Video & Phone Interviews - Our Top 5 Tips

Number One... choose a quiet location!

This can be a challenge if you’re working from home… lock yourself away, pop a “do not disturb” sign on the door, banish your housemates / kids / pets / other half and zone out from any other distractions. And if you’re zooming, don’t forget to choose a neutral backdrop – a plain, light coloured wall is just perfect (and make sure you have enough charge in whatever device you’re using). We'd also advise that you do a dummy run to ensure everything's working correctly, lighting is sufficient and you can be heard clearly.

Print out your CV + any reference materials you may need (role description for example), keep your research notes to hand and have your portfolio ready. Dress interview appropriate (bearing in mind culture fit), as you would if attending an interview in person.

Number Two... use a friendly, upbeat tone of voice.

If you’re having a telephone interview, answer with “Hello, this is (insert your name here)…” by way of an introduction (sounds obvious we know, but keep it simple!) and ensure you have a professional sounding voicemail message, just in case either of you are held up and unable to pick up.

Thirdly... listen carefully to any questions and don’t go off on a tangent with your reply… answer directly and don’t speak over the interviewer or interrupt – no matter how keen you are!

Fourth on our list... As with a face to face interview, end your meeting by thanking your interviewer for their time, express your interest in the role and say goodbye in a professional manner.

And Finally... Always good to follow up by sending a thank you email to your interviewer, once again expressing your interest in the role.

You can also find more advice around video interviews in this article from The Muse.