At Moon Executive Search, we like to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to senior level recruitment.

We have learned some valuable lessons over the years whilst speaking with candidates and clients via video calls, and we hope that sharing them will help you succeed at your interview.

Interviewing candidates online has become increasingly popular for employers and is now necessary under the current circumstances of near lock down. This method of speaking to potential employees will likely be the future of recruiting.

Video conferencing apps, including WeChat Work, Zoom, HouseParty and Slack have had an enormous increase in downloads recently with FaceTime and WhatsApp video calls being used heavily for one to one conversation too. The use of video calls in work and home life show no sign of slowing down and will become the normal way for our clients to speak to candidates. We have found that there are certain habits and behaviours that will help you impress.

Here are six top tips to help you succeed at video interviews:

1)      Smile – Video conferencing can be disconcerting, but everyone is in the same boat so embrace the situation, engage and show how much you want the role.

2)      Check Your Tech – Making sure that your devices are charged and that you have signal is paramount to having a successful call. The failure of some connections is unavoidable, but the employer is likely to notice poor administration. Also, the rhythm of the interview could be broken by the interruption and could fluster the candidate.  It is always worth considering and informing the employer that you have a back-up method of communication ready, just in case something goes wrong.

3)      Clear the Room – Take anything that could be distracting away from the desk. Have your notes, your tech and a drink. Make sure that the door is shut, and the room is as quiet as possible. A clear room and desk will help you think with clarity and focus on the task in hand.

4)      Dress to Impress – Just like a normal interview, look as presentable as possible. If you can find photos of the staff on social or their website, use these as a guide to how formally you should dress. The smarter you dress will influence how smart you act, so dress up and carry yourself elegantly, even if you are sitting in your living room.

5)      Do Your Homework – Make sure that you know as much as possible; the history of the company and the important people that work there as well as financials, company set up, trading history and supply chain and competitors. Write notes based on the information on the website and try to ascertain everything you can about the culture. This will build confidence and the employer will notice your tone and posture through the lens.

6)      Prepare Questions – When making notes about the company, write down 3-5 questions that you would like to know about the company that you can ask either throughout or ideally at the end of the interview.  It is also a great idea to have bullet points ready to show case your skills and relevant to the role. The more in-depth your study, the more insightful the questions will be and the more chance that you will be hired. Asking just one insightful question can make all the difference.

You can have a read our other tips on how to ask the right questions here.

The team at Moon Executive Search have decades worth of invaluable experience in search and selection campaigns as well as thought leadership articles and reports. This experience allows us to quickly understand the best candidates to put forward for the process.

Get in contact with Moon Executive Search and see how we can find the perfect executive to fit your culture.