#GrowWithSkilio — 5 Tips to Ace your Live Video Interview
In this week’s #GrowWithSkilio, we will be diving deeper into the behavioural competency of Clarity, which is necessary for us to communicate efficiently and effectively, especially during video interviews.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic began, our lives have been greatly impacted. Many people have lost their jobs and most of us are forced to stay at home. Remote learning, work from home and networking online has become the new norm. During this period of economic downturn, regardless of students or jobless adults, many are still applying for jobs that often require preparation for stressful live video interviews. This makes having effective nonverbal communication skills even more important.
Therefore, how do we show clarity in our communication through nonverbal and verbal communication?
What is Clarity?
Clarity in communication refers to being easily understood by others.
An individual who possesses clarity in communication is one who can:
- Identify the key element in your message
- Deliver your message in its simplest form
- Keep the audience engaged by using suitable vocal variety (tone, volume and speed)
Why is it important for us to have clarity in our communication during a video interview?
How confident are you during an interview? Has your recruiter ever asked you to repeat yourself?
- Communication is one of the most important soft skills employers look out for during the interview.
- An effective speech can be our most powerful business tool. A good speech is able to captivate your audience, persuade your audience to acknowledge your ideas.
- It is important to prevent misunderstanding in communication, having clarity in our communication will help to deliver a clear message. As a result, the interview might end off on a good note. Therefore, it is essential to sharpen our nonverbal communication skills and clarity in speech.
How do we prepare for a live video interview with clarity in communication?
With the impact of Covid-19 and the various social distancing measures taking place, there is an increase in demand for remote communication. Various video conference platforms have started to emerge, the top best trending apps include Zoom, Skype, Microsoft teams, Google+ Hangout. Employers have also adapted to the changes by choosing to conduct live video call interviews with applicants during their hiring process. It is hence increasingly important for us to practise clarity in communication for us to be well-prepared
In order to be well prepared for the interview, here are 5 simple tips for you to keep in mind:
- Research and Rehearse
Always be well prepared for an interview by doing research. Research areas should include the company that you are applying to, common questions asked related to this field as well as questions specific to the job. Think about what you can contribute to the company, what interesting personality traits you possess.
If you are doing an internship, you can also think about the learning opportunities you will have for this job. The next step will be rehearsing in front of the camera. Use any video conferencing application such as Zoom or Skype to practice answering questions. Record the interview and view it, notice your postures, facial expression, responses. Try not to stutter.
2. Conduct a mock interview
Ask a friend or your family member to act as the interviewer and give you feedback after the mock interview. Another way is to try out online interviewing platforms such as Hirevue or SparkHire to access your behaviour during an interview. One of their features is Live Interview, this allows the user to use video to connect recruiters and hiring managers in real-time. Another function is allowing users to record responses to structured, consistent, job-relevant questions anytime and anywhere, without the interviewer’s presence. The user is able to share his or her recorded interview with the hiring team to receive feedback.
3. Be aware of your body language and facial expression
Find a good camera angle and do not make yourself feel too comfortable. The reason behind this is because when we are feeling comfortable with our environment, our body tends to be more relaxed, bad habits such as slouching, shaking of legs might show.
The correct posture should be sitting with your back straight, arms resting on your lap or the table. Ensure your face is in the center of the screen, always remember to smile and maintain eye contact with the interviewer. Maintain proper eye contact by looking into the camera instead of the screen.
4. Check out your environment
You must make sure you are the focus on the recruiter’s attention. Hence ensure your room is neat and tidy, try to place your camera in front of an empty wall. Lighting is also another important factor. Not too dark or too glaring, natural lighting will be the best! Lastly, make sure you are in a quiet environment as background noise makes the audience hard to focus.
5. Double-check your appearance
Even though this is a video interview, you still have to groom yourself neatly before the interview. Make sure your hair is neat and makeup is professional. Dress up like how you would for an actual interview, the following tips apply to both face-to-face interview and video interview. Match your outfit to the company, because you have researched the company, you should know what level of formality is appropriate.
- A formal interview with MNCs: Go for a formal business look, wear a dark coloured suit. For ladies, a tailored dress with a matching blazer, or suit pants or skirt with a matching blazer. For men, suit pants and blazer with a button-down shirt and tie.
- A business casual environment: For ladies, black or navy dress pants or pencil skirt with a button-down shirt and blazer. For men, black or navy dress slacks with a belt, button-down shirt and tie. Blazer is optional, shoes can be either Oxfords or loafers.
- A more casual workplace such as start-up companies: For ladies, dark jeans with a blouse or a knee-length skirt with a button-down shirt or blouse. Avoid open-toe shoes. For men, dark jeans or slacks with button-down shirts or polo. Shoes can be any closed-toe shoes that are neat and clean.
In conclusion…
Clarity in communication is an essential soft skill that everyone should develop. It does not only come from verbal communication, but other non-verbal communication cues such as the way you dress and body language. Not only does it benefit us in the workplace setting, it is also an important part of our daily lives. Remember, practice makes perfect! Always rehearse before your actual video interview. This will allow you to put yourself in the stand of the receiver as well so as to better observe and improve your own behaviour during an interview. Remember to be confident, focus on delivering the main point of your message and ensure that it is being clearly delivered to the receiver. After you have equipped all these, you are off to go to ace your video interview!
As strong advocates for soft skills here at Skilio, we will be sharing more useful insights and tips in our next few articles. Each article will be tailored to develop one behavioural competency. We will also recommend actionables you can complete to help you in your first steps to changing yourself. So remember to check back in next week for more good resources and follow us on our social media platforms if you haven’t to stay updated with our content!
About us
Skilio is a soft skills measurement and analytics platform that empowers organisations to track soft skill development through experiences. For more information, do check us out here, alternatively drop us an email on hello@skilio.co for more information.
