7 Great Tips To Ace Your Next Virtual Interview

With the world turning virtual and most interactions now online as we go through another lockdown this winter, nearly all job interviews are being done virtually. With the job market much more competitive than it has been for many years, it’s important that if you have a video interview you maximise your chances of success in every way possible. Here’s a list of 7 great tips to ace a virtual interview.

Dress smart for success

Just like with a face to face interview it’s important to dress smart for a virtual interview. First impressions count and this means projecting professionalism. If you sign into the virtual interview not dressed for the part this could instantly lower your chances of securing the role along with impacting your professional branding.

The other benefit of dressing up for your virtual interview is that by dressing smart, it will instantly change your mindset- giving you more confidence for this vital virtual meeting. So dress for success, even if you’re only meeting virtually.

Have a good lighting

Having good lighting for your interview can not be emphasized enough. Being clearly visible during the virtual interview will not only help you to build rapport and connection with your interviewers- as they’re able to see your face and your expressions during the interview, but it will also show to them that you have properly prepared for this interview. Taking into consideration the necessary steps from your end to make the interview as comfortable and easy for them as it can be.

A key tip for lighting is to avoid sitting in places where you might have a window behind you as this will instantly darken the image your laptop camera captures. If you can’t avoid this, have additional lighting in front of you. You want to make sure there’s enough brightness for the interviewers to see your clearly without it becoming uncomfortable for you.

Have a distraction free environment

Before the pandemic, the setting the interview took place in was something the interviewer considered, however ensuring there is a distraction free environment is now the responsibility of both the interviewer and interviewee during a virtual interview.

This means having an environment that is distraction free, both from unexpected interruptions from family members, pets and children along with the interview being in a setting where there isn’t a busy background behind you. By having a distraction free environment will not only ensure the interviewers can focus on what you’re saying but there also won’t be anything to disrupt the flow of the interview.

Test your technology

Ahead of the interview it’s important that you check your laptop settings and the programme you will be using for the interview. This will avoid any issues during the interview and any technical issues you could experience both before the virtual interview starts, ensuring you’re joining the meeting promptly and on time.

Answer the question

One of the most important things during any interview is to make sure you answer the question the interviewer asks. While this may seem like an obvious point, with nerves during an interview it can be quite easy to go off tangent with your answer. To maximise your success, practice your best examples for all possible questions, keeping your answers concise with a good explanation of the role you played in the success. If at any point you are uncertain of the question or don’t hear the question, politely ask the interviewer to repeat this for you.

Maintain strong eye contact

Having strong eye contact during an interview is important as it helps to build rapport and establishes trust, however during a virtual interview it’s particularly important that you maintain strong eye contact. If you find yourself looking away or looking at other things this may be seen as a distraction along with making the interviewer feel uncomfortable too. So it’s vital to ensure you have strong eye contact and maintain this throughout your interview.

Be prepared for the interview

Being prepared for the interview not only means understanding what possible questions could come up and practising these but also ensuring that you are sat somewhere were you feel comfortable and able to hold a good posture, without fidgeting or too much movement. Make sure to also have some water near you incase you find your mouth getting dry and turn any mobile phones off or switch to silence.

As a general point, no matter how you feel the interview goes make sure to send a thank you email to the interviewer for giving you the opportunity to interview. Even if you don’t get the role, they will remember your professionalism both during and after the interview.

If you’re currently job hunting and would like some interview and career guidance, career coaching could be for you. As a career and life coach I have worked with women across the world. Find out more about the career coaching services available by clicking here or book a free discovery session to discuss your career needs. The services offered at Inher Potential cover life coaching for women and career coaching for women.

If as a job seeker you’re looking to stand out from the other applicants right now, why not consider also creating a video CV? It’s a great way to grab the employers attention and let them know more about you! Through VCV.me you can do exactly this with their free and easy to use platform- allowing you to create a video CV with impact. Once created, simply add the link to your text CV or cover letter. To find out more visit https://www.vcv.me/