Online job interview
Types of online/video job interview
Today, online job interviews are becoming more common, especially in the first phase of the selection process. As a jobseeker you can meet the following types:
- One of the most common video interviews is technically like a video conference. The live job interview is conducted via an online platform. This can be Zoom, Google meet, Teams or any other application that the employer prefers. It is conducted in much the same way as a face-to-face meeting, with questions expected to be asked in person, with the difference that you are talking to the interviewer via a video call. Even then, it is advisable to thoroughly prepare for the expected job interview questions.
- Sometimes an employer asks you to make a five-minute introductory video about yourself and upload it to an Internet site. This is a little bit more difficult, because you actually have to make a full introduction video.
The video should include a brief summary of your professional career so far. It is worth highlighting the position of yours that is most similar to the one you applied for, and describe your main tasks and achievements. Demonstrate that you have the knowledge, experience and skills to do the job you are applying for. Much depends on how you structure the content of this material, as it can be used to draw conclusions about your qualities, such as your insight, priorities and time management.
- The third type is when you enter a specific page (either a company’s career page or an external company-supervised web interface) and a series of pre-arranged questions are displayed on the computer, which you usually have to answer within a specified time period (e.g. maximum two minutes) for each question.In the case of this type of interview, there is no way of knowing for sure what questions will be asked, but since this is a competency-based interview technique, it is worth checking the expectations that the advertiser has set out in the job advertisement. For example, if you are applying for a customer service position, where it is stated that good problem-solving skills and a customer-oriented mindset and communication skills are expected, you will almost certainly be asked a question such as
“Have you ever had to deal with a difficult customer? How did you resolve the situation?”
It is also worth preparing for the most common interview questions: Why do you want to change? What captured your interest in the job advertisement? What are your plans? Why should we choose you? You should also develop your answers to these questions. Writing down the content will do much to help you remember the answer and not forget anything in the excitement of the video interview.
Just remember, it’s a completely different feeling to talk to a camera than talking in person, you can’t see the other person’s eyes, there is no feedback, no non-verbal communication. Prepare thoroughly and practice. You will see how much your eyes move or how much “ahhm” you say during a recording.
What tools will you need for a video interview?
Of course, you will need a device that can record and transmit both video and audio. It can be a laptop, a desktop computer, a smartphone or a tablet. A laptop with a built-in camera is perhaps the most convenient device, since it has a high-quality built-in microphone.
You can have a conversation with a normal desktop computer if you have an external webcam that you can plug in, but you also need to get a microphone. The advantage of smartphones and tablets is that they also have a built-in camera and microphone, and almost everyone has these devices. Their only drawback is that the image moves violently when holding a mobile phone or tablet. So, it is absolutely necessary to fix it during an interview or recording.
What you should pay attention to during an online/video interview:
Lighting
Of course, appearance is also important for a video interview, but perhaps even more important is lighting. It is important to always have enough light to reach your face. The easiest thing to do is to shoot the video in daylight, in front of the window, so there is almost certainly enough light. If you are interviewing in the afternoon, turn a light towards you to make sure the lighting will be good. Or get a vlogger kit that provides adequate lighting, both in brightness and in cold-warm shades.
Eye level
Make sure that the camera is always at eye level and that the image does not move. If you are using a laptop or a desktop computer, you can put some books underneath, so you are sure to have your camera at eye level. If you are interviewing using a smartphone, you should also fix your phone in your vlogger kit at eye level.
+1 advice
Before a video interview, always test your settings on a few test recordings.