It’s been a year and a half and most of us have adapted to meeting people over a video platform rather than in person. It has been a struggle for some and an easy transition for others but we are mostly there.
Meeting a panel of interviewers over video is another story. When you have a panel interview in person, you know where to look. You can sort out who is talking even when two people are talking at the same time and you don’t have to deal with any kind of techno-lag.
All those things are harder over any video platform, even the most reliable. There can be connection problems, weird noises, people off camera and all manner of other things that can throw you off your game.
Here are some tips to get you through.
Find out the platform that will be used (Teams, Zoom) and make sure that it is set up on your device of choice. A computer is best because it is large and stable. If you are using a phone or tablet, make sure you use a stand. Nothing makes a panelist more nauseous then the image shifting as you hold it in your hand.
If talking on group video calls is not something you do everyday, pull together some friends or family and practice. Give them questions to ask you and get their feedback on how you look and sound.
In your practice rounds, log on and off the call a few times. Nothing is more agonizing than waiting for a video call to connect. It’s only a few seconds but it can seem like hours and in a pressure interview situation, it feels even worse. The more comfortable you are with that, the better you will present.
The big advantage to a video call is that you can have notes around you. Think about the important skills, stories and experiences that you want to get across to the panel and make some sticky notes or index cards. You can have them on part of your screen or you can tape them to the side of your monitor. It’s a great way to provide cues for yourself.
Prepare the same way you would for an in-person meeting. Do the research about the company, the challenges ahead and background about the panelists. Think about how your experience would benefit them. Remember, it is not really about why you want this role. The panel will ask you about that but it’s not the key. The key is what problems will you solve and how you will help the grow.
Finally, have a list of questions you want to ask the panel. Open ended questions are best. Ask why they chose the organization, what qualities do successful people have, what big projects are coming up. Getting them talking will give you real insight into who they are and whether they are your people or not.
So take a deep breath and click Connect. They can’t see you sweat on video.
Recruiter's Couch 