If you are doing a job interview through a videoconference, you may be wondering what you can do to land the job. First impressions are everything, and they are particular hard to land when it isn’t in person. There are a few things you should and should not do to leave a good impression when you are interviewing remotely.
Make Sure You Have a Good Feed
The number one rule of videoconferencing is to have a good feed. There is nothing worse or more damaging to your interview to be in the middle of it and have it cut out on you. If the other party is very busy they might not even attempt to get back with you. If you can’t connect at all, you can pretty much kiss your chances at getting the job goodbye. Those holding the interview want to know you can handle this type of technology, and if you can’t do it for your own interview you will prove your skills aren’t up to par.
Make Sure You Have a Quiet Space
You would think this point would be simple enough, but many factors can make this difficult. If you need to use your current office you could be interrupted. If you are home, the phone may ring. Do your best to limit any and all interruptions. Quiet does not always mean with noise, though. Take into account the things in the background that could distract the managers conducting the interview. If you have large pieces of artwork on your walls, choose a space that isn’t so visually “noisy” or remove distractions until after the videoconference is over.
Dress Appropriately- Even the Parts that can’t be Seen
We’ve all seen it- that skit with a person on a conference call, sitting at a desk, dressed professionally from what we can see and the camera cuts away to show they are in their underwear under the desk. While this is humorous, it could be damaging if you take this approach. The other party may ask you to stand up for a reason, or you may need to change positions and the camera could show you aren’t completely dressed. While this can be funny, it is also embarrassing and inappropriate.