Here are a few tips to help you do your best:
1. Make a Good Connection - Before you can make a good connection with an employer during an interview, you must first ensure that your internet connection is up to par. Conduct the interview somewhere where you will have a steady internet connection with decent speeds. Stuttering video, skipping audio, or worse, a connection that drops out altogether, are all symptoms of slow internet speeds and might cut your chances of acing the interview painfully short.
2. Location, Location, Location – Where you decide to set up your webcam and conduct the interview plays a huge role in the quality of your overall presentation. Try to choose a quiet area with sufficient lighting and make sure what’s behind you isn’t distracting to the interviewer. If you will be conducting the interview from home, make sure any fellow cohabitants are aware of what you’re doing and won’t have to enter the room during the interview. Having a spouse or roommate dash across the background is not only awkward for you and the interviewer, but comes across as unprofessional. Finally, don’t forget to secure all pets and children in another part of the house with supervision to avoid any additional distractions.
3. Test All Tech – Several days before the interview, test your webcam, microphone, and computer to ensure everything is working correctly. Familiarize yourself with volume controls and any settings that might improve the quality of your interview. If you’re purchasing a webcam for the first time, look for one with HD capabilities and a quality built-in microphone. Prices on webcams and microphones have become very reasonable in recent years, so spending a couple extra dollars to avoid grainy video and choppy audio during your interview will certainly pay off and give your presentation a professional flare.
4. Dress Your Best – Although the interviewer will likely only see you from the waist up, dress in full professional attire as if you were meeting them in person. Opting for pajama pants in place of traditional garb may seem like a great idea, but you never know when you may have to stand up or retrieve something from the other side of the room that would reveal your entire outfit.
5. Don’t Interview from Work – It may seem tempting to interview from your office at work, but doing so communicates to your interviewer a lack of respect for your current employer. You also run the risk of a supervisor or fellow employee interrupting the interview, which can not only diminish your chances of landing the job, but cause conflict in your current employment situation.
6. Practice Truly Makes Perfect – Talking into a camera is very different than speaking with someone in person. Practice looking directly at the camera when you speak so that the interviewer can see your eyes. Try to avoid looking down at the screen or around the room when speaking, as doing so could communicate disinterest or disengagement from the task at hand.
As with any interview, prepare yourself ahead of time to answer questions in a concise manner that highlights your accomplishments and addresses how you would be of benefit to the employer. Although a Skype or FaceTime video interview can be very different from a traditional in-person meeting, following the tips outlined above can help make the process go smoothly and allow you to make a great first impression.
ETS Dental is a Dental Recruiting firm specializing in finding and placing General Dentists, Dental Specialists, and Dental Staff throughout the United States. www.etsdental.com
