There are many companies that are hiring through a video call, skype etc. That means nowadays interviews and job searches are being conducted online. It is a new experience for both interviewees and interviewers. Here are a few tips on how to crack a virtual interview.
How to Crack a Virtual Interview
Keep eye contact
You must be mindful of keeping eye contact. The camera is likely on the top of your monitor or computer. It is not a natural place to look at, mainly when your interviewer’s feed is possibly occupying a large portion of your screen.
Here’s a solution to this. Resize the interviewer’s video window to be as small as possible and place it at the center of your screen. This way, you can maintain continuous eye contact with the interviewer and at the same time watch their video feed for visual signs.
Hide full of your self-view
Let us face it. All of us are narcissists at our core. If we are a part of a live video, we will look at it. When you hide your own video during conversations, it will help you to concentrate more on what the person on the opposite side is saying.
Lessen Sound Disturbance
You must answer your job interview questions from a quiet place. But there are situations where two people are working from the same home with their child, so in that case, it is not very realistic. In such cases, go on mute when you are not saying anything.
You must be aware of all the keyboard shortcuts for muting/unmuting etc. Use those keys frequently. Also, try to find out a noise-canceling system software.
Always speak briefly and take pauses in between
While this is a great practice for any conversation in general, it is even more significant when you are attending an interview remotely. Participants on video are less likely to cut you off if they have already got what they wanted from your end. This means that you need to make sure that you are not talking too much.
Don’t hesitate to share your screen when the interviewer asks you to do so
Are you discussing with your interviewer how you were able to achieve a 30% better conversion rate? Don’t hesitate to share your screen with the interviewer so that he or she can listen to your talk along with the visuals.
Finally, do not forget to make some small talk.
You may be factually talking to a computer, but do not forget the fact that there is a real person on the other side. Be yourself, share your personality, and try to build a rapport with your interviewer.
It may sound strange when you hear about attending interviews through video or conference calls, but this is going to be a trend in the upcoming days. So, while attending one such interview, keep in mind all these tricks and tips. You will crack your next virtual interview.
Good luck!