How to make a great impression in a video interview

More and more employers are waking up to the potential of video interviewing. Before the pandemic, many companies were shifting towards the digital route because they were faster, easier and more effective than face-to-face meetings, at least for the early stages. Then in the early months, up against the challenges that were social distancing and remote working, virtual interviews became an essential feature of the recruitment process. As many as 86% of businesses took their interviews virtual and many haven't looked back since.

However, conducting an interview from the safety of your house doesn’t mean that impressing the hiring manager still isn’t a daunting prospect. What do you need to know about this new way of selling yourself, and how can you make your mark through a computer screen?

Here are our tips for making a great impression.

Make sure your hardware works

Imagine it: you sit down for your interview, press the ‘connect’ button, and… nothing happens. Not only is it extremely stressful for you, but it gives the interviewer a bad impression of you. To avoid this, check all of your hardware in advance to make sure it works properly. Video call a friend, so you can be sure that the connection- and your video and microphone- works. Test your sound. Test your lighting, and make sure that you understand how everything works. Half an hour before the interview, give it another test. Preparing in advance this way will give you peace of mind, and let you settle in and concentrate on what matters most: impressing the interviewer.

Pick the right spot

You don’t want to sit down somewhere for your interview and risk being interrupted halfway through by a housemate or family member. Pick somewhere quiet and secluded- your bedroom, for instance- to conduct your interview. It should ideally be somewhere you can display a plain background to the interviewer, and somewhere you can control the lighting: somewhere not too bright, and where there’s no risk of creating too much bright light or shadow.

Get the angles right

Where do you look during a video interview? Though it’s easy to get distracted by your face in the corner of the screen, the answer, according to Business Insider, should be at the camera. Having good eye contact with the interviewer is critical, as is getting a good angle, and you should appear straight on, with the camera facing you at eye level. After all, if you’re looking down at the camera, you’re looking down at the people on the other end of the link. As 65% of hiring managers admit that poor eye contact was a reason candidates have missed out on a job, it's not a mistake you want to make.

Similarly, you should make sure that you’re not appearing too close up to the screen. Ideally, you should be seen framed from the chest up and this will give them a better view of your body language during the video call itself, making for a more natural, conversational experience.

Be open

Many studies have suggested that it's not just what you say, but the way that you say it and hold yourself that makes the most impact in an interview. This counts for a video interview, too:

• Keep your movements contained within the video screen, so the interviewer can see them
• Avoid leaning forwards into the camera
• Avoid fidgeting during the video call - it’ll show that you’re nervous rather than calm and collected
• Keep eye contact so they know you're engaged, after all the value of listening in medical sales can't be understated

Most importantly, remember to smile and show just how friendly you are. Any interview is a chance to show the employer your relationship building skills - one of the top reasons to work in medical sales.

Treat it like an interview

When preparing for a virtual interview, treat it as though you're preparing for a regular medical sales interview. Schedule some time in advance for a mock interview with family or friends, and turn off all apps and programmes that might interrupt your video call whilst you’re doing it. Remember to dress professionally and, above all, do your research on the company and the role. One of the benefits of doing a video interview is that you can have notes in front of you to remind you what you should say during certain situations; take advantage of that and keep a few prompts to one side in case you get stuck. 

Make a great impression with IQVIA CSMS

Now that you know how to conduct a stand-out video interview, it's time to start your application, and where better to start than IQVIA? We’re proud to match the best candidates with roles they can thrive in and make a difference, whether that’s medical sales, customer service or any of our other job areas.