Valerie Fontaine and Roberta Kass
Special to Law.com
February 16, 2010
Editor's note: This is the sixth article in a series providing interview
tips and techniques for attorneys. Links to previous articles in the series
follow this article.
Videoconference interviews are becoming more common as law firms and
corporations expand geographically, and as travel becomes more expensive and
time-consuming. Increasingly, law firms are organized by practice or industry
groups, with matters being staffed with lawyers from offices around the globe.
Therefore, candidates may need to interview with practitioners in other states
or countries with whom they will be working if hired. And, especially in this
down economy, prospective employers are cutting costs, so many may utilize their
on-site videoconferencing capabilities rather than fly interviewers or
candidates to meetings in far-flung offices.
While most of the rules of in-person interviews remain the same, there are
some techniques you can use to maximize your effectiveness on video.
COSTUMING
As with an in-person interview, dress professionally. On camera, however, you
need to consider the color and pattern as well. Stay away from: white, which
reflects too much light; black, which can cause your face to be overexposed; and
red, which "smears." Avoid small prints, stripes and plaids, which create a
dizzying effect on camera. Best is a blue, medium gray, brown or other
deep-colored suit, with a blue or other pastel shirt and, when appropriate, a
subdued tie. Good tailoring is important, as baggy or bulky clothing adds weight
on screen. Tip: Pull down the back of your jacket and sit on it to prevent it
hunching up around your shoulders.
If you wear glasses, avoid tinted lenses as it will interfere with eye
contact. For women, makeup should be natural with a matte finish, but you might
want to add a touch more color to cheeks and lips. Avoid high-gloss lipstick and
dangly or glittery jewelry, however, as they reflect light and are distracting.
Hair should be neat and out of your face. For examples of how to dress for the
camera, study top national newscasters.
REHEARSAL
You may be surprised at how your body language, voice and facial expressions
translate on camera. Therefore, it is advisable to see and hear yourself on
video beforehand, to gain confidence and not be distracted by your image on the
screen during the interview itself. Ask a friend to record you in your interview
clothes, carrying on a two-way conversation, so you can experience what your
remote interviewers might see. Look for nervous habits such as playing with
papers or your pen, rocking or swiveling in your chair, and touching your hair
or face. The camera tends to magnify any nervous habits or fidgeting. Sudden
movements may appear as a blur to the viewer.
Check your voice modulation and pacing, and whether your facial expressions,
body language and gestures are distracting. If necessary, practice in front of a
mirror by yourself, and schedule further practice video sessions until you are
comfortable with your presentation on camera.
LIGHTS! CAMERA!
Be aware of any time differences and be sure you understand the interview
schedule in your time zone! Arrive at the videoconference site early to get
comfortable with the equipment, make sure that everything is working properly
and that the table, chair and microphone are set up to your advantage. If the
equipment malfunctions or the connection crashes (which rarely happens), it is
important to remember that it will not reflect poorly on you. In fact, the firm
may be more concerned about the negative impression this will give you about
them. Don't be anxious about the technology and lose focus on your presentation
and goals during the interview.
Position yourself so that you are looking into the camera, not at the
monitor, to give the impression of eye contact. Have the camera as close to eye
level as possible so that you are not looking up or down at the interviewers.
Position the camera and the monitor so you can glance at the other participants
in the monitor briefly, without breaking your gaze at the camera too often.
Center yourself in the screen and at a medium distance rather than at the end
of a long conference table. You should appear from about the middle of your
upper arms and not have an excess of screen space above your head. Sit up
straight; do not slouch or lean to the side. Leaning forward slightly towards
the camera helps increase eye contact. Conversely, leaning back can create a
feeling of distance. Avoid bending over the microphone when you speak. Some
systems will allow you to have a "picture-in-picture" of yourself on the screen,
so you'll be able to monitor your body language and see what the interviewer
sees.
Set up your notes, pen, water and reading glasses so that they are accessible
but out of camera range. Keep background objects and movement to a minimum to
reduce viewer distraction. Remember to refrain from shuffling papers or tapping
a pen during the interview, as background noises will be picked up and magnified
by the microphone.
If possible, arrange the lighting so that you are not in unflattering shadows
or washed out, and your coloring is as lifelike as possible. Watch for
reflection from your glasses. Don't forget, however, that the camera catches
everything while it is on. Therefore, do not use it as a mirror to fix your hair
or makeup before the interview. Likewise, do not relax or comment
inappropriately after the interview until you are absolutely sure the camera is
off.
ACTION!
As you begin the session, ask the interviewers if their reception is good and
let them know immediately if there is any problem on your side. Be prepared for
synchronization problems. With a slow connection speed, facial expressions and
the speaker's voice can occasionally be off by as much as a second so take care
not to interrupt or talk over another person. Pause before answering each
question to be sure the speaker has finished, and again when you complete what
you have to say so that the other participants know that you are done. Speak
clearly and listen carefully. Nod, rather than making brief comments such as
"yes" or "uh-huh" to indicate that you are listening. Such verbal listening cues
may be lost or may interrupt and confuse the speaker because of an audio delay.
Participants in the videoconference should introduce themselves, and state
their location if there are various offices involved, at the beginning of the
interview or any time a new participant joins the session. Jot down this
information so you can target your questions and comments as appropriate. Since
you cannot "turn towards" or make direct eye contact with one of several
interviewers to indicate which of them you addressing in particular, it's
important to use names to indicate who you are focusing on at any point during
the interview.
Keep your comments short and to the point. Don't talk for too long at any one
time. It's bad "live," and can be worse later on videotape when fast-forward is
available.
IT'S A WRAP!
Be aware of the time without obviously glancing at your watch and make sure
you can cover your agenda within the allotted interview time. Follow the
interviewer's cues that the session is drawing to a close. Since there is no
opportunity for a handshake to begin or end the session, to wrap things up you
can summarize your main points, thank the interviewers for their time, let them
know you are interested in the job, and ask about next steps.
