Tips For Online Video Interviews For Management Consultants

If you have been interviewing for roles in the past year, or plan to in the future, it is virtually certain the process will include video interviews.

Mastering video interviews is an important skill for your job search – here are some quick tips to ensure you won't be camera shy!

Your environment

Dirty dishes in the sink, laundry piled high, towel hanging over the door – all seemingly innocuous parts of daily life but they do not create the best image for an interviewer. Working from home means many do not have access to an office space, but do your best to mimic it – try to interview from a table, with a neutral background/wall behind you.

Test the tech

Zoom, Teams, Skype, Duo – VC software is designed to be quick-starting and user friendly. However we have all been part of a meeting where one or more participants struggle to connect. The worst time this could happen is minutes before your interview starts! Prior to the interview make sure the software you are using is up-to-date, running, and understand how it works.

Quick tip – Name Setting – if you have also used VC software socially, make sure the name you have set is appropriate!

Let there be Light! (but in the right spot)

Lighting is a seemingly small point but incredibly important in ensuring you bring your enthusiasm and personality across. A lot of rapport building is based around visual cues – so if your face is hard to see this puts you at a disadvantage. Most VC software doesn’t have a low light feature, and too much light behind you can drown out your image. Make sure you are in a well-lit room, and do a quick test before the interview. If you need to add a little light, place it behind the camera.

Eye contact

One of the more difficult things to get used to – looking at the camera! How often have you been in a meeting, and you see a participant’s eyes cast downward and seemingly disengaged? Likely they are actually engaged, but are staring at your image on the screen rather than the camera. Be aware of the camera location on your device - be conscious to address it when answering questions and look at it while listening.

Practice

Record some short videos in your chosen set-up and review. Is the microphone quality high enough? Are you sitting upright and engaging the camera? Is the lighting ok? Get used to introducing yourself and answering questions into a camera.

Hopefully these points help you in your job search! For more advice from Ascent Professional Services, visit Career Advice. You can also submit your CV or contact us directly for support and guidance in finding your next management consulting role.