Face-to-face interviews have always been the norm for employers and job seekers who wish to get into the companies they wish to apply for. When an interview is scheduled, the job seeker will be meeting someone from the company, who will assess their worth as a future employee.
However, with the improvement in communications in recent years with the help of the internet together with the Covid-19 pandemic, video interviews are now being adopted.
A company’s HR can easily schedule an interview with a job seeker and interview them using a video call app as normal. Some companies are even doing one-way video interviews where the job seeker will have to answer several questions and record it for the employer to review.
If you are scheduled to have one of these one-way video interviews, you will definitely need to prepare like preparing for a traditional interview.
Here are some tips to help you with your interview and help you get that job:
1. Always read the instructions
If you want to clinch that job you are applying for, you have to show that you can work efficiently with the instructions given to you. Take some time to study the instructions given for your interview and ask questions accordingly.
Skipping this will definitely cause the employer to assume you don’t do well with instructions and aren’t meticulous enough. This will definitely leave a bad impression.
2. Take note of the deadline
One-way interviews involve you sending a recorded clip of your interview answers in a certain time frame.
Mark the date in your calendar and make sure that you complete your interview before it. The faster you do it, the better impression you will show to the employer.
However, rushed work does not mean you can hand in sloppy interview videos. Take time to rehearse your answers and prep accordingly.
3. Prepare your login information and your device for the interview
Speaking of prepping… Before doing your interview, make sure that you have everything ready and tested.
Check your internet connection, the device you will be using and the log-in details given to you. Do a sound check with another laptop (or with a helpful friend) to make sure he or she can hear you perfectly.
In case of technology breakdown, always have a second device on standby. You will never know when you need it and it makes you feel better than you have a contingency plan.
4. Review the job description
If you want to make the right impression for the job, you need to review the job description given to you.
As with every interviews, you should also take time to know more about the company, the people working for them, the products and services they offer and other relevant information.
Google your interviewer and chances are he or she will be on LinkedIn. By seeing his profile pic and understanding where he stand in the company, it will make you less nervous during the interview. But please do not stalk him on social media!
Read More: Social Media: Friend or Foe?
5. Prepare your answers in advance and practice
If you got the interview questions early, take the opportunity to prepare your answers so you can record your answers perfectly. Make sure that your answers are clear and concise.
If you are recording an interview video, practice many times so you can answer them in full confidence.
6. Dress accordingly
Even if you are not going to a formal interview, this interview will still count for your application. Dress like you are indeed going to an interview to make the right impression.
If you intend to dress up your top and lounge in your bottoms, do remember not to stand up and walk away from the camera.
7. Record in the right location
Aside from your clothes, you need to show to your employers you are taking this seriously. Record in a well-lit room and make sure your background is simple.
The best backdrop is against a white wall or a bookshelf. Some may say against a window but then again, if the sun beams into the window, your interviewer won’t be able to see you and also, you will not have any control as to whoever walk or fly past behind you.
No messy bedroom with clothes spewed all over the place, no misplaced dildos or water pipes or bongs. It doesn’t matter if weed is legalised in your states, just keep it away in a drawer.
Most importantly, lock your door! Pre-empt everyone that you are going to have an important video meeting in your room and they shouldn’t disturb you (unless the house is on fire). Lest, they keep banging on your door to be let in.
8. Be yourself
While recording your answers, be yourself and make the right cues to show that you are the one for the job. Practice and see what you have to fix if you need a boost.
If you are a funny guy, show some wit in your answers. If you are a data genius, throw in figures and numbers.
But don’t go overboard. If you are a die hard fan girl of Justin Bieber, don’t have your background plastered with his posters. Really, there is such thing as too much information.
Conclusion
One-way video interviews definitely changes the way we conduct interviews. However, even though you won’t be directly speaking to the employer on the other side does it mean you should not take it seriously.
Always remember that you are applying for your dream job and your recorded interview will definitely make up a lot of points. Present yourself accordingly by preparing and you will definitely land that job you are applying for.
For interview tips and tricks, check out these articles:
10 Questions You Should Absolutely Ask an Interviewer
Best Ways to Prep for your Dream Job Interview
Should You Send A Thank You Note After Your Interview?
Can’t get enough of MiddleMe? You can find me sharing my thoughts here as well:
Instagram @kallymiddleme
Twitter (MiddleMe_net)
FaceBook (MiddleMe.net)
LinkedIn linkedin.com/in/kallytay
Best things in life are meant to be shared, start spreading MiddleMe around, after all, sharing is caring.
MiddleMe 
Great tips, Kally. I almost wish I had an interview to prep for. This does remind me I have to practice a Powerpoint talk I’m giving on Zoom this afternoon for one of the groups I volunteer for. We have weekly Zoom get-togethers to keep in touch. They have asked a few of us to give a 10-20 minute talk to give these meetings some structure. I’m talking about fetching deck logs from the National Archives for the USS Midway (CV-41) which is a museum in San Diego.
LikeLiked by 4 people
Good for you! Keep in mind to talk slower and don’t rush through your words. When given a timeline to complete (10 – 20 minute), we often will rush through in hopes that we can finished what we need to say.
Best of Luck! I’m sure you’ll do awesome.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks. I wrote the presentation and know it well. I just need to not rush my presentation and not repeat myself too much. One (and only one) glass of wine ahead of time may help.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Let me know how it goes. 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
It seems to have gone well. I wasn’t satisfied. I did the presentation in Zoom and some of my slides kept advancing even though I was not touching either the Keyboard or the mouse. Fortunately I am comfortable enough with the slideshow function and knew the slides well enough that I had no problem going forward or backward to the appropriate slide. Have you ever had that problem with Zoom? Thanks for asking.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It may be a glitch somewhere. Were you using PowerPoint or something else? I haven’t encounter this before though.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Really awesome post. Very useful.👍👌
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you so much. Have a wonderful weekend.
LikeLike
Always on target! This is a very timely article. Thank you. I’d like to add Don’t look at your video image while in a video meeting. We are all very critical of how we look and seeing yourself on video can be very distracting. To expand on your point Always check your camera’s view since what happens behind you can be very detrimental for you in an interview. Clutter or private objects will cause distractions or the wrong impression. You may not know why you didn’t get the job just because there was something you forgot about that could be offensive to a viewer. I always make sure my ashtray is out of site. As a smoker, I may not get the job.
LikeLiked by 5 people
Thank you so much for contributing your suggestions, Henry. That is certainly very helpful tips. The “not staring at yourself” problem is very real and I can relate to that because I am always tempted to check my appearance.
LikeLike
Yet another “WOW”
You keep upping the BAR Kally, way to go.
This is another timely, informative and prudent lesson.
Make sure you have removed ALL of the clutter; are well dressed;’ and speak articulately while looking directly into the camera.
Thanks my friend, very well done.
God be with you,
Patrick
LikeLiked by 6 people
Thank you for sharing some helpful tips, Patrick. I hope this post is helpful to those who graduate this year. Many of them will be doing a lot of video interviews.
LikeLike
I love your advice, It is always on the money Thank you for always being so timely. As it turns out my blog was about interviewing this week as well Erase this if you feel it is inappropriate but here’s a link https://mysidewaysview.com/2020/05/23/new-what-are-non-motivated-frowning-idiots-supposed-to-do/
Stay well and laugh when you can
LikeLiked by 3 people
I just popped over to your link and left a comment there. Awesome post! Please feel free to share your link in the comments anytime 🙂 I’m all about sharing and caring here.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank You
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have never done a one way video interview. Sounds good to be able to edit and retry different things. I don’t like interviews since I usually feel like I should have said this or that. Thank you. Great post!
LikeLike
Thank you so much. Have an amazing weekend!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Kally, your piece, your blog, your posts are exceptionally insightful and written with deep foresight!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you for your compliments, Lance.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My very sincere pleasure, Kally!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi kally
This post is useful…
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you, Amit. And welcome to MiddleMe!
LikeLike
Good tips, Kally…timely post 👍🏻
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you for letting me know. Have a wonderful day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you you too 👍🏻😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for sharing this Kally. It is very informative. 🤗
LikeLiked by 2 people
You’re most welcome, Herry.
LikeLike
🤗🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow, a one-way interview sounds very intimidating! I would definitely want to be very prepared. Thanks for sharing your tips!
LikeLiked by 2 people
You’re most welcome. I still can remember my first video interview. I was trying my best to stop my hands from trembling. Lucky, I didn’t need to type anything so I hid my hands under the desk. Lol!
LikeLiked by 1 person