Various video interview software has been launched and helping organizations to do recruitment easier than conventional physical interviews, such as ‘My Interview’, ‘Spark Hire’, ‘Hire Vue’, ‘Vid Cruiter’, ‘RIVS’, Rec Right’, ‘Interviewer.AI’, and etc. Mostly these software use Artificial Intelligence to increase efficiency and reasonability of the screening process. Innovative, right? However, because it is the new method to perform interviews, the interviewees get quite confused on how to score higher to make the chances of being shortlisted higher. It is an undeniably great method to screen candidates for companies, though, most of the candidates get quite confused about performing in a one-way video interview due to lack of facial and physical interactions between the interviewer and the interviewee which can help the interviewee with nervousness and awkwardness. Agreed? If yes upon your experience? Then this article can help you with ‘how to score higher on a video interview software which seems quite tricky and why’.

Before starting, let’s see how most of the video interview software shortlist candidates. Now, we are quite sure that the goal of giving a ‘good first impression’ which is the foremost important thing in the physical interviews is removed because you cannot see or interact with the interviewer. Then, how do we make interviewers impressed without seeing or interacting with them, through only some videos? There is some gate-away if we can understand how does the software actually shortlist the candidates.

First, Facial Expression Analysis (FEA). Most of the video interview software is aided by Artificial Intelligence (AI). Therefore, when the one-way online interview is submitted, the AI analyses the facial expressions to capture candidates’ mood and derive their personality traits.

Then, Matching. The AI compares candidates’ FEA result in terms of personality traits such as ‘friendliness’, ‘fierceness’, ‘kindness’, ‘introverted’, ‘extroverted’, and etc with the ideal candidate type which has formerly set by the company. A previously set number of candidates will be shortlisted.

Interesting? Now you can feel how far the technology has come. Even though the processes of screening using AI may not be perfectly matching the reality, there obviously must be improvement as time passes by, because AI learns by itself.

Tip 1 Find a proper environment

Being uninterrupted is one of the most significant factors when having a video interview because there is only one chance to record the video.

Find a quiet place with a background that is not messy, rather clean, and which will for sure not be interrupted by strangers.

Ensure that your computer audio and webcam, as well as internet connection are working fine for the others to be able to view the video smoothly and hear the voice clearly.

Have a note and pen for you to be able to prepare for the video well during the preparation time, and some water for you to relax when nervous.

Tip 2 Have a good plan

Most of the screenings by video interview software give the question first, provides some time to prepare, and have time limits to speak per question. (There could be several blocks of questions depending on the position you are applying for.) Clear? Provided with questions, preparation time, and speech time.

Here, preparation is very important because of the time limit to talk. Without proper preparation over what to say, how in dept and which examples, you will start to panic when the time is getting narrower maybe from the last 1 minute, and obviously your impression wouldn’t be good to the interviewer.

Tip 3 Tone and Speed

Ok. Now, preparation is important, content is important. As similar as public speaking (It is a speech towards the crowd), it is a speech to the interviewer and the AI. Of course in any speech tones and speed are important factor to decide whether the person is confident or not, notwithstanding the content.

So what tone and speed do you weigh when giving a speech? Fast spoken or slowly spoken? Higher tone or lower tone? Precise pronunciation or blurry pronunciation?

It is more likely to be persuasive and confident-looking if the voice is naturally high but not artificial, not to fast to be heard (maybe slower than your usual talking) with as precise pronunciation as possible. So let’s remember. One-way online interview? One-way speech.

Tip 4 Control Fidgeting and Bad Nerve Habits

It is an interview, a video-recorded interview. It is a video. In a video, you can see very clearly what the person is doing, even small gestures. Imagine that you keep scratching your arms, hands, or whatever part of your body. It would seem more obvious in the video, because the huge screen only holds one person repeating some unusual gestures.

So what can we do with these fidgets or bad habits which usually come out when we are nervous? Keep calm (Which might not be possible sometimes), try to look at yourself quite often (maybe every 30 seconds?), and try to smile more whenever you feel very nervous.

If these don’t make sense for you, there is another method to try out. Try to find some sample questions through google and record your answer to see if you have any bad habits when you are nervous. Figured out some? You can practice multiple times to be able to control your habits.

Tip 5 Control body language

Body languages are important for a video-recorded interview as well as a physical in-person interview. Why? As bad habits are obvious in the video, any body-languages will be exaggerated in the video.

Sit all the way at the back for assurance and confidence.

Use hand gestures to hide your nervousness, because hiding hands mostly are interpreted as nervous behavior.

No need to care about the leg position because it is just webcam, spare more energy on positioning your upper body. Make it look firm, do not make too much movements.

Do not look like you are distracted. Do not move or swing your head a lot, do not move your eyes a lot (like looking at other directions often).

You can also refer to some speaking tips from these TED videos. All the best!