Guest Blog for Morgan Parkes Recruitment

Changes in the Digital Landscape: How to Master a Zoom Interview

Since the introduction of the government’s lockdown back in March, companies across the country have had to change their processes and implement home working. During these times, businesses have had to amend their strategies in order to communicate effectively, foster cross-department collaboration and even recruit new employees.

Technology is constantly changing the way we do things. This is also true at work, with more businesses turning digital to keep up with their competitors and adapt their business strategies. The impact of technology has exponentially increased the rate of production and speed at which business occurs, helping organisations become more efficient than ever. Whether you’re implementing digital marketing strategies such as SEO and social media marketing, or recruiting through online job adverts, it’s imperative your business keeps up with industry changes to ensure success.

This is also true with the recruitment processes that businesses are taking following the coronavirus pandemic. To keep business moving, and growing, companies are switching to digital-based recruitment methods. This includes video interviews and digital onboarding. More people than ever are using video conferencing platforms such as Zoom. In fact, Zoom predicts sales will be as high as £1.4bn this year, roughly double what it originally forecast in March.

The increase in use of video interviews raises a unique set of problems for both interviewee and interviewers alike. Below, we’ve outlined five top tips for any job seeker nervous about their first video interview.

5 Top Tips for Video Interviews

Clear the room of all noises and distractions – and let people know what you’re doing

Everyone remembers the interview with Professor Robert Kelly who was explaining South Korean politics on the BBC when his daughter, who entered the room mid-interview, interrupted him. The clip, which has since been shared on social media thousands of times, acts as a reminder for anybody partaking in a video interview. Make sure you tell your family, roommates or whoever you live with what will be happening, and lock the door if necessary.

We also suggest clearing the room of all distractions or things that make loud noises. This includes pets, phones and printers. Not only will they distract you, they’ll also distract the interviewer, who might miss the important things you were discussing.

Dress appropriately

As you won’t be leaving your house, it may be tempting to stay casually dressed. Don’t forget, however, that this is your opportunity to make a good impression. Dress as if you are going into the office for this interview – and not just from the waist up. You never know if you’re going to have to stand up for any reason, so make sure you’re fully dressed.

Not only this, but dressing appropriately will highlight the video call’s importance and put you in the right mindset for the interview.

Practice beforehand

When the interview is arranged, you should be told what type of video conferencing platform the interviewer will be using. Once you know, make sure you get to grips with understanding how the platform works by asking one of your friends or family members if they don’t mind practicing with you. Not only does this give you a good opportunity to practice some of your interview answers, it also gives you a chance to see how you come across onscreen and get to grips with how the video platform works.

Make sure you understand exactly where the mute button is. It doesn’t matter how many times you practice – on the day, you might need to hit the mute button unexpectedly. Figure out where it is in advance so that you can quickly turn sound off if necessary.

 

Close down any unnecessary programs on your computer

A video interview will take up a lot of your internet and computer usage. It is therefore important that you close down the programs you have running, as this can affect the streaming quality. You want the interviewer to hear the answers you give in one go, without the connection breaking up. It may be beneficial to connect directly to your internet cable, rather than wireless, in order to ensure your connection quality is high.

As you will have all other programs closed, make sure you print out any notes that you may need. This is much more appropriate than opening the files up on your computer and staring at them when trying to talk.

 

Prepare like it’s an in-person interview

A video interview is just a different way to interview with a business. It doesn’t mean that you don’t need to prepare as much. Make sure you do the relevant reading, research the company and prepare some questions to ask at the end.

Don’t forget, an interview is a two-way process. Not only will the interviewer be checking that you’re a right fit for the job and their business, it will also give you the opportunity to check that the business is a right fit for you.

EDGE Creative

It’s strange times at the moment, but being flexible and adapting to the “new normal” remains more important than ever. Whether you’re waiting to sit a video interview, or a business that needs to adapt their processes, it appears that video interviews are the way things will be going for the foreseeable.

If you are a business interested in adapting their processes to encompass a more digital approach, get in touch. We are currently offering a one-hour free-of-charge consultation with a Marketing Director. Enquire today by emailing info@edge-creative.com or calling us on 0121 355 8092.