Video Interviews – Employees
By
Lynne Griffiths

We know that video interviewing is here to stay within the business travel sector, so sharpen your skills to make any video interview your best, so you have a higher chance for getting through to the next round of interviews for the business travel job.

Prepare well:

  • research the company and what’s involved in the job
  • look at the company website and get an understanding of their culture and values. Also research current Company activity, awards and media coverage.
  • Identify their Company language – you’ll find common words through their communications, website and social media. Use this language during your interview.
  • read through any guidance notes from the recruiter and follow their instructions
  • go through your CV or application form and prepare examples to show you have the skills and experience the employer wants – use the S(Situation) T(Task) A(Action) R(Result) method to help you structure your answers
  • make presentation slides that you can have on screen as a prompt
  • prepare some answers to common interview questions and have some questions of your own

Prepare your environment:

You’ll need a quiet room with no interruptions. Find somewhere you can sit in front of a plain background that will not be distracting. Make sure you have good natural light or use a lamp so that the interviewer can see you well on screen. If you can, use a computer or laptop rather than a tablet or mobile phone. Position it so the camera is at eye level. Headphones will improve your sound quality. You could split your screen and have your prompt cards on one half and the interview on the other. Before you start you should test your microphone and make sure you know how to use the software, like how to:

  • start and end the session
  • mute your microphone or turn off your camera
  • share your screen – you may have to do a practical task during the interview

Prepare yourself:

Wear smart clothes that look professional. Go for something plain that does not look distracting on camera. Avoid clothing or accessories that could distract you and be noisy when you move. You should do some practice runs, by recording yourself and watching the recording back. Make sure that when you are talking to camera you:

  • speak clearly
  • do not talk too fast
  • pause at the end of a question so that you don’t talk over the interviewer (there is a slight delay online)
  • smile and look interested
  • sit up straight and have good body language
  • keep up good eye contact – look at your camera rather than at the screen

On the day of your interview:

Make sure you plug in or charge your equipment and that your internet connection is good. Log in with at least half an hour to spare so that you can check everything is working well. To avoid distractions, close down any other windows on your computer and turn off your mobile phone.

At the interview:

  • Take some deep breaths and try to stay calm.
  • Try to enjoy the experience and show the employer you are a good fit for their company.
  • if you have any technical problems, let the interviewer know.

Pre-recorded video interview tips:

Pre-recorded interviews usually open at a set time and stay open for a few days. You record your answers during this time and send them back to the interviewer to watch later. You usually watch a video and have a set amount of time to record your answers. The questions will either appear on the screen or the employer records themselves asking the questions.

In a pre-recorded interview you will not be speaking to anyone. You will not have any visual clues from an interviewer to encourage you. To help try to imagine you are talking to a real person.

You should:

  • read the questions well before answering
  • use any practice questions to check out if you can stop or re-record any of your answers if something goes wrong

There are many benefits to a video interview – go into the experience with a positive mindset, as you would for a face to face interview. Preparation is the key, so prepare, prepare and then prepare again!

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Sirius Talent Solutions can provide your organisation with a tailormade recruitment, training and retention programme. For further details, call (01932 562007) or email:  [email protected]