By now, we have all gotten used to using video calls to meet with colleagues and friends. Things are a little less formal with those folks and you can get away with poor lighting or a cat traipsing through the background.
But what about in a job interview? There is a lot riding on those calls and you want to make sure you do everything you can to appear as confident and comfortable as you would in person.
Check you set up – do a test run the day before with a friend. Wear what you are going to wear, brush your teeth and hair and answer a few questions. Take the feedback seriously. Adjust your light, sound volume and background if necessary.
Set up a note pad and a glass of water – not a mug with a logo or a giant Slurpee sized bottle. That looks super awkward on video. No one wants to see your wattle when you take a drink.
Put sticky notes on the side of your monitor with the important points and questions you want to ask. That way you won’t have to look down and to the side when you are referring to them.
Open the app and start getting ready ten minutes before your appointment. Most of the video apps have waiting rooms now. You can hang out just like you would in a reception area in the old days. Breathe, check your notes, open the chat window and try to relax.
When you start the conversation, smile broadly with teeth. Not a grimace but a smile that goes up to your eyes. This will help to make the connection even though you are not in the room with your interviewers.
When you are talking, look at the camera. That’s how we make eye contact in the virtual world. On my laptop, a green light goes on and I try to focus on at it while I answer questions. My Zoom window is set so that I can still see the faces on my call when I am looking at the light.
Use as strong a voice as you can. You don’t necessarily have to be louder than usual but try to project a little more. Sit up straight and pull in your abs. That will make you feel stronger and it will impact how your voice comes across.
In these times, when we are meeting from the waist up, it’s your face and voice that have to carry the day. Amp it up a little to get the best results.
Recruiter's Couch 