executive jobs recruitment

 

King Recruit’s Covid-19 pledge is to help and support the Southwest business community during the crisis and beyond.

  • FOR INDIVIDUALS: We are here to provide advice and support to anyone who has been made redundant.
  • FOR BUSINESSES: We’ll support local businesses by reducing and extending our terms of business.
  • LATEST NEWS: We will be keeping you updated on what is happening across the Southwest in the employment market. SIGN UP for all of our latest news and FOLLOW US on LinkedIn.

Ever since the Covid-19 crisis began and we all started working from home, video has become the first choice for many employers when it comes to interviewing.

Expect video calling and interviewing to become more of an option for everyone in the future. It may sound obvious, but it’s amazing how differently people can treat a video call/interview with that of a face-to-face interview.


King Recruit explores the following best practices for SUCCESS

1. BE PRESENTABLE

Ditch the home clothes and make sure that you dress up in the same fashion that you would have dressed for a face-to-face interview. A first impression here is just as important as it would be if you were meeting in person, but it’s also proven to get you in the right mental state to perform at your best.

Where are you looking? – When you’re sitting in front of a person on a screen in a room, it’s sometimes easy to forget the face-to-face etiquette. It’s easy to start looking to the side when you’re thinking, or distracting yourself when they’re talking, particularly when they aren’t focusing on the screen either! But don’t fall into that trap. Look at the screen, as if you’re keeping eye contact, or look into the camera. Just make sure your gaze is focused.


2. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Don’t set up in your laundry room (or anywhere messy) – Okay, I know you probably won’t set yourself up in the laundry room, but this is important. Make sure that the surrounding area – the room that you’re in – is tidy and kept free from any unnecessary props.


3. ‘DO NOT DISTURB’

Not the easiest to achieve during Covid-19 lockdown with kids, partner or family members being present. If possible, avoid interruptions of any kind and avoid any unnecessary background noise. With greater flexibility at hand during this challenging time, it may be worth asking the interviewer or interviewee to undertake an interview after the kids are in bed and the house is a little quieter. Choosing the right setting and environment says a lot about how serious you are about making the right impression.


4. DO A TRIAL RUN-THROUGH

“I can hear you, can you hear me?” – I’ve started a video call saying (and seeing someone say) those words on more than one occasion and it’s such a frustrating way to start a call. It just kicks everything off on the wrong foot. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not the end of the world and the call can definitely be brought back from that awkward start, but why take the risk? Check your audio settings. Make sure your ‘Output’ settings are mid-to-high and that your ‘Input’ settings are low-to-mid (to limit outside sound). Also, whether you are using the speakers and mic on your computer or headset, make sure they are connected properly. Check it once, test it with a friend, and you’ll be off to a smooth start.

It’s also important to use a video hosting platform that’s reliable: See our article about using Zoom HERE


5. CONNECTIVITY

“Hello? You’ve frozen again…” – That leads me nicely onto my next big frustration – internet connection. If you know that your internet at home is a little dodgy, then do check the best room to use and perhaps even the best time of day. It only takes two or three interrupted connections before both sides start feeling exasperated. Switch off all other devices that may use up your wifi and be prepared.


6. DON’T FORGET THE PHONE

The phone is still an important bit of kit and you’ll find that first stage interviews, or even the final confirmation might be done over the phone. A lot of the rules from above actually apply to the phone as well: get dressed up (you’ll feel sharper), stay away from noisy places, and go somewhere you know has a good signal. But there is another golden rule:

Get across your enthusiasm – A video call can bridge the gap between that and a face-to-face interview, as you can still show your enthusiasm with on-screen demeanor, but that’s a little harder to get across on the phone.

Some people can be genuinely excited and interested in an opportunity, but without seeing them you’d never know. It’s easy for your voice to get a little flat and monotone, especially if you’ve been talking a lot when answering questions. Be mindful of this. Try a little harder to get across your enthusiasm and positive energy at the exciting opportunity you have in front of you.

GOOD LUCK!


CONTACT US

King Recruit is an independently minded recruitment and search agency, covering Exeter and the whole of the South West. For ambitious companies and professionals alike – the core of our mission is to help drive your success.

If you’d like to speak to King Recruit by video or telephone interview advice, please call us on 01392 790725 or email enquiries@kingrecruit.com to arrange a convenient time. There is no obligation. King Recruit is making a Covid-19 pledge to help anyone who needs advice, support and guidance.

Follow us on LinkedIn for all of our up to date news and views from around the Southwest region

Useful content in King Recruit’s Covid-19 pledge series:

King Recruit’s Redundancy Guidance

COVID-19: FAQ’S ON FURLOUGH

‘Get Hired’ – Improve your LinkedIn Profile

How to survive the 30 second CV scan – Compiling a great CV

6 reasons to use Zoom for interviews

“Acing” the video interview

Covid-19: 16 ways to get productive

Covid-19: Redefining your business goals