Video interviews are becoming the norm for job seekers
| While it’s true that most people are uptight and nervous during a job interview, compound that anxiety with video and it’s a prescription for disaster. Yet, for job interviews, video may be trending as the new norm.
No one knows for certain what percentage of employers are doing video interviews, but it’s a save bet that the number is pretty high. Recruiter.com has estimated the number at 63 percent. Others claim it could be as high as 86 percent. Regardless of who you believe, it’s a lot.
Comb your hair and straighten your tie
As with any job interview, physical appearance is important. Clean is a dominant word – as in clean clothes, clean shaven, clean yourself. Of course the list is much long than that. The bottom line is: use common sense.
For the video consideration, keep these few ideas in mind when getting read for a video interview.
First, get ready. Check your lighting. While you don’t want to sit in the dark, too much light can wash out your face and be a general distraction. Too strong backlighting isn’t good either. With too much light in the background, you may appear as a silhouette. This is something that can be done well in advance. Also, frame your shot. Make certain that your face will be centered – not just right to left, but top to bottom as well. Your interviewer doesn’t want to see only your eyes and forehead… and your ceiling.
Second, your eyes. If you have to raise, your camera level so that you’re looking straight into the camera and not up or downhill. During the interview, look straight into the camera. This is especially important if you’re interviewing with more than one person. Don’t look at the people on your screen, look into the camera.
Third, you. Sit up straight and try to look as professional as possible. Don’t slouch. The camera doesn’t lie. Also, try to sit as still as possible. Above all, don’t fidget. It comes across as distracting and rude.
As with other aspects of the 21st Century job search, video interviews are here to stay so you’d better get used to them.
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