In the post-COVID world, roughly 70% of our placements (non-executive level positions) are completed through a series of phone and video interviews. Nearly 5 years after this became the norm, a surprising number of candidates still have not caught up with the phone/video etiquette. It can be a lot to navigate but messing up these little things make a big impression – and not the kind you want.
Here’s how to avoid common blunders:
Setting up a Remote Interview
- Clarify what type of “call” it is.
Companies may use multiple platforms within the same interview process. Unfortunately, they may also use universal terms like “set up a call” when referring to a video meeting, or “set up a meeting,” but it’s a phone call. We have had candidates accept a Teams Video calendar invitation, then they don’t show for the meeting. We ask, “What happened?” They say, “I assumed someone would call me.” C’mon man! Read the invitation.
- Turn the camera on and test your camera and audio settings.
If you receive a Teams, Google Meet, Zoom or similar invitation, unless you are specifically told that it is an audio-only call, you are expected to turn your camera on. We have a few candidates every month who go through a Teams interview but don’t turn on their camera. Sometimes the hiring manager calls them out on it; other times it is just an awkward meeting where the employer has their camera on but is talking to a black box. If you don’t turn your camera on and don’t have a reasonable explanation for it, that is an instant yellow flag.
Calendar Invitations
- Know your default electronic calendar settings.
Video meetings typically come with an email calendar invitation. Once you accept the invitation, the meeting link and info will go to your default electronic calendar. Make sure you know what E-calendar your email defaults to. The default setting could be different on your phone vs your computer. Check the settings of all devices that might be used to accept/respond to a calendar invitation. Those who don’t use an electronic calendar (such as Apple/iCloud, Outlook/365, or Google) may lose track of the meeting link once they accept it. Check your time zone settings as well. The invitation may come from a host in a different time zone, which should adjust to your time zone unless you have adjusted the default settings.
- Accept the Invitation!
The host can see if you have responded or not. Please accept the invitation after you read it and confirm (with the host and your recruiter) that you will be there. Bonus points if you reply to the email and say that you are looking forward to the discussions. Hiring managers notice when candidates don’t accept the invitation. They also comment when they receive a nice note or when the candidate accepts the invitation. Most candidates undervalue how much these little things influence their evaluation.
- What names are on the invitation?
The meeting invitation may have hiring managers listed in there. Take note of who is invited and look them up on LinkedIn or Google and/or ask your recruiter about them. If they are invited, they will play a role in your evaluation. Find out their position, and pay attention to key accomplishments, notable skills and expertise, professional affiliations, and published content. You should already know the importance of researching a company before you interview – Taking the initiative to know something about your interviewers demonstrates how serious you are about the opportunity. It gives you the chance to anticipate what questions they may ask, formulate more insightful questions of your own, and potentially discover shared interests or experiences to help establish a connection.
Learn from others’ failures. Use our advice above to make a great impression before your interview even starts.
Find more video interview tips here: https://tesatalent.com/video-interviews-quick-prep/