Working from home can be casual, but if you want to ace a video interview, you still need to take steps to present yourself seriously and professionally.
Many remote or hybrid positions still require frequent contact with supervisors, co-workers, and clients. Show your audience that you can be trusted to represent the company in a professional manner by following these guidelines in any video meeting situation:
1. Dress as you would if you were going to work in an office. If you're not sure of the Company's dress code expectations, ask them during the scheduling process.
2. Presentation of your work area is just as important as self-presentation.
- Sit in a chair at a table. Save your bed, couch, or lounge chair for after you get the job and when video is not involved.
- Sit in front of a neutral background to reduce distractions for your interviewer.
- Clean up the room you're using. If your background is messy or cluttered, your audience may peg you as disorganized.
- Close your closet doors. Your professional contacts don't need a tour into the depths of your personal living space.
- Blur your background. Most video meeting apps allow this option and it's very effective at reducing visual background noise.
- Check your lighting. Preview your image on your screen to make sure you are clear and bright, not blurred or shadowed.
3. If you're in a discussion about your aptitude for remote work, describe to your interviewer what you've done to create a productive work environment for yourself at home, and ask about the company's expectations for its employees on video meeting participation and presentation. If you force yourself to explain this out loud, you will force yourself to take a hard look around you to make sure your words will match what the interviewer sees.