Video Interview Tips in the Post-Pandemic World

[This article was updated in October 2023]

One of my favorite cartoon TV shows from childhood was The Jetsons. For those of us who grew up with George Jetson and his world (or caught it later streaming online) it was an ultra-cool vision of an imagined future told from a 1960’s point of view. Like many other science fiction shows of that era — most notably Star Trek — many of the fictional technologies and tools that those shows’ writers portrayed have proven to be amazingly accurate predictors of things that we actually now use here in the 21st century. Who can forget George video-chatting with his wife Jane, or being yelled at by his boss, Mr. Spacely, on a video screen — the standard way everyone communicated in The Jetsons’ world. Video conferencing was a concept that seemed so far-fetched and futuristic at that time. Well … welcome to the future! In today’s Post-Pandemic World, the seemingly overnight acceptance of Zoom, Teams, Skype, Facetime and numerous other video conferencing applications has made this once futuristic looking technology a commonplace everyday occurrence.

The world we now live in has made working and collaborating remotely the new normal. Companies have jumped onto the Video Conferencing bandwagon as a way of replacing in-person meetings that are simply no longer possible or practical — not to mention that video meetings are safer and more cost-effective. (No more commute times, travel & lodging expenses, masks, social distancing, plexiglass barriers, etc.) Meetings with multiple participants in far-flung locations are now routinely conducted online, using web-based video conferencing programs. And when it comes to hiring practices, companies are now regularly interviewing job applicants using these same video conferencing tools. Even if the job itself will require being on-site, video interviews are typically conducted as a first step before a candidate is invited in for an in-person interview. While seeing someone on a computer screen is certainly not as effective as an actual face-to-face meeting — there is no question that it is WAY better than a mere audio phone conversation. The added dimension of seeing a person’s facial expressions, body language, eye contact, etc. gives a much more in-depth impression of the person you are communicating with.

I thought it might be useful to publish some advice and tips for job-seekers on how to be more effective during a Video Interview. I’ve already posted two other essential blog articles with interview tips: “Phone Interviews: Secrets, Tricks and Tips” and “Face-to-Face Interviews: Secrets, Tricks and Tips.” Both of those articles contain many universal interview-prep ideas that would certainly also apply to a Video Interview. Those include:

► Research the industry, the company and the players.
► Study the job description and prepare stories.
► Plan ahead to be in a quiet place, and to avoid any interruptions.
► Use the “Nuggets” technique to establish rapport.
► Project a Positive Attitude.
► Be a good listener, and never interrupt.
► Don’t bring up salary or benefits … but be prepared to answer the Dreaded Salary Question directly if asked.
► Prepare a list of questions you can ask.
► At the end of the interview, clarify the next steps.

Each of the above listed steps are detailed in those two prior interview-prep articles I mentioned, and I strongly suggest reading both of them before any Video Interview. In addition, the following are some very video-specific tips and tricks that should be useful to anyone who will be interviewed using video conferencing:

Test your video and audio BEFORE the call.
Open your video application and search for the “Device Settings,” “Tools,” or “Options” menu to test your video and audio. You’ll see a preview of your own video image, and be able to test your microphone. Make sure your equipment is working properly before your interview. You certainly don’t want to start things out with a technical glitch. When you do start the actual video session, make sure your camera is turned on. If the other person can’t see you — and you’ll know because you won’t see your own preview — then click the little “camera” icon on the Toolbar (floating either at the top or the bottom of your screen … you may have to “mouse over” it to make it appear) to activate your webcam. Then during the actual interview, periodically glance at your own preview in the corner of the screen to make sure you are lit and framed correctly, as explained below.

Choose a good setting and background, and be aware of your lighting.
Try to be in a quiet place with no distractions, like in a room with the door closed. If you are at home, or someplace where there are others around – tell everyone that you need quiet and privacy for a video interview to avoid interruptions. (Nothing sounds more unprofessional than a crying baby, screaming kids or a barking dog in the background!) One of the most common problems I’ve seen with video conferences is a person sitting with their back against a bright window. The camera auto-adjusts to the brightness of the window light, and the person’s face ends up looking like a dark silhouette. Avoid that problem by positioning yourself against a wall, with any windows being either to your side or in front of you. Adding a desk light or an inexpensive ring light aimed at your face also helps. Make sure you can see your own face clearly in your preview. Also, be aware of what’s behind you. It’s best to have a non-distracting background — a blank neutrally colored wall, or a bookcase is effective. (A view of your kitchen or your bedroom is also not likely to impress anyone with your professionalism!) You might even choose to “blur” your background in the camera settings if your background is too distracting. However, make sure you test that out first — that blurring effect can sometimes make you fade in and out around the edges like a bad green-screen! A natural neutral background is always a better choice with no blurring.

Position your camera to center your image.
Make sure your camera is steady and on the same level as your face. If it’s a laptop camera, you might have to put your computer up on a stack of books to get it centered on your face and avoid an extreme angle. (No one wants to see a view looking up your nostrils!) If you’re using a cell phone or tablet, prop it up against something solid to avoid movements — or better yet, use an inexpensive phone tripod to keep it steady and angled properly. Do NOT hold it in your hand during an interview. Position your camera (or re-position yourself) to center your face on the screen. I see this all the time — people positioned at the extreme top or bottom of the screen, with the camera cutting half of their face off at their chin, or their forehead! Pay attention to your preview. If you shift or move around during the interview, try to stay centered. Also, move in or out so that you are framed from below the shoulders to just above your head — not too extremely close, or too far back. Most webcams are fix-focused at a medium distance, so being too close or too far will make the image look blurry.

Dress for an interview.
Treat this like a traditional face-to-face interview. It’s a common mistake to think that because you are at home, you can dress casually for a video interview — that it won’t matter. Wrong! The impression you make on your video interviewer can be just as powerful as it would be in person. What you are wearing matters, and you will be judged by how you look. That’s kind of the point of video, isn’t it? They want to know how you look! Dress appropriately. I’ve actually seen candidates for executive-level positions wearing t-shirts on video interviews! Needless to say, that was not a first impression I’m likely to forget. Men: collared, button-down dress shirt, with an optional jacket. Women: wear a conservative business suit. I’ve never heard of any candidate for any job getting eliminated because they were too well dressed! Also, avoid wearing loud patterns, like stripes, that can sometimes look distracting on video.

Silence your phone and nothing in your mouth!
Before the interview starts, make sure to silence your cell phone and turn off notifications. And do not chew gum, eat or smoke. I feel like I shouldn’t even have to say that, but unfortunately I’ve seen people acting so relaxed and informal during video interviews that they actually ate their lunch, or smoked a cigarette. Needless to say, that was a huge turnoff to the interviewer — and those candidates were immediately rejected. Remember: this is not a friendly Facetime chat with a friend. It’s a Job Interview!

Look at the camera (not at the screen) to make eye-contact.
This is one of the hardest things to do. It’s everyone’s natural tendency to look at the person’s face on the screen as you are talking. The problem is, the camera is not there — it’s at the top of the screen! When you look at the middle of the screen, the other person feels that you are looking downward. As often as possible, you should look directly at that little camera when you are talking. This is a technique that TV newscasters (and media-savvy politicians) spend years learning and mastering. Instead of following the text on their teleprompters, they are taught to read with their peripheral vision while looking directly into the camera lens. Otherwise they don’t make eye contact with their TV audiences, and are perceived as being untrustworthy or “shifty.” Try practicing this technique on a video call with a friend before you do an important interview.

Inform the interviewer if you take or use notes.
If you plan on taking or using notes during the interview, tell the interviewer at the beginning. The reason for this is that your notes will most likely be below the camera’s view, and if you don’t tell them what you are doing they might assume you are looking at your phone when you look down. That would be another red flag that could get you rejected.

Pay attention to your posture.
Sit up straight in your chair. Do not slouch or lean back. From time to time, a good trick is to lean forward towards the camera a bit. When speaking, leaning forward transmits the message that you want to emphasize your point. When listening, leaning forward transmits the message that you are fully engaged in active listening.

Smile!
Remember to speak clearly, and try to convey enthusiasm and energy through your tone of voice. Smiling helps (really, it does!) Smile as much as possible during the conversation. Try it … you’ll notice that you actually sound very different when you talk through a smile.

Pump up your enthusiasm.
It’s a well known fact that actions and reactions can come across somewhat differently on video than they do in a live situation. It’s a good idea to compensate for that difference by projecting extra enthusiasm, and by trying to keep your answers concise and to the point. Try to not allow too much silence or “dead air” to occur between questions and answers. At the same time, never interrupt or talk over the other person. Sometimes the audio on a video conference can have a slight delay or echo, so make sure you hear the end of the person’s last sentence before you speak. Be aware of your facial expressions and body language at all times. Remember: the video light is on … action!