9 Best interview Tips for Successful Online Video Interviews in the Wake of Covid-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed down things everywhere. Additionally, movement has been strictly restricted to avoid the spread of the virus. And most companies have asked their employees to work from home to prevent them from getting exposed to the virus.

Due to all of these circumstances, even recruiting efforts have been shifted online, with the majority of the companies actively seeking the help of technology and the internet to screen and recruit candidates. This means that if a candidate has applied for a new job, they may have to face an online job interview, rather than a physical in-person interview.

Now, an online video interview is different from an in-person interview. Candidates would require interview tips and the best industry practices to improve their chances of clearing the online job interview. So, let us check the different online interview tips during Covid, as suggested by most recruiters. Dear candidates, please use these nine tips to find success in online video interviews.

1. Learn about the company that is hiring

One of the basic principles of preparation for any job interview is to gather as much information you can about the recurring organization. It will not just help with preparation but will also help the candidate give better answers to certain generic questions, such as “do you know about the company”. The right answer to this question can impress the interviewer a great deal.

Researching the company will help you understand the core business of the company and what kind of candidates the business seeks. With this information, you can tailor your responses to suit the company’s business ethos. After all, it is not just giving the right response to the interviewer, it is also about giving a response that is more suitable for the company and its business. This will help you build a connection as the interviewer will understand that the candidate has done his/her research and taken the effort to find out about the company.

2. Know your interviewer

Recruiters say that the next thing that every candidate should do is to try and find more information about the interviewer. Nowadays, the identity of the interviewer is no secret and the candidate is aware of his/her name before their scheduled meeting.

Candidates can, hence, take this opportunity to research the interviewer. Mostly, the interviewer is a person from the department that hosts open positions. So, knowing about the interviewer can help the candidate prepare better for the interview.

Candidates can use social media to do some research on the interview, which can reveal to them credible information about the interviewer’s position, designation as well as other professional information that may be handy. However, candidates, be sure to respect the privacy of the interviewer and do not disturb or bug them on social media before your big day. It is unethical to do so and can eventually cost you the job you so badly want.

3. Practice for the interview

Nothing beats the power of practice. You may be an experienced professional with many years of experience, but that does not necessarily mean that you are experienced in giving interviews. The same goes for online video or skype interviews. So, it’s better to do some practice before making it to the actual interview.

We recommend that you undergo a mock online video interview with a friend or family member. Candidates should make a list of the most probable questions that could be asked at the interview, and make their friends ask them those. This way, the candidate can check their response and review their likely performance in the impending interview. A mock interview reveals positives and improvement areas. Most importantly, they prepare for an online video interview environment.

4. Test the system

After doing the necessary research and practising for the interview, the next crucial thing you must do is to check your computer, smartphone systems.

These devices are extremely crucial to online video interviews. It allows both parties to see and communicate with each other. Therefore, the candidate should check their system thoroughly before the video interview and ensure that all the required software and electronic devices are installed and connected so that the interview happens smoothly and seamlessly.

For instance, if the system is slow, the mic stops working or the camera does not work, it sends out a negative impression to the interviewer. Further, the time dedicated for the interview is wasted and ends in no productive result for either party. This jeopardizes the candidate’s chances of getting selected, as these disturbances come across as unprofessional and as being underprepared.

5. Find a quiet space in your home

A home is a pandora’s box of distractions. They are not something you want around you when giving the all-important job interview on video. The troubles seem endless, especially if you have a pet or small children at home. Strive to discover a quiet spot in the house so that the video interview can go on smoothly.

This quiet space or spot could be a silent room or zone in the house where there are no distractions. We understand that distractions or disturbance cannot be completely negated at home, but you can, at least, ensure that you face minimal disturbance or distractions during the online interview.

6. Dress properly

It is critical to dress professionally for the interview. Even though it is a video interview, the interviewer can see the upper half of your body. Therefore, dress appropriately. Ensure that you dress in properly-ironed formals with well-done hair and accessories. After all, what you wear defines your personality and displays your professionalism.

Treat the video interview like an in-person interview.

7. Maintain eye contact

Recruiters say that nothing will display your confidence more than maintaining constant eye contact with the interviewer. We know that things can get tricky while giving a video interview, as we generally look at the video rather than the camera while on a video call. Therefore, for the person on the other side, it appears as if the individual is looking down while conversing on a video call.

So, candidates should juggle between trying to look directly at the camera and looking at the screen to read the interviewers expressions while giving the interview. This will help the candidate make constant eye contact with the interviewer as well as gauge what he/she is thinking. Plus, constant eye contact will speak volumes about your personality and your confidence.

8. Smile often and stay positive

Giving a video interview from home can be a difficult set up for candidates. And this may stress you out. But you need to cope with this to perform better in a video interview. The best way to do this is by staying positive, regardless of the circumstances, and smiling often. This will radiate positive energy into the interview process.

Displaying a boisterous smile might be inappropriate but you could be considerate with your smile. Also, sometimes conversations can become serious and you may lose your smile temporarily. However, never let go of your positive attitude.

Staying positive is important in the current pandemic crisis. And the more positive you are, the better opportunities you will attract to your life.

9. Effective time management

Recruiters say that in comparison to a physical interview, a video interview happens for a shorter duration. Therefore, candidates must work to manage their time effectively while giving a video interview. The best way to tackle this time constraint is to keep the answers precise, specific and short. This way, you will not just manage your time effectively, you will also impress the interviewer with your efficient management skills.

If you want to know for how long the video interview will go on, send an email to the recruiter to ask about the expected interview time duration. This way, you can better prepare for your impending virtual interview.

Many organizations are gradually adopting online video interviews as this is the best method of hiring candidates without risking exposure to COVID-19. Therefore, it is time that candidates focus their preparations, especially on giving video interviews, as this is still an unexplored domain and many things can go haywire if the candidates do not possess the knowledge about how to approach such an interview.