With many working from home, clients and candidates must embrace new interview tips and techniques to ensure minimal disruption.
Businesses are assessing how best to tackle the impact that COVID-19 is having in the UK and across the globe. We’ve been speaking to our clients, and the good news is that they are doing everything they can to operate ‘normally’.
They don’t want to put a halt to everything. Although crewing activity isn’t what it was a couple of weeks ago, many are being creative about limiting the impact of the virus on crew members and their recruitment strategy.
If you’re going through the recruitment process, or are keen to push ahead with a job search, here are a few video interview tips for candidates in lockdown to help you maximise impact when given the opportunity.
Video is King
During this time, it’s important to expect video calling and interviewing to become more of an option for potential hirers. It may sound obvious, but it’s amazing how differently people can treat a video call interview as opposed to a face-to-face interview. Follow these interview tips for the best practices and make the most of your chance when engaging with your potential new team.
Look Presentable
Ditch the comfy home clothes and make sure that you dress in same way you would for a face-to-face interview. First impressions last, and they’re just as important over video call as they are if you were meeting in person. It’s also proven to get you in the right mental state to perform at your best.
Don’t Set up in Your Laundry Room (or Anywhere Messy)
Okay, I know you probably won’t set yourself up in the laundry room, but this is important. Make sure your surrounding area is tidy and kept free from any unnecessary props or distractions. We would suggest finding a nice blank wall or bookcase to position yourself in front of.
Cafes Are Great for Working in… but Not Great for Interviews
Avoid anywhere that has noise if possible. Think about the environment you’ll be video interviewing in. Choosing an inappropriate environment says a lot about how serious you are about making the right first impression.
“I Can Hear You, Can You Hear Me?”
I’ve started a video call saying (and seeing someone say) those words on more than one occasion. It’s a frustrating way to start a call and kicks everything off on the wrong foot. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not the end of the world and the call can definitely be brought back from that awkward start. But why take the risk?
Check your audio settings. Make sure your ‘Output’ settings are mid-to-high and that your ‘Input’ settings are low-to-mid (to limit outside sound). Also, whether you are using the speakers and mic on your computer or headset, make sure they are connected properly. Check it once, test it with a friend, and you’ll be off to a smooth start.
“Hello? You’ve Frozen Again…”
That leads me nicely onto my next big frustration – internet connection. If you know that your internet at home is a little dodgy then go somewhere where it’s not. It only takes two or three interrupted connections before both sides start feeling exasperated.
Where Are You Looking?
When you’re sitting in front of a person on a screen, it’s sometimes easy to forget the face-to-face etiquette. It’s easy to start looking to the side when you’re thinking, or distracting yourself when they’re talking, particularly when they aren’t focusing on the screen either! But don’t fall into that trap. Look at the screen, as if you’re keeping eye contact, or look into the camera. Just make sure your gaze is focused.
Don’t Forget the Phone
The phone is still an important bit of kit and you’ll find that first stage interviews, or even final confirmations, may be done over the phone. A lot of the rules above also apply to the phone as well: get dressed up, stay away from noisy places, and go somewhere you know that has a good signal.
Communicate Your Enthusiasm Clearly
A video call can bridge the gap between that and a face-to-face interview, as you can still show your enthusiasm with on-screen demeanour, but that’s a little harder to get across on the phone. Some people can be genuinely excited and interested in an opportunity, but without seeing them you’d never know. It’s easy for your voice to get a little flat and monotone, especially if you’ve been talking a lot when answering questions. Be mindful of this. Try a little harder to get across your enthusiasm and positive energy at the exciting opportunity you have in front of you.
Hopefully, these video interview tips will help during lockdown. If you have any questions please get in touch by calling us or emailing us. Our team of friendly yacht recruiters have experience in all yacht based job roles and will help you grow your confidence with any upcoming interviews.