Interviews are always nerve-racking, but a video or phone interview can be even more distressful than a face-to-face one. This is because, although you don’t have the pressure of meeting your employer in person, the idea of making an impression nevertheless persists. There are a lot of challenges must face and still amidst those challenges make a lasting impression. Here are seven things that can help you nail the phone and video round.
- Dress and act for a face-to-face interview
The most common mistake people make is taking the phone or video interviews casually. Even if the interview is not in person, in every way you must be your professional best. For a video interview it is important to dress as a professional, like you would for a face to face interview. Your body language should reflect your confidence. For an interview over phone it is important to note that your pitch and tone delivers confidence and professionalism.
- Be prepared for signal problems
There a lot of reasons the signal may get disrupted during the phone or video interview. Background noise poor signal, and a camera or headphone which is not working properly can lead to problems during the interview and waste precious time. Remember, you may not get a second chance and therefore, being having a Plan B can come in handy. Look for places for good Wi-Fi connection, and good signals. If in any case the signal is disrupted, you may request the interviewee to repeat or reschedule the interview.
- Do a mock phone or video interview
It is important to prepare a pitch and develop the right skills to nail a phone and video interview. Learn about the video software that you may use. Do test runs. You can also do mock interviews with a family member or a friend. You may also record your mock video or phone call, to analyze it and improve accordingly. A smile can take you a long way, and even help you hide your nervousness.
- Be ahead of time to prepare
It is important to allow time to set up the phone or webcam. Video calls, especially, may take sometimes to set up, and therefore it is important to log in to your video account and set up the webcam and headphones before-hand. If it’s a phone interview, choose an area with the best signals, and make sure it is fully charged.
- Be yourself
It is important to prepare good answers to the potential questions but that may make your answers very spcripted. In order to brand yourself, you need to be yourself and for that you need to be spontaneous and present in the moment. Note down important points that you may want to talk about, but leave the sentences to come out instantly, rather than writing down every word.
- Conversation more than an Interview
To make sure that you come out as someone who is not mechanical and boring, you need to show some enthusiasm during the interview, but this can turn into a negative point for you if you go over the top. So instead of trying to be over excited, you need to turn the interview into a conversation that makes sure that the interviewee enjoys talking to you and sees you as someone who will benefit the company’s culture.
- Speak clearly though-out the interview
Nervousness can lead you to speak quickly during the interview, but it is important to know that during a video or phone interview you need to speak slowly as there may be difference in transmission of your voice, leading to confusions. This is why having a good accent and speaking slowly is important and will also help you appear confident.
Follow these seven tips and be ready to nail the phone or video interview!
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