Guidelines for virtual interviews

Guidelines for virtual interviews

Times are changing, and one of our best qualities as humans is the capability to adapt. Recently we did our first video production using interviews conducted virtually. We had all of our meetings online, held interviews online and edited the video for our client. With that, we’ve come up with some guidelines for making the best of your virtual interviews.

CLOTHING

  • Dress code: Smart professional
  • Solid colour shirts are best when you’re on camera; busy patterns can look blurry on video
  • If you have, you are welcome to wear clothing showing your company logo

LIGHTING AND POSITION

  • Ensure that the area is well lit
  • Natural, diffused lighting is the most flattering light. If possible, set up facing a big window
  • If natural light isn’t an option, place a lamp with a white lightbulb behind your computer screen to achieve a similar effect.
  • Set up your position so that the main light (window or lamp) falls on your face at a 45-degree angle
  • When possible, avoid harsh lighting coming from a single direction, especially from above, that will cast unflattering shadows on your face. Also try to avoid lighting from behind you, which will leave your face dark and silhouetted
virtual interviews camera and light angles.

FRAMING YOUR IMAGE

  • Please make sure that the background is clean and simple – no clutter or anything distracting
  • Your face and upper chest should be centred on the screen. For the most flattering angle, place your computer or phone on an elevated surface so that the camera is at or slightly above your eye level.
  • Make sure to log in before the meeting starts to make sure that your image looks good. This will give you time to prepare and make changes before the meeting starts.

SOUND/AUDIO

  • Phone and computer microphones pick up a lot of noise that you might not be thinking about. Pay attention to background sounds such as appliances, TVs, pets, traffic and other noises. Log in from a quiet area where you won’t be disturbed. Inform your colleagues and family that you’re in a meeting so they don’t interrupt you.
  • Please close all other programs/applications on your computer; WhatsApp, emails etc., so there are no other disruptive sounds of messages coming through

GENERAL

  • When answering the questions, take a deep breath and relax. Talk naturally, and restart sentences whenever you feel like you can say something better, or if you have made a mistake. 
  • You will need to redo the whole sentence if you have made a mistake, not just one word or phrase.
  • Please answer in full sentences, eg. “What colour is the sky?” Answer: “The colour of the sky is blue…”. The questions won’t be heard or be visible, so the audience needs to understand the context without seeing the questions.
  • The viewer needs to understand the context without seeing the questions
  • Make sure you have a strong, stable internet connection
  • Feel free to do a practice round to make sure your setup is perfect before the actual interview
  • When answering a question, wait 5 seconds before answering to ensure Zoom only records your screen and not the interviewer’s

SETTINGS

  • Make sure you have a strong, stable internet connection
  • Feel free to do a practice round to make sure your setup is perfect before the actual interview
  • Have a look at the settings below and please make sure that your Zoom settings are the same. It is important to set your camera on HD.
virtual interview Zoom settings

We hope that using these guidelines will help you set up virtual interviews. With the increase in online events and virtual summits, virtual interviews will become the norm.

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