Life Through A Lense

 

As Barton Mills and many more begin to stare down week three of isolation, I have been preparing my candidates for a new way of interviewing Zoom, hangouts, skype, facetime and even house party! Below are my top tips to help you nail your next job interview:

 

Presentation

First impressions are everything in this industry, you need to ensure you look the part. Dress as you normally would for an interview (avoid checks or patterns which don’t work on camera). And I know I don’t really have to write this but, I would highly recommend full business attire not just the top half J

 

Location

Yes, it is funny to put silly backgrounds of you “in da club” on your zoom call but let’s try to remain professional despite having your interview at the kitchen bench (while trying to hide from kids, housemates, pets and partners…  make sure you are in a quiet room with no distractions, you want the interviewer focused on you and not what is going on around you.

 

Connection

Have a few practice calls with a friend/mentor, work out where your internet connection is the strongest. There is nothing worse than a patchy call with poor sound, speed, and video. While you are at it, you might as well also scout your home for the best lighting!

 

Preparation

If you think that a video interview allows you to have your notes at the ready and access to the internet to tackle tough questions, then you’re wrong. It is obvious if someone is rustling notes, clicking their mouse or reading something from a phone or the screen. Make sure you are well prepared for the interview, have some questions ready and run through prior to your meeting. Finally, make sure your phone is not nearby, it is incredibly off-putting when I see a candidate ‘discretely’ reply to a text

 

Leave a good impression

When we are face to face it is so easy to build rapport, but it can be more difficult to show who you are through a lens. Make sure you:

• Hold eye contact with the interviewer
• Smile often, and keep engaged
• Show your personality. Let the interviewer see how excited you are about the opportunity presented
• Remember not to interrupt/cut off the interviewer, allow pauses for questions and if you don’t hear what they’ve asked, ask them to repeat the question – it’s better to be clear than answer the wrong question!
• Follow up! Send an email after the call to thank the interviewer for their time