The Dos and Don’ts of a Successful Video Interview

This timely Two Sides is all about the video interview. Since video interviews happen quite a bit these days, it is not a yes or no topic. Instead, let’s explore some things you can do for a successful video interview and what mistakes you should try to avoid.

Tips to help your video interview run smoothly:

• Be distraction-free. Close your door, mute your phone, and minimize interruptions. Consider sticking a note on your door telling coworkers you’re in an interview to avoid an awkward pop-in.
• Be prepared. Have the candidate’s resume available and questions that you want to ask nearby. It helps to avoid swiveling your head looking from screen to screen during the interview.
• Be well lit. Make sure to have lighting in the front of you or above you, but not behind you. If you have a window behind you, make sure to close the blinds when on camera to avoid off-putting shadows and glare.
• Be friendly. Video interviews can be stressful, so being interested, patient, and smiling goes a long way. You don’t get as many body language cues on a screen, so try to make the experience a warm one and not robotic.
• Be techy. It helps to test your camera, microphone, and network connection before the interview. Log in to the meeting early and make sure you are good-to go for a seamless experience. Make a worthwhile first impression, like having the camera in the right place, so the candidate looks at you straight on versus the side of your face. Also, consider providing general instructions on the technology to be used, like it works best with Chrome or avoid Internet Explorer.

Avoid these for a smoother video interview:

• Don’t be judgy. A lot of people aren’t comfortable doing a video interview (even after 2020). Don’t judge them for less than stellar eye contact. It can be odd to see yourself in an interview and may cause some to be self-conscious.
• Don’t be noisy. It sounds obvious—set up your interview in a quiet place. If you are at home, do what you can to be away from the kids and pets. Also, be aware of how loud the typing sounds are in the microphone. If needed, move the keyboard away from the microphone or hit mute when the candidate talks and you are typing.
• Don’t be messy. What does the candidate see around you? Clean up that pile of paperwork (or at least move it out of sight), dress professionally, and double-check that your background looks the part.
• Don’t be stood up. Make sure the candidate knows about the interview. Reach out with an email explaining you’d like to talk with him or her and look for a meeting invite. A calendar invite should not be the first way a candidate finds out they have an interview.
• Don’t be all online. Video interviews can be a great option in the first round or two when you are still considering multiple candidates. But it is recommended to have the final candidates interview onsite whenever possible.

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