How To Look Professional During A Video Job Interview

First impressions count more than anything during job interviews. If you begin the interview on the wrong foot, it’s really hard to recover. You have to remember that you might be the second, third, or fourth person an interviewer sees. They might’ve just finished an incredible interview with someone they think is nearly perfect for the job. You need to come in there and blow them away from the word go. A bad first impression will mean they spend the whole interview thinking of the previous candidate and comparing them to you. 

We all know some good ways to make a decent first impression during a job interview. However, what if your interview is done via video? It’s common these days, and the annoying reality is that there are loads of ways you harm your first impression on a video call. Today, we’re going to go through the main things that impact your first impression, and what you can do to sort them out. 

What are the main concerns with a video job interview? 

Aside from the obvious worries – like interview questions and nerves – what are the main things to worry about when having a video job interview? 

In terms of making a positive first impression, these are the things that can hold you back: 

• Your general appearance – You need to look the part, just because it’s a video interview doesn’t mean you shouldn’t dress professionally. 

• The scene around you – Where are you sitting during the job interview? A messy or hectic background can create a bad first impression as it’s distracting and makes it seem like you aren’t taking things seriously/haven’t got your crap together. 

• Your internet connection – While not entirely under your control, a bad internet connection can ruin a job interview. It’s hard for an interviewer to form a good impression when you’re pixelated or lagging the entire time. They expect you to make an effort to ensure things look good and work well. 

• Camera & sound quality – Following on from above, even a great internet connection won’t help if your camera and sound quality are poor. 

Granted, most of these issues aren’t a fair reflection on your qualities as a potential employee. You could argue that a messy room behind you in the video call might tell an interviewer that you don’t have very good organizational skills. Other than that, most issues don’t align with your talents or skills, yet they still cause negative first impressions. 

Is it harsh? Yes. Can it be stopped? Also yes! 

How to create a better first impression during a video interview

We’ll now go through a few tactics that address the problems above and make you look way more professional during a video job interview. 

Create a professional background

This can be as simple as placing yourself in front of a plain wall. If it’s clean – and there’s no mess behind you – then you’ll be okay. Alternatively, you could erect a white screen behind you – or use a green screen to insert an office setting. This is slightly more complicated and may not work. Instead, it might be better to hire some coworking space for a day in an office nearby. At least you get a professional setting for a better background here. Immediately, you look like you’ve made more of an effort. 

Improve your internet connection

It’s not possible to upgrade your slow internet just for a job interview. But, you can take steps to improve the connection. To start, turn all other devices off so that only your laptop is connected. Secondly, ensure your laptop isn’t downloading or uploading anything else. Thirdly, try connecting via ethernet rather than WiFi – if possible. If you can’t, then move your laptop as close to the router as possible. Again, it may be beneficial to rent a small office or coworking area for the day, so you can use better WiFi to enjoy a solid connection. 

Invest in good recording equipment

Get a good webcam that films in high-definition so you look crispy during the interview. Couple this with a decent microphone that relays your voice so it sounds like you’re in the room with the interviewer. The clearer your video and audio are, the greater your first impression will be. 

Dress to impress

Finally, be sure you’re wearing suitable attire for the interview. Research the company beforehand to see what they typically wear. If it’s an office-based business with a very corporate brand, wear a suit. Always, always, always dress your full body too. Don’t do the stupid thing of only wearing smart clothes up top. You never know what might happen – the last thing you need is to accidentally stand up and reveal you’re in pajamas. 

Armed with these tactics, you’ll look way more professional during any video job interview. Get your nerves under control, do plenty of research beforehand, and you’ll be ready to smash it!

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