A Graduate’s Guide to Video Interviewing Software

So the dust from graduation has finally settled and it is time to start thinking about what career you want to pursue for now, possibly for the rest of your life. Scary, right? It is becoming more and more common for employers to ask you to complete a video interview prior to meeting face to face, and the last thing you need is another thing to be nervous about. So, we have complied this guide to help you feel comfortable while taking part in a video interview and hopefully get the job!

If you are using a video interview platform like Shine, you actually have much more control over how your interview goes than you would at a face-to-face interview, the trick is understanding how to use the software to your advantage.

The first thing you should do when preparing for a video interview is some research! Regardless of the type of interview you are prepping for, studying the company you are applying to work for is vital. You need to get a feel for them, see if you really do believe you would be happy to work for them, and understand what they expect from their employees generally and more specifically from the role you are applying for. Video interviewing gives you the chance to really think about what your prospective employers want from their candidates and in some cases, give fully prepared answers for their questions, rather than being put on the spot by an unexpected question like you could be in a face-to-face interview.

Secondly, you need to have a few practice runs before the real thing. Check the little details are right, like the clothes you are wearing, the lighting, the background being tidy, video quality being good – take advantage of the system.

Now, we move on to what to do while recording your video interview. When communicating with someone, the overall message they get is split into three categories:

Body Language, Tone of Voice and Words. Let’s go through these one by one –

• Body Language – Studies have shown that your body language accounts for a massive 55% of the overall message the person (or possible employers) you are talking to receives. Just imagine the person who is interviewing you is sat right in front of you, rather than just a camera. Just by doing little things like sitting up straight in your chair, keeping your arms open and relaxed in order to come across as open and welcoming, rather than closed off and defensive and maintaining ‘eye contact’ by looking straight down the camera as much as possible, as you would if you were having a conversation with someone in person. But most importantly, SMILE! It might be harder to create a rapport with a lens compared to a person, but positive facial expressions, like smiling, will make you come across as a happy, friendly, positive person – all aspects you will want to show your future employers.
• Tone of Voice – The tone in which you speak makes up 38% of the total message you give to others, and so it is important to consider this when recording your video interview. Because you are essentially talking to yourself, rather than engaging in a two-way conversation, your voice can easily slip into a monotone rhythm and end up with you rushing through your sentences and speaking in a way which will be very difficult for those watching the video to understand. Try to avoid this by practicing what you are going to say a few times, as this will make you more confident in what you are saying, and therefore you will automatically slow down. Don’t get caught up in your nerves and make sure you speak calmly and clearly, but don’t speak too slow as this could come across as indifference or even boredom! Just don’t overthink your interview and you will make a good recording.
• Words – Now even though words only make up 7% of your total message, your choice of words are still extremely important during an interview. Avoid slang terms or profanity, maintain a professional demeanour and don’t just read from a script! Although you are not having a real life conversation, you need to act like you are in order for your video interview to come across as natural rather than forced and over-rehearsed. By all means, write down some key points for you to discuss beforehand, but your interviewers will be able to tell if you are just reading pre-written answers, and it won’t make a good first impression with them.

Don’t let a prospective employer asking you to complete a video interview put you off what could be your dream job, instead take the advice given here on board and use the system to your advantage! Plus, this method of interviewing could save you time and money by meaning you don’t have to travel up and down the county to attend interviews, time and money both being things that graduates need to save as much as possible in order to start their professional lives successfully. Instead, all you need is a computer, a camera and a winning interview technique…just like the one we’ve outlined for you. Make the most of it and you might just get the job of your dreams!

For more video interview tips and tricks, get in touch with our candidates help portal by emailing mailto:support@shineinterview.com today.