags, don’t panic! Keep calm, wait for the call quality to be restored, explain that the call glitched up for a bit and check with your interviewer if they heard everything you said before • Try your best to look at the camera rather than the video feed on screen. Even though this feels rather awkward, one of the best things you can do in a video interview is to maintain eye contact! • Most importantly, just like you would do with an in-person interview, don’t forget to follow up with your interviewer afterwards, whether with a thank-you email or by connecting over LinkedIn
Some tough questions to look out for Just because your interview isn’t physical doesn’t mean that you’re excused from tricky questions! In fact, you’ll be getting the exact same questions you would get in-person. Some more timely examples of these questions may include: • How do you think our business has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic? • Which of your achievements or experiences best demonstrate your key strengths? • What has this pandemic and ensuing recession has taught you about yourself? • What steps have you been taking to stay informed and relevant amidst all the uncertainty this year? • How do you see your career developing over the next few years in a post-Covid-19 world? Some of these questions may seem like real head-scratchers, but it’s not about getting the “right” answer! Remember that recruiters just want to get a better sense of who you are, and how you approach difficult situations that you may not fully understand. Take time to do your research beforehand on how the recruiter’s industry may have been affected. Make sure you put in the extra effort during the interview to talk through your thought process to explain how you arrived at the conclusions you did. And last but not least, remember to come prepared with questions of your own! This is the perfect time to hear recruiters’ insights on where they see things going during this time, and how their companies have responded to the pandemic. It might also give you some fresh talking points if you have other interviews lined up!
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