Personal development
Leveraging the advantages of interviewing via video
Patrick Tame, chief executive officer of Beringer Tame , provides advice
A good candidate will shine no becoming increasingly common in practice as a result of COVID-19, there are certain easy-to-fix areas that I have seen elicit a really negative response from clients. The effort a candidate has gone to matter the format of the interview. However, with video interviews with a video interview is indicative of how badly they want that job, so ultimately, video interviews can be a blessing and a curse. While face-to-face interviews make it easier for a candidate to build rapport with an interviewer, video interviews make it a lot easier for them to convey personality and passion through creative use of their backdrop. That being said, if a candidate doesn’t come across right in a video interview, there are (avoidable) technical issues, or the background setting isn’t suitable, there can be less leniency from hiring managers, especially when the opportunity was there for them to have really perfected things. Creating the right visual impression My number one tip is for the candidate to treat the room that they’re in as a movie set – although this can be a double-edged sword. If they get it right, there is greater opportunity to showcase their personality versus a face-to-face interview. However, if their background is cluttered and messy, it is likely an assumption will be made that they are untidy and disorganised (there is nothing worse than a candidate interviewing for a senior position with a pile of laundry or an unmade bed in the background). In the same vein, if the interviewee is going for a creative job and the background is dull and boring, a question may be raised around their level
of creativity. It’s simple considerations like this that make a major difference. The ideal scenario is looking into a home and living magazine. I always ask candidates to consider the backgrounds of painted portraits of historical figures from hundreds of years ago; the background was often symbolic and well thought-through. It’s important to think about who you are and what message you want to project. In fact, the bookshelf is a classic component that can be used to strategically convey a candidate’s passion for a particular industry. For example, I once conducted a video interview with a candidate – who had no previous experience in sport – for a role as a marketing director for a health club. To subtly convey his passion for the industry he strategically lent a squash racket behind him and a couple of famous sports biographies. A very neat and effective way of a candidate exploiting the use of background in an interview setting and using it to their advantage. ...video interviews can be a blessing and a curse. I would always encourage candidates to treat the background of their interview as a canvas and use it to their strength in order to create a positive first impression. While a well-thought-out backdrop can be a great way of portraying personality, the opposite is also true. If a candidate is unsure of what to do in a certain situation or they aren’t confident in what they are trying to achieve, I would recommend playing it
safe with a neutral background.
Positioning of the camera Another really important factor is to ensure the camera is either above or aligned with the candidate’s eye level. Just like you wouldn’t take a selfie with the camera below your face, it is important the hiring manager doesn’t have a view of the candidate’s nostrils because frankly, it’s not the most flattering angle. It’s also important to remember that there will be an emotional response from a hiring manager to a candidate looking down at them. If the candidate is looking up at the hiring manager, it makes them feel more powerful. It’s like a dog, you never let a dog sit at the top of the stairs and look down at you. It’s the same with a video interview, the candidate will come across subservient which is never a bad thing in an interview. Preparing the technical side of things Lastly, a really simple point to be aware of is good resolution of the video. There is no excuse for poor wi-fi connection in this day and age. It’s the simple factors like these that can be a real decider as to whether a candidate is successful with a video interview or not. When there is a real opportunity to have made an effort, those that don’t are easy to identify. While the above considerations may seem obvious, they are common areas in which candidates often slip up. It is so important candidates are aware of the fact that video interviews can present opportunities that in-person interviews do not and therefore use this to their advantage. n
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| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward |
Issue 64 | October 2020
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