How to Look Your Best for a Video Interview

Summary: Pay attention to lighting, technical aspects, and your makeup to make sure you look your best and are completely prepared for the interview.

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Almost everyone dreads the Skype interview, and with 63 percent of companies interviewing their prospective employees this way, the chances are you will have to experience a video interview at some point. If you are interviewing for jobs while abroad, there is a very high chance that this will be the way the interview is conducted. What is it about video interviews that make us so uncomfortable? We have provided some things to think about in this article that will help answer this question and help you prepare so that you aren't afraid of the experience.




See the following articles for more information:

• Essential Tips for a Video Interview
• Tips that Help in Preparing for a Video Interview

Lighting

• Fluorescent lights don't make anyone look good, so avoid having your interview in a place that has that as the only lighting.
• If fluorescent lights are your only option, find a desk lamp that has a traditional amber light bulb to warm your skin tone. Place the lamp in front of you off to the side slightly.
• Don't sit directly in front of the main light source in the room. This light will draw the focus away from you and onto the light behind you, making you into a shadowy silhouette. Interviewers will have a hard time seeing your face and the expressions you give that show off your amazing personality.
• Use the rule of two when deciding where to sit. There should be two light sources of any combination. The lights will ideally be a few feet away from you and out of the video. The best combination would be an overhead light and a light in your peripheral vision.

The Tech Stuff

• Use the angles of the camera to your advantage. Get your whole upper torso into the picture so that hand gestures can be seen. If the camera sits too low, add books underneath it to make the camera sit at eye level.
• The first impression here counts too. Make sure your social profile accounts are up-to-date and professional, because you can bet that the interviewers will check them before they start the interview.
• Do a test run or two before the interview to make sure that everything is ready to go. You don't need any last minute stressors to ruin your composure and frame of mind right before the interview.
• Maintaining eye contact is the same as in an in-person interview. Make strong eye contact but don't stare them down.
• Be ready to show off your skills by learning how to share your screen before the interview. Close any other website or programs that you won't need during the interview to eliminate the accident of sharing the wrong view of your personal emails or spring break pictures.

Photo: businessnewsdaily.com



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