How to master the Zoom interview

Being asked to take a job interview over Zoom may fill even the most confident candidate with dread. Do you turn the camera on? Can you get away with wearing your pyjamas beneath your shirt and tie? Have you removed every dodgy object out of view? And how do you show off your charm and knowledge via a screen? Sadly, there is nothing quite like doing it in person.

The prospect of Zoom might be daunting, but it shouldn’t be. Believe it or not, it’s probably a lot better to take a video interview than doing it over the phone as visual impressions often have a lasting impact. So, first and foremost, you need to use the camera to your advantage – even though the pandemic has faded into the memory, WFH is very much still the norm – and let the rest fall into place. Here are some pointers to get you started…

Many big firms or companies will have their own video-calling system, but if you’re interviewing with a smaller venture doing things the old-fashioned way, you might want to log on without a username you’ve had since your teens. Potential employers don’t want to see the ‘fun’ side to you (at least not yet, anyway), they want out-and-out professionalism – which bendover69 definitely is not. So, just as you wouldn’t put your nickname on your CV, keep your online username straightforward and simple. (And if your name actually is Ben Dover, maybe try something slightly different.)

There’s definitely something relaxing about sitting in the comfort of your own home while you take an interview, but that’s where many people go wrong. Get into the same headspace as you would were you meeting in your potential-employer’s office – a little touch of nerves can be useful, so try and get outside of your comfort zone as much as possible. The first five minutes are by far the most important, and your greeting is everything. Sit up straight, avoid slouching, and turn off the Netflix in the background.

Ideally, you want to stay at work late and use the boardroom. This might be crossing a boundary or two, but you need to make sure your setting is as clean-cut and professional as possible. Failing that, try your utmost to make your home look as inoffensive as you can.

If you have a home office, great, nothing says professional like a row of neatly filled bookcases. If not, turn your laptop camera on the night before your interview and assess behind you. Check that your bed, your pile of laundry and your Pulp Fiction poster aren’t in view. Also, make sure you’ve forewarned all in your home that you’re taking an important call and need to be uninterrupted. If you need more convincing, just give ‘Robert Kelly BBC interview’ a quick Google.

While in theory, you should have everything you need right in front of you, you never know what’s going to happen and what could unexpectedly go wrong, so it’s important to dress well from head to toe. No pyjamas, no tracksuits. Wear proper trousers, wear a shirt, wear shoes. Not only will this prevent any embarrassment, but it will also help you get in the right mindset for the interview, as per tip No.2.

As simple as it sounds, this crucial element is essential to get right. Check that your laptop is charged, your sound is working, your earphones have battery, and your Wi-Fi is stable.

This is equally important if your interviewer has asked you to use a video-calling system you’re not familiar with. Log on early, do your checks and make sure you understand the process. Just as you would leave enough time to get to an office for a face-to-face, make sure you’re giving yourself ample time to prepare for a Zoom meet.

Unless they’ve specified this will be a video call, never start the interview with the camera on. Keep it off, and after the niceties are out of the way, politely ask if they would like the camera on. This will avoid an awkward beginning in which you’re left talking to a blank screen and also shows you to be considerate.

One of the most common mistakes people make when talking online is to look at themselves on the screen, rather than into the camera and to the people they are talking to – the effect is as though you’re not really concentrating, or are perhaps overly vain. Maintain (virtual) eye contact, and stop checking yourself out.

Want more work advice? Here are the common CV mistakes to avoid…