30 Zoom Interview Tips To Help You Nail That Interview

Understanding how to conduct effective video conferencing interviews is becoming increasingly crucial. Remote jobs are becoming more common and Zoom interviews tend to be more convenient for initial screening interviews even for on-site roles.

Also, understand that video interviews are different from traditional in-person interviews. You must consider a few factors for a successful zoom video interview.

Are you also among those people who are nervous and afraid when it comes to online video interviews? Have you missed job opportunities because you gave your interviewer the wrong impression of you?

Do you want to nail your next zoom interview? Then you need to pay attention to this piece because, in this article, we share 30 zoom interview tips on how to prepare for your zoom video interview and crush that interview.

Before we delve in, it’s important you know what a zoom interview is.

What is a Zoom Interview?

A zoom video interview is a circumstance in which an individual is interviewed for a job using Zoom, and zoom is a form of video software that allows people to connect remotely.

It has several features, including screen sharing, text chat, video recording, and muting. Once you’ve figured out how to use these tools appropriately, you’ll be able to use them to your advantage during your next zoom video interview.

Tips for Successful Zoom Interview

These Zoom interview tips can assist you in mastering the video software and demonstrating to companies that you are a qualified candidate:

1. Double-check the date, time, and timezone

This is very crucial among the zoom interview tips out there as such never assume that everyone is in your timezone since the last thing you want to do is miss an interview due to a timezone miscalculation. So, go over the email from the employer and double-check that you’ve scheduled the meeting for the correct day and time.

2. Pick a quiet space

Select a location that is both calm and devoid of distractions. This allows your interviewer to focus entirely on what you have to say. A video interview should take place in a room where you may close the door. Close windows and turn off music, television, and other distracting devices to keep other noises to a minimum.

3. Ensure you wear a professional outfit

Just like the in-person interview, you can’t underestimate the power of a good outfit in a remote video interview also so dress as if you were going to an in-person interview.

This implies that you should dress up in your best business clothing. Blazers, formal shirts, and formal gowns are all excellent choices. Wear decent bottoms even if the interviewer can’t see your legs to appear well prepared and professional.

4. Ensure the room you’re using has good lightening

This is another crucial point among the interview tips because most webcams don’t pick up good images without a lot of light, and throughout your zoom interview, your interviewer has to be able to see your body language and facial expression. Select a location with adequate illumination.

Setting up your interview setting in front of a window that allows in a lot of natural light is a great approach to stand out. If finding a spot with sufficient natural lighting in your house is difficult, consider investing in a selfie ring light that sits around your laptop or phone’s camera.

5. Choose a professional background

When setting up your computer, pick a spot that is clean and clutter-free. Make sure your background is simple rather than busy, and that it only contains professional-looking stuff. Setting up in front of a blank wall or with a few tasteful decorations demonstrates that you are well-organized and pay attention to the smallest details.

6. Silence your phone and turn off notification

This is also one of the best zoom interview tips that can easily cost the job when neglected. Silence your phone, turn off any notifications on your computer, and put it aside before your Zoom interview. You may concentrate on the interview rather than a text message or a phone call this way. Close out of any social networking sites or anything else that can cause you to become distracted. Set the Zoom conference to full screen so that you can only see your interviewer.

7. Use a laptop or computer

Although Zoom has a mobile app, it is recommended that you use it on a desktop or laptop computer. A more stationary perspective is created by placing your computer on a table. In addition to giving the interviewer a better view of yourself, you must ensure that your laptop is well charged so that it can last throughout the conversation.

8. Use the mute button

Zoom offers a feature that lets you mute your audio. This is a useful feature to have on hand when your interviewer is speaking for extended periods. They won’t be able to hear anything from you if you use the mute button. When there are loud sounds in your home, such as dogs barking or children playing, this is handy. Your interviewers will feel more focused on what they want to tell you if you remain silent while they speak.

9. Ensure you have a good internet connection

Make sure you have a strong internet connection before your Zoom interview. Test your connection in the location where you’ll be sitting during your interview. You’re more likely to establish a strong connection during your interview if you can stream video or Zoom with others.

10. Speak slowly and clearly

Even if you have a strong internet connection, the Zoom call may drop out for a fraction of a second here and there, and you’ll be much easier to understand if you speak slowly and clearly, so practice speaking slowly and clearly before your interview. This also makes you appear more comfortable and assured, which the hiring manager will like.

11. Test your tech

Among the numerous zoom interview tips you can find out there, this particular one is crucial to note and to ensure you reduce technical challenges, test your setup ahead of time with the exact platform, internet connection, and hardware you’ll use during your interview. Allow a friend to video chat with you to ensure that you can hear and be heard, as well as see and be seen.

Take the time to become acquainted with the program and ensure that you understand the fundamentals, particularly how to mute and unmute your microphone.

12. Maintain your focus

Maintain your focus on the screen while the interviewer speaks. Show them that you’re paying attention to what they’re saying through active listening, just as you would in an in-person interview. This can be accomplished by repeating what they say, nodding in agreement, and asking follow-up questions.

13. Look into the camera while speaking

Maintaining eye contact with your interviewer during an in-person interview is a sign of confidence and respect. This is a little different with video chat since if you look them in the eyes on your screen, it may not appear that way on their end. Instead, while speaking, look into the camera. This gives the impression that you’re looking at them instead of at yourself or the screen.

14. Prepare as you would for an In-Person interview

It doesn’t mean your interview isn’t real just because it’s taking place over the zoom app. Aside from travel arrangements, you must prepare in the same manner as if you were going into the office. That entails doing your homework on the company and the job, practicing common interview questions, and thinking of questions to ask your interviewer in return.

15. Prepare answers to the most common questions

Don’t get too caught up in setting up the technology that you forget to prepare for the interview itself; this is another important point among the zoom interview tips as such you shouldn’t overlook it if you want to minimize extra stress during the interview. Anticipate the questions they’ll ask, prepare your responses, and you’ll feel more relaxed and confident during the zoom interview.

16. Use appropriate body language

The ability to see each other’s body language is one advantage of video chat over a phone call. Sit up straight with your hands in your lap and your feet on the floor during your interview. If it’s natural for you, you can use your hands while speaking. Use nonverbal cues like nodding and smiling to suggest that you’re paying attention as your interviewer speaks.

17. Start with a digital handshake

Assume you and your interviewer are meeting in person; shaking hands, entering the room, and sitting down are all standard procedures.

So, for a video interview, it’s not much different; you’ll need to focus considerably more than usual on building an initial connection. After saying hello, look directly into the camera to establish a connection, give a small nod as if to say ‘yes!’ and finish with a smile, which conveys warmth and openness.

18. Prep for optimal eye contact

Have you ever had a conversation with someone who looked to be staring behind your back or completely away from you? Did you feel a connection with that individual? Most likely not. While you won’t be able to make direct eye contact in a video interview, you’ll want to come as near as feasible. It’s typically enough to look someone in the eyes to convey that you’re paying attention and interested in what they’re saying.

To that end, make sure you’ve found a comfortable distance that allows you to look straight ahead rather than down at the camera. And place the window where your interviewer will appear on the same monitor as your camera and move it as close to the camera as possible centered is best. As a result, when you glance at them, as you will naturally do during your chat, you will also be gazing at the camera.

19. Practice ahead of time

If you’re not used to video chat, you might find it uncomfortable at first to carry on a conversation especially if you can see yourself. Setting up a mock video interview with a friend or career coach can help you identify any red flags, and it’s also a good idea to record your practice. You’ll notice whether you’re making eye contact, fiddling with papers, or your posture is awful when you play it back. Then you’ll be able to “adjust as needed.”

20. Pay attention to how you sound

In a zoom video interview, how you sound is just as important as how you look, so pay attention to how quickly you speak, how you pause, and the tone and pitch of your voice when practicing and ask the person you’re practicing with if any of these factors make it difficult to hear or understand you. When talking about the things you’re interested in, make sure you sound enthusiastic and optimistic.

21. Boost your sound quality with a headset

Nothing is more irritating than being unable to understand the person on the other side of the screen and having to request that they repeat themselves. Because most built-in microphones aren’t very good, it’s best to utilize a simple headset.

When you use a headset, the listener just hears your voice, which is loud and clear. All ambient sounds, including echoes, in your area, are reduced. It’s just a simple, clear sound, which makes listening to you a much more pleasurable experience.

22. You can make a few notes, but you should refer to them as little as possible

It could be tempting to have a lot of information in front of you for a video interview because the interviewer won’t be able to see everything on your desk (or on your computer screen).

However, it is recommended that you only have a few notes in front of you and that you only glance at them once in a while. Not whole answers, but significant figures and other short snippets You don’t want to come across as someone who is simply reading.

If you want to take a few quick notes for your interview, make sure you rehearse with them as well. Not only will this show you whether you can utilize them without interrupting the discussion, but the more you read them, the less you’ll need to refer to them.

23. Ask your interviewer questions

Keep track of the questions you wish to ask at the end of your interview as you learn more about the position. You might also prepare questions ahead of time so that you have something to ask during the interview.

Make sure you’re paying attention during your interview so you can only ask questions on areas the interviewer hasn’t already covered. Questions on the company’s culture, the requirements of this position, or what the interviewer appreciates most about the company are all appropriate.

24. Ensure you show up early and be relaxed

Among the zoom interview tips out there this is another point you must keep up to because you wouldn’t walk into a building where a 2 p.m. interview was scheduled at precisely 2 p.m., so don’t do it for a video interview. Close all other windows and tabs on your computer to get it ready.

Also, if you have a portfolio or anything else you’d like to exhibit through screen sharing during your interview, make sure it’s ready in a minimized window that’s easy to access.

Arrive a few minutes early and perform a breathing technique to help you relax.

25. Maintain good sitting posture

Because you’re at home, it’s natural to be a little more relaxed. Try not to let this translate into you slumping down in your seat. It makes you look less engaged. Instead, you want to pull your chair away from the table, sit on the edge of the seat, plant your feet on the ground, and place your hands on the table. This will let you use your body without blocking the camera.

Sitting up straight also naturally gives you a bit more energy and helps you communicate your excitement about the job.

26. Use your face to show you’re engaged

Nonverbal communication is important in any conversation. But when it comes to a video interview, a lot of the avenues through which we usually give nonverbal cues are eye contact, body language, and nodding your head in agreement. So we have to lean more heavily on what we have left, namely facial expressions.

If you’re in the room with someone, you can usually tell if they’re listening to you intently even if their face is not moving much (and you’re never going to be concerned that the person in the room with you has frozen and can’t hear or see you anymore).

27. Avoid interrupting the person speaking

This is another highly prized zoom interview tip, you shouldn’t joke with because nobody enjoys being interrupted when speaking, but over video chat, jumping in with your response too soon can mute the other person’s mic and cut them off entirely, making you seem rude even if you didn’t intend to be.

So once you think your interviewer is done, take a breath before you answer. If you have trouble with this, get in the habit of muting yourself while the other person is speaking that way the action of turning the mic back on forces you to give them a little extra time to keep talking.

28. Treat our video Interview like a conversation

This is also a very vital zoom interview tip because it’s important to treat your video interview like a conversation. After all, that’s the only way you’ll be able to make a connection. You don’t have the time before and after the interview to make small talk, so it’s important to make sure you build rapport during your interview. “Be more personable. Be yourself. You want to talk like you’re talking to someone you know well” while remaining professional.

29. Signal when you’re done speaking

It’s very important if you signal at the end of your answer, especially if it’s a long one. You can do this through a visual cue like nodding or you can make sure you conclude your answer strongly or ask the interviewer a question. A long silence while your interviewer guesses whether or not you’re done can be awkward over video.

30. Email your thanks and follow-up

The last Zoom interview tip is to help you create an impression worth remembering.

No later than 24 hours after your interview, write a thank-you note. It should include your appreciation for the discussion and reinstate your motivation for the job. Drop

your thoughts on a few items you discussed and a formal sign-off.

You can also send follow-up emails. Send it only when the hiring manager didn’t meet the deadline to get back to you.

Frequently Asked Questions on Zoom Interview Tips

Although Zoom offers a mobile app, it is preferable to use it on a desktop or laptop computer. When you place your computer on a table, you get a more stationary perspective of yourself, however, holding your phone in your hand may induce a camera shake.

Although there are quite a lot of zoom interview questions to expect these are the questions you may likely be asked:

Tell me about yourself and why you want this job?
Why do you want to work for us?
What experience do you have relevant to this position?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Where do you see yourself five years from now?

Arrive at least ten minutes early. This will allow you time to turn on your computer, double-check that everything is in order, and mentally prepare for the interview.

Avoid wearing clothes with patterns or bright hues like green, red, or yellow. Instead, go with a neutral color like light gray, blue, or even black.

Yes, you can look over your notes, but don’t read from them because it will seem scripted and unnatural! If you must consult your notes, only utilize bullet points to guide you.

The Bottom Line on How to Nail that Zoom Interview

With the world evolving into the tech age, remote jobs are becoming more common and businesses are shifting their mode of operation and leveraging video chat software to conduct their interviews. As such, understanding how to set up a zoom interview is crucial.

We hope these zoom interview tips has given you a guide on how to set up a successful zoom interview