4 Essentials for Today’s Interviews

The New York Times recently covered the key techniques to succeed at video interviews. The most important points are distilled below:

Research. The more you read about the company and the interviewer, the more prepared, calm, and on-point you will be. The New York Times suggests reading the website, news coverage, annual reports (especially Risk Factors – super pertinent to the legal function), and LinkedIn profiles. I whole-heartedly agree with all those suggestions. I would skip their suggestion to read reviews on Glassdoor or Indeed. Some kooky people write stuff there. Raise what they say at your own peril.
Position yourself well. Check the lighting, camera angle, and background to make sure the interviewer will focus on you and not something distracting. Sit up straight on the edge of your seat to convey professionalism and interest. Here are some good resources on how to set up online interviews: Forbes; BBC.
Make sure the technology works. Know where in the house has the best wifi signal. Charge your laptop or device. Keep your phone handy, silenced but loaded with the interviewer’s contact info in case video technology fails.
Practice. Practice with a friend so you get comfortable staring at the pinhole camera while answering questions. Your friend can tell you if your audio or visual is off. Also, rehearse the three or four key points you want to get across. Come up with a with killer story illustrating each point. Run through those stories to keep them tight and smooth during the real thing.

Video interviews ratchet up the tension for interviewees, but following the tips above will go a long way to ensure success.