Covid-19 has accelerated the pace of adaptation of most digital technologies. Human resource departments have also begun looking at skipping face-to-face interviews and adopting remote interviews for health and safety considerations.
As it stands, Workforce Singapore (WSG) partners with participating employers in several industries such as healthcare, property management, and social services, providing opportunities to apply and submit recorded interviews for roles such as sales executives, software engineers and more.
Recorded interviews aren’t that hard! Here’s how it works: you’ll be provided with a set of questions where you can record yourself answering them in a video format. You can then submit your video to be assessed by WSG’s partner employers to assess if you’re a good fit, before being invited for a face-to-face interview.
Of course, some do find there’s less pressure with not having to face an interviewer face-to-face, but that doesn’t mean you should relax and take recorded interviews any less seriously. If you’re a jobseeker with less experience and skills, this is also your chance to promote and express yourself more freely, by making sure that your posture, the words you choose to speak, and your demeanor improve your chances of getting the job, compared to a phone call or just sending your resume.
Learn more- here’s a quick list of key things to take note of before you hit the ‘record’ button.
Preparation matters
Like all interviews, you’ll need to prepare well for recorded interviews. Make sure that you do research the company and what’s involved in the job
In addition, go through your CV and prepare examples to show you have the skills and experience the employer wants — use the “Context, Action, Result” method to help you structure your answers.
Be relaxed, but not sloppy
Optics for recorded interviews also matter! Make sure you don’t dress too casually. Go for something plain that does not look distracting on camera. For men, this might mean at least a shirt and pants. For women, perhaps a blouse and dress pants, or a dress, just to maintain a professional front. Essentially, dress the same as you would for a face-to-face meeting.
We’d suggest avoiding loud jewellery and accessories as well. Of course, you can keep on wedding bands and religious accessories, but it really makes sense to leave out dangling earrings or anything that might distract the interviewer from the main highlight of the recorded interview: you!
Location-wise, record the interview somewhere appropriate. Places that work: your study, living room, or even outdoor communal areas like quiet parks for some lovely greenery. Places that don’t: your unmade bed, the washroom, or while having lunch at the hawker centre! We kid, but really, use some common sense when it comes to the backdrop of your recorded interview.
Lighting is also an important factor — if indoors — try catching indirect natural light from a window, or if not, lamps work well too! Essentially, position lighting behind your camera so that the light will be in front of you and shine evenly across your face.
Tech tips
Don’t forget to charge the digital device you’re using for the recorded interview. And use an earpiece or headset so the audio is on point! There’s nothing more frustrating for an interviewer than finding it hard to hear you.
In addition, close any unnecessary web browser tabs or applications — if you’re using a mobile device turn it to airplane mode, just to avoid any mid-way calls or notifications that might interrupt you.
Bonus Tips: When talking to the camera for recorded interviews, make sure you:
- Speak clearly
- Do not talk too fast
- Smile and look interested
- Sit up straight and have good body language
- Keep up good eye contact — look at your camera rather than at the screen
Good luck!
