E-mail Forwards 4 All - How to Prepare for your Video Interview by Pablo Valerio

The new business reality and current economy require recruiters and HR departments to conduct many more interviews than before. Bringing people from out of town for a face-to-face interview is costly and time consuming. Easy access to the Internet and Web cams makes it possible to conduct initial interviews by videoconferencing.

How you perform in this initial online meeting can affect your chances of getting the job. Here is how a bit of preparation can help.

1. Test your equipment. Videoconferencing can be frustrating, and most people have limited bandwidth at home. Remember that your uplink (sending information to the Internet) is usually slower than your downlink. So even if you see the other party clearly on the screen, it is possible that your image is unclear or “breaking up” for the other party. If possible, test your video equipment with a friend or family member to see how it actually works. 
2. Use a headset or external microphone. Internal microphones and Skype’s noise reduction features are great, but the best experience comes from a good headset or an external microphone. I use a Logitech USB headset that provides a clear incoming and outgoing sound. Another elegant solution is the Sennheiser PC121 headset. I used that for many years. The sound quality is excellent, but it uses your internal sound card. 
3. Look at the camera, not the screen. It is very easy to forget that, especially when you have the image of the interviewer on your computer screen. A small trick is to resize the video window and position it at the top of the screen near the camera. 
4. Be careful with the background. Try to have a clean wall behind you, or show only a nice picture or some awards or certificates. Avoid any clutter around you. You may need to get up to look for something, and that can be distracting. 
5. Avoid interruptions. You will probably conduct the video interview from your home, and things such as telephone calls and family members looking for you can disrupt the conversation. Disconnect your cell phone and any others in the room, and tell your family not to interrupt while the door is closed. 
6. Wear solid colors. Webcams don’t work well with patterned clothes. They get “digital noise,” especially when you move, and the interviewer can get distracted. If you plan to wear a tie or scarf, use a solid color over a lighter shirt. Don’t wear a jacket. Nobody expects you to use one at home. 
7. If possible, conduct a test interview with a friend. Practice leads to perfection. Being comfortable with the videoconferencing environment is important to help you concentrate on the interview, not the technology. If you have someone you can trust who has experience conducting interviews, ask him/her to interview you with solid and challenging questions. 
8. Prepare digital files. Most videoconferencing software allows you to share a presentation on your screen. Clean your desktop before the interview, and have the files ready to share if needed. Also, have a copy of your resumé, in case the recruiter asks to see it.

And relax. Interviewers are aware of the difficulties involved in videoconferencing, so they expect to run into some small difficulties. If the video starts to run slow, or the audio is not clear, inform the interviewer, and ask to call again. That usually solves the problem.

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