4 Video interview tips for remote job interviews

by Lizzie Kreitman

If you are applying for remote roles or if you are looking for jobs during this period of social distancing, mastering video interviews is very important. Likely you have some experience with taking phone and even some Zoom/Google Hangout interviews in the past, but we wanted to compile a list of video interview tips so that you go into these calls with confidence.

Most companies follow the same general interview flow:

1. Phone screen with HR/recruiter
2. Technical phone or video interview
3. Onsite/video interview, which includes technical, behavioral, and cross-functional interviews

We have worked with hundreds of people through their phone screens and the rest of their interviews so that they can land great jobs and we wanted to share some of our top tips to prepare for these video interviews so you can go in with confidence.

1. Learn what is important to the company

You need to research the company before your phone screen and all behavioral interviews so that you have a good understanding of the company’s mission, values, and products. 

Knowledge of the company mission will help you when you talk about yourself, in your elevator pitch (introduction) and throughout the behavioral questions. You want to connect your experience and goals to the company’s values so they know you are a good culture fit. Check out the company’s About page, Culture page, and Jobs/Careers page for information on what they look for in a good candidate and team member. If you are looking for an elevator pitch template to adapt for yourself, check out our guide.

You should also make sure you have a good sense of the products that the company works on. A lot of people skip this step when they are interviewing with big tech companies because they already use the products. While it is beneficial for you to be a user of the product, so much so that you should consider downloading the app or signing up before interviewing, you should also make sure you read about each product on their website to get a better understanding of the history and goals. You should be able to speak intelligently about how you can drive impact, especially if you are applying for a specific product team, like Oculus at Facebook.

2. Prepare responses to common behavioral interview questions

Don’t let yourself be taken by surprise. There are some questions you know you will be asked, so you should prepare your responses as best you can before the interview. You don’t want to come across as rehearsed, but you do get the added advantage of being behind the computer screen, so you can use notes to help you while you respond.

Phone interviews are typically brief and more conversational, but behavioral interviews in your “onsite” will be more in depth. Some questions you will likely see are:

• What is your greatest weakness and strength?
• Talk about a conflict you have had at work and how you resolved it.
• Share an example of a time you were able to motivate a coworker.

We’ve outlined answers to these behavioral interview questions that you can adapt based on your own experience and background. In general, you should make sure that your answers are succinct and that you avoid rambling. We always recommend that you offer to go into more detail, which gives the interviewer the chance to make a decision on whether or not you should continue talking about that topic.

For even more behavioral interview questions from top tech companies, check out our guide.

Read tips 3,4, and the complete PathRise article