Fortunately, despite the Singapore goverment’s warnings regarding the nation’s impending economic downfall. However, for some lucky few, the recent Covid-19 epidemic does very little to deter their job hunting efforts.
So now that you’ve landed a surprise interview from human resources and you have no idea what to do. Well, here are some tips on how you can present yourself when you’re prepping for a video job interview:
1. Finding the right backdrops
The right background can be the make or break for most of us during a job interview. Think about it, you wouldn’t want to be doing a job interview with a noisy cafe or worse...a karaoke as your background. The best backdrop to use is one that is neutral but not boring.
Try to think back to some of your favourite YouTubers you spend your days watching. Most of them have neutral backgrounds that feature bits of plant, a clean and organized bed, or a glimpse of their bedroom. To be honest, anything is better than having the flush tank of your toilet bowl as a background.
Other examples of good backgrounds include the private room of a library or a coworking space...that’s away from your bosses of course.
2. Experiment with great lighting
If you’re someone who knows what it takes to take a good selfie, you’ll know that lighting is….everything! You want to ensure that the interviewer is able to see your winning smile. Pick a room that has the most natural light in it.
Natural light still not cutting it out for you? Try placing a lamp with cool a lightbulb (i.e. white light) in front of you. Adjust the brightness to your liking by experimenting with the placement of the light. Singapore’s blogging queen Xiaxue has some good tips on selfie lighting here.
3. Wear pants
Yeah, yeah. We know. Wearing pants kinda sucks. But while the camera angle will only show the interviewers a glimpse of yourself from the face up. We still recommend wearing appropriate pants for the duration of the video interview. Think about it, what if you’re halfway through your video job interview and you realise that you’ll need to step away from your desk to grab something. You wouldn’t want the interviewers to see you in your holey underpants now, do you?
Keep in mind that whilst this is a video interview, you should be dressed just like how you would in an in-person interview. Other than wearing pants, you should be dressed in a neutral coloured outfit that does not blend into your background.
Still unsure of what to wear to a job interview in Singapore? Well, you might want to check out our article filled with style tips for job interviews here.
4. Get rid of all forms of distractions
Whether it’s your buzzing Telegram messages or your barking dog. Distractions are detrimental and might just cause you to fail your job interview. If you’re interviewing from home, try to ensure that you’re in a quiet area away from children, pets, music, and distracting roommates (or neighbours).
On the day of your video interview, turn the notifications on your phone off. This is to prevent the annoying sounds of your phone notifications going off. Try not to tap your pen or shake your leg during the interview as it’ll be picked up by the microphone. Hold in farts and other gross bodily functions until after the interview.
5. Don’t read answers off your computer screen
So it’s the day of your video job interview and after reading articles telling you to prep your answers, you’ve managed to do so. The only difference is that you’ve typed your answers out on the computer and you plan on referring to them during the job interview.
Well, that’s a big no-no. Not only will you sound robotic and unorganic. It’s a great way to turn hiring managers off (your resume). Instead, you should have prepared and memorized your interview answers beforehand. Refer to our previous article on job interview tips for Millennial and Gen Z employees here.
6. If you can’t hear, ask again
Missed a question? It’s cool, just ask the hiring manager to repeat the question again. Or if you don’t understand the question. Try and ask the interviewer to clarify their question further. Don’t be shy. And never avoid answering questions.
7. Try to appear human
Just because you’re being interviewed for a job via video. Does not mean that you get a pass to appear more robotic and less personable. Social cues such as making eye contact and smiling should still be in place. More importantly, you want to let your personality shine through. Laugh, crack jokes, do whatever it is that makes you seem human and personable. You want to connect with your interviewers, even if it's not a face to face interview.
8. Relax
Job interviews are daunting. Video job interviews can add an additional layer of anxiety. And anything that is unknown adds another layer of tension and anxiety to your already stressed out self. But video job interviews don’t have to be daunting, indimidating, or even scary. Just treat it like any other interview. Be prepared, look clean, and act professional. That’s all it takes for a recruiter to say yes.
9. Let everyone know that you have a video interview
10. Make sure that everything is set
Just like any other job interview, you'd want to make sure that everything is all ready and set before the actual video interview begins. Some things you might want to consider include:
- Test your internet connection: You'll want to test your internet connection to make sure that your device is connected to the internet. You'll definitely lose points if your internet connection is cut mid-way during your video interview session.
- Figure out your angles: As millennials and gen z individuals, it's only natural to want to figure out the best and most flattering angles for your video job interview. But this is something that you should figure out before the video interview itself.
Currently job hunting and looking for interview advice and tips from a reputable organization in Singapore? Check out our list of interview related articles here.
Read More: 8 Killer Questions Every Hiring Manager Should Ask During a Job Interview