Tips to Help Nix the Nerves and Position Yourself Positively
Travel nursing jobs can be rewarding both professionally and personally. You get to meet different people in different places, learn new skills, and improve your CV. Increasingly, healthcare providers with open travel nursing roles use video interviews to assess candidates. This can be uncomfortable, especially if you have never ‘attended’ a video interview before.
In this article, you’ll learn how to make sure that you put your best foot forward in a video interview.
What Is a Video Interview?
A video interview is like a hybrid between an in-person interview and a phone interview. They might be conducted in an employer’s office, with the interviewer in a different part of the country. More commonly, an interviewer will arrange to video interview you at a mutually convenient time with you in a place of your choice.
Sometimes, the video interview is live and other times the video interview may be recorded. The general tips on how to fly through a video interview – whether live or recorded, in the employer’s office or at a remote location – are the same.
Choose Your Remote Location Wisely
If you are asked to attend a remote location video interview, where you sit will be your choice. You should find a location that is quiet and has a good internet connection. You’ll need a webcam and a built-in microphone (or headset), and it’s a good idea to have a neutral background. Equally importantly is to choose somewhere you won’t be disturbed – coffee shops are a definite no-no.
The video interview may be conducted on a video conference with a link sent to you by the interviewer, or by Skype, Google Hangouts, etc. Make sure that you use a professional username and not a personal username that may be considered hilarious by your friends but could create a negative first impression with a potential employer.
Prepare Your Interview Space
Never jump on a video interview without preparing your interview space carefully:
- Clear your desk space
- Place a notebook and pen on the desk, next to your computer
- Keep a copy of your CV handy to refer to
- Pour a glass of water and set it on the desk
- Run checks on your webcam and audio, and make sure that your internet connection is working
- Close windows
Finally, lock the door, or place a ‘do not disturb’ sign on the door if it does not have a lock.
Dress for the Occasion
There’s no reason to be casual. Dress as if you are meeting the interviewer in person in a formal interview situation – which the video interview is.
Color choice of clothes is important. Avoid bright suits and tops that will distract the interviewer’s attention. Avoid patterned neckties, and should you wear eyeglasses adjust the lighting so that there is no glare off the lens. Even though the interviewer is unlikely to see your pants, continue the professional dress through to pants and shoes.
Test your positioning on your webcam before joining the video interview. You should be looking up slightly and centered on the screen.
Close Your Apps
Close all other apps on your computer. You don’t want unnecessary and potentially embarrassing interruptions. Oh, and turn off your cell phone.
Don’t Forget Body Language
It’s essential that you treat your video interview as you would an in-person interview. Employ eye contact to connect with the interviewer by looking at the webcam and not at the interviewer’s face on the screen. Look at the screen when listening to the interviewer speak.
Avoid fidgeting and excessive hand gestures. Sitting with a good posture conveys positive and optimistic emotions. Make sure you nod and smile appropriately.
Practice Makes Perfect
Before your video interview, it’s a good idea to practice with friends. Provide them with a script of questions to ask you, and request that they give honest feedback about your attire, posture, body language, and if you are answering naturally.
This practice will help you hone your video interview style and improve your confidence.
End the Video Interview Positively
Carry your positivity through to the very end of the interview, thanking the interviewer for their time. Send a follow-up email to cement the good impression the interviewee has of you.
Be Prepared for Things to Go Wrong
No matter how much good planning and preparation you do, things may go wrong – we are dealing with technology, after all. You may lose your internet connection, be interrupted, or suffer from unexpected noise from outside. Here’s a few tips to help you overcome these ‘disasters’:
- Always ask the interviewer for a phone number at the start of the interview, on which you can reach them if you experience technical issues.
- Apologize for external noises, and ask for a brief break until the noise subsides.
- If someone inadvertently interrupts you, apologize to the interviewer, request that you may put them on hold for a few seconds, deal with the interruption, and continue after thanking the interviewer for their patience.
The Bottom Line of Video Interviewing for Travel Nursing jobs
Following the tips that we’ve included in this article will help you eliminate video interview nerves. You may even enjoy the experience! Certainly, you should leave the interviewer with a positive impression and be on your way to nailing your next travel nursing contract.
To learn how Loyal Source can help you win travel nursing contracts and progress in a rewarding, meaningful and enjoyable nursing career, contact us today.