Tips for a Video Interview
Saturday, July 11th, 2009
Interviewing by video means you miss the nuances and warmth of face-to-face meetings. Technical glitches can make a conversation more stop-and-start than free-flowing. Personal tics can be magnified. And speaking to a video screen just isn’t the same as talking to a three-dimensional, flesh-and-blood person.
Even though today’s video interview is much slicker than in years’ past, it still has its glitches. Often, there’s a delay between when something is said and when it’s heard at the other locale. Understand that before you show up for your interview, and you won’t try to fill silences with casual banter or assume your interviewer is unhappy with your response and waiting for you to say something more enlightening.
Always remember that you are on camera and plan accordingly:
1. Dress correctly. Avoid stripes and other patters that can come across as busy and distracting. Avoid white (it’s too glaring). If you are wearing a tie, make sure it is solid or has a very subtle pattern.
2. Watch how you move. The camera is going to magnify any nervous habits or fidgeting. To pinpoint those before your interview, ask someone to videotape you or practice in front of a mirror.
3. Get to your appointment early. Take your seat; check your appearance on the monitor; ask the technician to set up the camera so your face and upper body fill the screen. This is also a good time to see if you’ll be behind a desk. If so, you might be able to put some notes or talking points on it to help you during the interview. At the very least, you might be able to post reminders of key points on the wall behind the camera.
4. Remember that a camera records everything. If you can’t set up before the interview begins, then assume the camera is rolling. Now is not the time to adjust your tie, fix your hair, etc.
Like books, movies tell a story. But instead of words on paper, movies are a visual and a listening experience. The audience sees and hears the story. People all over the world love this powerful medium — they love the way movies






