Are you scheduled for an interview by video conference soon? Or applying for a job where you expect to be interviewed virtually? Maybe you’re the one hiring? Are you perhaps simply wondering what these interviews done over video are? You’ve come to the right place. This is a guide on how to have an ideal remote interview on one of our high-performance video platforms from Banty. Read on for our best video interview tips!
Let’s start from the very beginning, in case you’re just here for this one quick answer, rather than multiple video interview tips. Video, virtual or remote interviews are, as the name implies, interviews conducted via a video calling/video communication platform, usually conducted over the internet in real time. The interview could be conducted for a job or for a media outlet, or any number of reasons. All virtual interviews are essentially video calls but not all video calls amount to interviews. As such, we’ve also written a general guide for the best possible video call experience for you here. This is a guide about succeeding in the specifics of a video interview, however. As such, let’s delve into the specifics of enhancing your performance in any potential upcoming interview you’re taking remotely. Read on for the video interview tips.
This is tip number 1. Seriously. Aside from the fact that parts of this guide specifically rely on features Banty offers, it makes total sense if you have a video interview coming up soon. Heck, you could sign up for our most premium platform, read all our video interview tips, use all our features to get through your interview astoundingly and never pay a dime! Of course, we’re actually hoping that once you experience how ridiculously easy it is to ace all your online video meeting needs with us you’ll find our platform well worth staying with, but in the meantime, don’t let that stop you from acing several of your next video interviews for free! You have fourteen days to use every feature we have to offer before you need to decide!
If you’re being interviewed, suggest your easy to remember, highly customisable Banty URL to your interviewer. Stand out right off the bat with your own virtual meeting room. If you’re the interviewer it’s no different. Show potential new hires how much you value good communication.
Whether you’re the interviewer or the interviewed, delivering questions and answers gracefully is always a win. For now let’s assume you’re looking for video interview tips because you’re being interviewed to get a job. If you take multiple interviews over the years, it’s unlikely every interview you ever take will always go exactly as planned. But it can go pretty close. There are questions common to every interview, and questions common to every professional field. Which is an excellent starting point.
You know your field better than anyone. Make a list of the most common interview questions generally used on the labour market without being specific to any industry. Then make another list of the most common interview questions being asked in the field you’re applying to. Think of the best answers to both lists of questions and write them down. Or type them out.
Once you’ve written down all the answers to the most likely interview questions, rehearse. Ask yourself the questions out loud, then practice answering out loud as well. The difference between what sounds natural when you speak versus what sounds natural when you write may surprise you. You may feel a little hesitant, even shy of practicing with yourself. Particularly if doing so unheard by neighbours or household members is not an option. But believe me, it will make a difference in how you answer! Keep written answers handy however you prefer them. In print, on your interview screen, or on another device. That’s another of our video interview tips; Just because you rehearsed, you don’t need to memorise!
We could also approach this from another angle. If you’re seeking video interview tips because you’re the interviewer; a blogger or a journalist interviewing a celebrity on a video call platform, or a hiring manager or HR representative selecting a candidate, rehearsing is just as beneficial to you. Delivering your questions in a fluid, calm and clear manner, will help set the tone for your interview and guide the person you’re interviewing. Delivering your questions well will help the other person answer clearly and approach the topic from your perspective without misunderstanding you.
This is one of the most under-utilised video interview tips you’re going to hear. When you’re being interviewed virtually, advice to make eye contact is a little different. Many of us heard that making eye contact during regular physical interviews increases the perception of confidence. If you’re specifically applying for a job, it may even help your chances of being hired. If you’re the one interviewing, projecting confidence with eye contact has other benefits. The point is; you’re advised to get your eye contact right.
The same benefits from good eye contact apply to virtual calling. But their application is different. For good eye contact during a video call, avoid the temptation to look at the face of the other party, where their eyes actually are. Instead, look at your camera lens to maximise the impression of eye contact. This is a dream come true for introverts, and might be a trifle confusing for extroverts, but with some practice it’s not too difficult for anybody.
In the second tip of these video interview tips, I advised writing down your questions and answers along with rehearsing them. There’s a reason for that. When you rehearse written material enough, you don’t need to read it in detail. You can use the sentences as prompts to glance at. In this way, you can maintain eye contact by looking at your camera’s lens more frequently, and break the intensity of your eye contact by glancing away occasionally in order to get the gist of a question or an answer. Avoid simply reading your questions or answers off wherever you wrote them. It will show, and it might not leave the best impression. It’s acceptable to write things down for a video interview, but it still needs to appear like you know your field sufficiently to speak about it without reading big blocks of text.
One of the video interview tips I can’t recommend enough for any Banty user is using our Screen Share features. If I gave you no other video interview tips, I would give you this one. Instead of just referring an interviewer to a link, or portfolio, or information you sent, show them in real time, as they’re sitting in front of you! Want to show them your work on a website? Screen share! Think they’d appreciate your photography skills? Screen share! Looking to show off your video editing skills? Screen share!
Or are you the interviewer? Want to show a candidate the kind of work you expect? Screen share. Want to show a celebrity the list of questions one last time before you start the interview? Screen share! Screen sharing is key to a number of successful virtual interactions online. That's why we offer you three main panel screen sharing features in Banty and two additional screen sharing options for simultaneous video streaming and whiteboard illustration in the "More Actions" menu.
A question many people new to digital televideo interviews ask themselves is: What should I wear? I know I’ve asked myself that question the first time. The answer is, it depends. While the same general rules for attire apply to a video interview there are a few factors to consider.
For a start, you don’t want to look like you’re trying too hard. While it may be acceptable to wear a three piece suit for a job interview as a butler, it makes no sense to do the same for a job interview as a park ranger! At the same time, it won’t do to appear like you’re not willing to make an effort. There are a few general rules and guidelines however, to make choices a little clearer.
If you’re not meeting clients, you just want to give the impression that you can be more than presentable. A dress shirt may do. If the role warrants it despite no customer service, maybe a dress shirt and a blazer. If you’re in customer service, or traditional banking or finance, wear a suit and tie but not a three piece suit. Even if you won’t be wearing a suit when meeting customers. Think of your suitable attire in three different contexts:
On the job, in a remote digital interview on video, and at an actually physical interview. On the job you must usually look presentable, unless the physical demands of your job make it impossible. In an interview on camera, you must look a little more than regularly presentable. At a physical interview, you must look your very best, relevant to the job you’re applying for. Think of your video interview as the extra step you go. But not as much an extra step as your physical interview.
Record the interview to learn from your strong points as well as your missteps! Banty’s recording feature is available across all our platforms, much like our screen sharing! Get your free-trial today!
We hope Banty’s better video tips for having the best experience with an interview conducted virtually were helpful to you. If you’d like to try Banty for free, we offer numerous solutions for your video calling and video conferencing needs, including Banty Personal, Banty Virtual Clinic, Banty Business and Banty Enterprise. You could also request hosting and specially customised features for much larger digital gatherings with our service, Banty Virtual Events or Banty Plus. Learn more about your options here.
