Tips for a successful video interview

Here is what TO do and NOT TO do while on a video interview.

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Be natural and keep calm.

Try to be as natural as possible and behave as you would in a face-to-face meeting. Companies want to hire people who are confident and calm when put under pressure.

Dress appropriately.

Dress as you would if you were going to a face-to-face interview ie. stylish and professional, or business-casual.

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Prepare your surroundings.

Pay attention to the background. Try to clear the interview place. The bed or "that" chair with the clothes to be arranged or at least put away and invisible in the frame. For a background, it would be good to have the wall behind you, with neutral colors, cleared of pictures, posters, etc. The home library, well organized, of course, would also be a suitable background.

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Look at the camera/interviewer.

Try to look mainly into the camera - this will give the interviewer the feeling that you are looking them in the eye and listening with interest. Also, if you're watching your own image, it could be distracting.

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Listen carefully and respond briefly, structured and to the point.

Do not interrupt the interviewer. During a video call, the connection is not always very good, there are interruptions and delays in the sound and picture.

Be aware of this and don't talk along with the person on the other side of the camera. Try to keep your answers short, without too much detail, unless the topic calls for it. Speak loud enough and expressively.

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Smile and show interest.

Good mood and positive attitude are transmitted regardless of the communication channel. A smile always makes an impression during a conversation, whether it's live, via video or on the phone.

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What NOT to do?

Theatrical mastery.

Some people get stressed and/or distracted by the image they see on camera, while others act theatrically. There is no need to artificially hide your anxiety, it will be easier for both you and the interviewer if you are honest with each other. Look into the camera lens throughout the interview. Look away sometimes and smile often without overdoing it.

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Annoying sounds and actions.

Refrain from making distracting noises or movements such as rocking the chair, tapping your fingers, playing with a pen, springing your legs. These actions would complicate the process, stress the interviewer, and it has been proven that the more you give in to emotion, the more likely you are to screw things up. So Keep Calm AND have a great video interview!

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Don't be exposed.

Don't be short-dressed (even men, not even to the waist). It doesn't matter if any part of the body is not visible to the camera, as mentioned, it is important to show respect and professionalism during all steps of the selection, no matter the type of interview.

Matching clothing only from the waist up doesn't always win. From experience, we can say that pants are also needed!

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Clean up your speech.

Try to speak clearly and distinctly - this is even more important in video interviews, when the quality of communication depends on technical factors on both sides of the connection. Clear your speech of parasitic words like "right", "such", "in the sense", "means", "uh" etc. However, it is important not to be hasty or terse in your answers.

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Cigarettes are prohibited!

It is disrespectful and unprofessional when the person in front of your lights up a cigarette as if they were found on a break. Another indicator of smoking is tension/anxiety in the interviewee, which, based on the recommendations given above, takes us away from the goal of a successful video interview.

Online interviews, whether video or automated, give you the chance to be on your turf. So, make yourself comfortable and prove that you are the best choice for the position!

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