Seven tips to help rock your video job interview

Seven tips to help rock your video job interviewSeven tips to help rock your video job interviewA conversation recently popped up in theBossed Up Courage Communityall about how to prepare for interviews that are conducted over video. In the age of Zoom meetings and Apple FaceTime, these are becoming more and more frequent as a regular part of the job hunt.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreSince Ive been hosting webinars and creatingYouTube videosfor the better part of six years, Ive learned a thing or two about looking your best on camera.Here are some quick tips to keep in mind for your next video interviewSmileSmile more than you think you should.Interviews make people nervous. And nervous people can often look dour, with tight, pursed faces that can be off-putting. And yes, I know we as women shouldnthaveto smile and perform such emotional labor to please anyone when we dont fe el like it. But if youre in an interview, youre likely there to please some people So lets use every tool in the toolbox including smiling to set a warm, open, and welcoming tone.Look straight into the cameraIts easy to get distracted looking at yourself or the people youre speaking to on the video screen in front of you. But if you want to give the impression of normal human eye contact, you should actually focus your gaze directly into that little black hole in your laptop or phone. By staring straight into the camera when youre speaking, youll exude confidence and give your audience the feeling that youre looking right at them.That doesnt mean you cant occasionally glance at the video screen showing your interviewers face, since youll also want to be looking out for body language responses on their end, too.Account for lagTechnology is great until its bedrngnis. Even when youre on the steadiest world wide web connection possible, theres always the possibility that a little lag time could mess up your conversational flow. The key to accounting for lag is allowing for more pauses than you normally might. Take an extra beat before jumping in to answer your interviewers question to ensure theyre done speaking. A moment of silence might feel like an eternity to you, but in reality, itll make you seem more thoughtful and pensive, and help reduce the risk of speaking over one another.When youre finished with each answer, ask does that answer your question? or Do you have any follow-up questions? to ensure they have the chance to converse back and forth, and to signal that youre done.Let there be lightGood lighting gives you LIFE on camera. Natural light is best, when sitting in front of a window is possible, but a solid desk lamp pointed right into your face does the trick, too. You dont want to be uncomfortably squinting, but you really do want to light yourself up, even if that means removing a lamp shade for an extra boost.You will look so much more engaged a nd awake with extra lighting. If you feel like youre on a movie set, youre probably doing it right. Investing in one of these littleselfie ring lightscan help, too.Wear solid colorsBut try to avoid white or black, which arent super flattering on video. Avoid busy patterns or dangling, shiny jewelry, which can be distracting. You want their eyes to be on you and your face, so clothing and make-up should complement, not compete.Set the stagePosition your webcam/laptop higher than usual, so that camera is catching you from a slightly downward-facing angle, which is more flattering for just about everyone. No one wants to see up your nose.Youll also want to de-clutter the background and make sure that whatevers on display behind you reflects well on you and gives a professional impression.Quiet on the setFinally, if youre a pet owner like me, make sure your animals are sequestered and that youre in as quiet a place you can get without sacrificing lighting or the strength of your interne t connection. The last thing you want is your dogs hysterical barking at the mail carrier to distract from your conversation.This article first appeared on BossedUp.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people