Think about it: You live in California but want to relocate to New York. You don’t have the funds to travel back and forth for in-person interviews, and the organization doesn’t either. When you throw a webcam into the mix, rather than just a phone call, visual cues become apparent and an important part of the decision-making process.
In a recent interview, Skype and broadcast tech expert, Jamie Sorcher, provided five tips for how to ace a video interview.
1. Smile and focus. One of the easiest rules to remember when interacting with anyone is simply to smile. There is nothing more engaging than smiling throughout your call with a friendly expression.
Also, mind the camera! When your interviewer is speaking to you, be sure to look at your webcam to mimic the eye contact of a face-to-face interaction for the other person. The person with whom you are speaking deserves your full attention so make sure to stay focused and friendly.
Take a breath before answering a question. It prompts you to think before you speak, and it causes you to sit up straighter since many people start to slouch in their seats during an interview. You want good posture on camera!
2. Simplify your screen. When on a video interview, be sure to close down any additional computer programs that you might be running. Internet pop-ups, unexpected errors and instant messages can be distracting.
3. Hair and make-up. You’ll want to use some hair product that will keep fly-aways tamed, and you may want to style your hair so it is off your face and won’t require constant adjusting.
Make-up, too, is important. Remember, higher quality video means much more detail is going to be visible on screen. A few suggestions include: high-definition foundation (creating soft-focus effect in any kind of lighting), blu ray high-definition matifier (refines lines, minimizes pores for a polished look) and blu ray high-definition lip gloss (for a high shine, plumping effect). Concerned about how you might look on camera? Try a practice call with a friend to get feedback about your on-camera image.
4. Choose your colors wisely. Certain colors like many shades of blue—royal, navy, sky—look great on video while others like reds and magentas can be too bright. Patterns like small dots or stripes can be less attractive than solids so think about a color to wear that is easy on the eye and a pattern that won’t be distracting to your viewer.
5. Set the scene. While you are the focus of the call and the video, remember that there will be background material that the viewer will see. Think about how your webcam is set up and what can be detected behind you. Are you in sitting so that a blank kitchen wall is behind you or is there a cluttered book shelf or large painting behind you? Also, check to be sure your lighting won’t create shadows and flatters your skin tone.
