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.
Find out more about life at IQVIA
Did you know IQVIA has
1,900+ epidemiologists
and real world insight experts
Did you know IQVIA has
4,600 data scientists
including statisticians and analytics developers
Did you know IQVIA has
86,000+ employees
from clinicians to data scientists each transforming healthcare in 100+ countries
Did you know IQVIA has
Excellent work-life balance
and is committed to this kind of culture
Did you know IQVIA has
Countless development opportunities
for personal and professional growth
Did you know IQVIA cares about
Health and Wellbeing
for all its employees
Did you know IQVIA has
56+ petabytes of unique data
including 1.2B+ non-identified patient records
Did you know IQVIA has
56+ petabytes of unique data
including 1.2B+ non-identified patient records
Did you know IQVIA has
1,900+ epidemiologists
and real world insight experts
Did you know IQVIA has
Countless development opportunities
for personal and professional growth
Did you know IQVIA has
Excellent work-life balance
and is committed to this kind of culture
Did you know IQVIA has
4,600 data scientists
including statisticians and analytics developers
Did you know IQVIA has
86,000+ employees
from clinicians to data scientists each transforming healthcare in 100+ countries
Did you know IQVIA cares about
Health and Wellbeing
for all its employees
Related jobs
Salary:
Location:
Torino
Job Type
Contractor/Consultant
Employment status
Full Time
Job Category
Medical Sales
Location
Torino
Description
Il nostro cliente, realtà farmaceutica in forte espansione e specializzata nel settore della nutraceutica ci ha incaricati di ricercare un Informatore Medico Scientifico, area di lavoro in Piemonte -
Reference
R1366349
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary:
Location:
Padova
Job Type
Contractor/Consultant
Employment status
Full Time
Job Category
Medical Sales
Location
Padova
Description
Il nostro cliente, realtà farmaceutica in forte espansione e specializzata nel settore della nutraceutica ci ha incaricati di ricercare un Informatore Medico Scientifico, area di lavoro in Emilia Roma
Reference
R1366352
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary:
Location:
Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Nijmegen, Den Haag, Den Bosch
Job Type
Apprentice (Fixed Term)
Employment status
Full Time
Job Category
Medical Sales
Location
Rotterdam
Den Haag
Den Bosch
Nijmegen
Amsterdam
Description
Doel van de functieDe Customer Engagement Manager is verantwoordelijk voor een portefeuille van producten binnen ziekenhuizen, algemene gynaecologen en fertiliteitsklinieken. De taken betreffen het c
Reference
R1369424
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Nadia JonkerAuthor
Nadia JonkerSalary:
Location:
Queens, Manhattan, New York City, Flushing, Bayside
Job Type
Regular
Employment status
Full Time
Job Category
Nurse Advisors
Location
United States of America
Manhattan
New York City
Queens
Flushing
Description
As the only global provider of commercial solutions, IQVIA understands what it takes to deliver nationally and internationally. Our teams help biopharma get their medicines to the people who need them
Reference
R1402904
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary:
Location:
Mumbai
Job Type
Regular
Employment status
Full Time
Job Category
Medical Sales
Location
Mumbai
Description
Job Overview Maximize sales growth in a specified geographical territory, consistent with Company strategy and objectives. This is generally achieved by educating and informing physicians and/or hospi
Reference
R1393036
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Prasad JadhavAuthor
Prasad JadhavSalary:
Location:
San Diego
Job Type
Regular
Employment status
Part Time
Job Category
Medical Systems Support
Location
San Diego
Description
We welcome you to apply if interested! You will be asked to create an account, which takes less than one minute and requires only a username and password. The entire application takes no more than 5-7
Reference
R1390570
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Pedro GodomarAuthor
Pedro GodomarSalary:
Location:
Erfurt
Job Type
Regular
Employment status
Full Time
Job Category
Medical Sales
Location
Erfurt
Description
IQVIA ist ein führender, globaler Anbieter von zukunftsweisender Analytik, Technologielösungen und klinischer Auftragsforschung. Bei IQVIA Contract Sales & Medical Solutions unterstützen Sie unsere Ku
Reference
R1344285
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Michelle PflanzAuthor
Michelle PflanzSalary:
Location:
Jakarta
Job Type
Regular
Employment status
Full Time
Job Category
Medical Sales
Location
Jakarta
Description
Sales Executive (Jakarta, Medan, Surabaya)Kami mencari seorang Sales Executive yang berpengalaman untuk bergabung dengan tim kami dalam mengembangkan aplikasi baru konsep SaaS di bidang farmasi. Sebag
Reference
R1374944
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Polly KwongAuthor
Polly KwongSalary:
Location:
Jakarta
Job Type
Regular
Employment status
Full Time
Job Category
Medical Sales
Location
Jakarta
Description
Sales Executive (Semarang, Central Jawa)Kami mencari seorang Sales Executive yang berpengalaman untuk bergabung dengan tim kami dalam mengembangkan aplikasi baru konsep SaaS di bidang farmasi. Sebagai
Reference
R1379173
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Polly KwongAuthor
Polly KwongSalary:
Location:
Los Angeles, Denver, Dallas, Chicago, Santa Fe
Job Type
Regular
Employment status
Full Time
Job Category
Medical Science Liaison
Location
Los Angeles
Dallas
Chicago
Denver
Santa Fe
Description
Medical Science Liaison The Medical Science Liaison (MSL) will deliver scientific training to HCPs and Media regarding current and future adjunctive therapies and skincare solutions. The MSL will supp
Reference
R1377333
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Martin HannaAuthor
Martin HannaOnce again I cannot thank you enough for not only approaching me with this opportunity but also for all the support you’ve given me along the way!
IQVIA has been behind my development to become a MSL. The contracts that I have worked on have allowed me to push clinical projects with a recent opportunity to manage a pilot scheme integrating e-detailing into an established field based team. The result was an increase in sales.
Just following on from the amazing news I got yesterday I wanted to say a really special thank you for all the help and support you have provided throughout the entire recruitment process.
Since joining IQVIA I have had unrivalled support and development from my manager to enable me to aspire to move into secondary care. I feel like my career is strongly supported by my manager in order to maximise my potential.
A quick note to say thank you for your time this morning discussing my future career options. As you know I was feeling very conflicted about the right decision. Discussing the role with you gave me chance to clarify what is important to me.
IQVIA has been behind my development to become a MSL. The contracts that I have worked on have allowed me to push clinical projects with a recent opportunity to manage a pilot scheme integrating e-detailing into an established field based team. The result was an increase in sales.
IQVIA Related insights
Teaser
Medical Sales & ServicesContent Type
ArticlePublished
19/03/2024
Summary
Are you wondering if medical sales is a good career? All over the world, the medical and pharmaceutical sectors are booming, and nowhere more so than in the UK. With a thriving ecosystem of research
Teaser
GeneralContent Type
ArticlePublished
05/02/2024
Summary
Lucy Manning sits in our clinical trials team, but that’s not where her career started at IQVIA. It all began at the back end of 2022 when Lucy took on a fixed-term contract as a Project Support Coo
Teaser
SalesContent Type
ArticlePublished
02/02/2024
Summary
Does the idea of being a medical sales rep excite you? This crucial position lets you make connections with companies and practitioners in the medical field. It’s also a growing and dynamic industry.
Content Type
ArticlePublished
04/01/2024
Summary
Are you ready to step into a career that's both rewarding and accessible? Becoming a phlebotomist could be your ticket into the thriving world of healthcare. It's not just about drawing blood; it's ab
Teaser
MedicalContent Type
ArticlePublished
20/11/2023
Summary
In the tapestry of healthcare, where expertise meets innovation, individuals like Marissa, a Senior Nurse Advisor at IQVIA, play a pivotal role. Marissa has not only learned from challenges but has e
Teaser
SalesContent Type
ArticlePublished
13/11/2023
Summary
A guide to excelling in Key Account Manager jobs in healthcare In the dynamic landscape of the healthcare industry, the role of a Key Account Manager (KAM) is pivotal. Experienced account managers con
Teaser
Medical Affairs & ServicesContent Type
ArticlePublished
10/11/2023
Summary
The role of medical science liaisons has never been more pivotal. Why? As catalysts for change and advocates of cutting-edge advancements, these professionals play a crucial role in fostering collab
Teaser
Medical Sales & ServicesContent Type
ArticlePublished
25/10/2023
Summary
In an industry where cutting-edge innovations and life-changing treatments are introduced every day, the role of ethics in medical device sales is critical. Bridging the gap between groundbreaking m
Teaser
Clinical OperationsContent Type
ArticlePublished
06/10/2023
Summary
Need some guidance on how to get a job in clinical research?Clinical research is a dynamic and rewarding field that transcends borders, offering professionals worldwide the chance to contribute to m
Teaser
SalesContent Type
ArticlePublished
06/10/2023
Summary
In the dynamic and competitive world of medical sales, the path to success is not just about knowing your products or having an impressive CV. Instead, amongst key skills, it's often the abili
Content Type
ArticlePublished
31/08/2023
Summary
Are you one of the 788,638 registered general nurses in the UK? Are you looking for a new challenge, with opportunities to grow and make a real impact in the world of healthcare? A unique and transf
Teaser
Medical Sales & ServicesContent Type
ArticlePublished
24/08/2023
Summary
In the dynamic landscape of global healthcare, staying abreast of emerging trends is not just an option—it's a strategic imperative for Key Account Managers (KAMs) who strive to excel in their roles.
Recently viewed jobs