It’s safe to say 2020 turned the world on it’s head, vastly changing the way we communicate with one another.

Employers and candidates have faced a rapid shift from the physical to digital worlds, trading printed CVs and politely-taken cups of water for poorly-converted PDFs and dodgy zoom connections.

Thankfully in the Cloud & IT Infrastructure market, we’re already firmly acquainted with video interview technologies.

Even before 2020 it was common practice for candidates looking for cloud computing & IT infrastructure jobs to attend video interviews. The nature of the IT solutions provider space has given its professionals a head start in remote interviewing that so many have had to quickly pick up. It’s given us at InfraView a leg up too, meaning we’re able to offer both clients and candidates market-leading advice on how best to navigate video interviews.

Check out our “Video Interview” video series here

Given the uptake of video technologies, it’s safe to say these practices aren’t going anywhere. Cloud Engineers, Solution Architects, Project Managers and the rest of the cloud & IT infrastructure space may have experience but be careful; don’t let complacency get between you and your next job. There’s always room for improvement, for clients and candidates alike.

Clients

Struggling to attract the best cloud engineers?

Think about it from the other side.

If a candidate attends and interview and the room is a mess, you’re late and don’t look attentive during the interview, you’d be sure to lose them.

That should be obvious to anyone.

It’s important to remember that first impressions are just as important in the digital world as much as they are in person.

There are numerous ways you can give a great first impression to candidates when conducting a video interview.

Get the video interview technology right

Are you using the right video interviewing platform for your business?

There are countless technologies on the market, so you’re spoiled for choice in terms of functionality, integrations and ultimately pricing.

Our Co-Founder Tim Davey recommends Cisco WebEx, Microsoft Teams or Zoom, which all offer decent bang for your buck as well as good functionality and support. Ultimately it depends on your preferences and needs as a business, so making sure your video interview software works for you is crucial in attracting top cloud & IT infrastructure engineers.

Watch Tim Davey’s video on video interview technologies here

Stay focussed when interviewing candidates

When you’re asking your potential cloud engineer interview questions in person, it’s easy to stay focussed.

Spending all day communicating through screens, however, can leave us all a little complacent when it comes to our rapport.

Remaining engaged throughout the interview won’t just put across a fantastic first impression to a candidate, but will also allow you as the interviewer to gain the full amount from the experience.

Will Martin’s got some great tips on staying focussed when interviewing candidates. Steps like turning off your phone during the interview, booking off sufficient time, being fully prepared and even watching your drink around electronics may seem like second nature, but it’s the little things that make all the difference.

Watch Will Martin give great insight into staying focussed in video interviews here

Get the video interview fundamentals right

Using best practices is an important step to success when interviewing candidates over video.

In order to secure the best talent, you need to show them that your business has the basics working right.

Our Co-Founder Tim Cazemage knows the industry inside out, and how utilising video technologies correctly can pay dividends in your candidate search.

Make sure your video is turned on! Even though you’re on a screen you still want to build a rapport with the candidate as if you were face-to-face. Turning your video on will help create a friendly and inviting atmosphere, as well as allowing you to connect to the candidate better.

Present yourself well! Even though you’re not in the same room you need to give a positive impression of your business and you as a leader within it. Dress appropriately, and ensure your background surroundings are neat and tidy to show the candidate you are a business worth talking to!

Be positive! Showing positivity in your engagement with the candidate, your body language and your tone of voice will help paint a strong picture to them of your business’ USPs and company culture. If you’re very interested in employing them, tell them! It will help get them on board and secure top talent before your competition.

Watch Tim Cazemage talk about video interview fundamentals here

Candidates

You're searching for your next role. You want to secure one of the best cloud jobs on the market.

You’re asked to a video interview! Fantastic! But what next?

“How do I prepare for a job interview? How do I create a great first impression?”

We’ve got some great insights into how to put your best foot forward.

Video tips and tricks

If you’ve ever been on a family call with kids creating havoc in the background, you’ll know what it’s like to be distracted on video!

Video interviewing may seem daunting, but it actually creates a fantastic opportunity for you, the candidate, to take full control of your half of the interview

Everything on your side of the screen is controlled by you. Make sure the space behind you is neat and tidy to minimise distractions for the employer, and conduct the interview in a nice quite space to allow the spotlight to be firmly on you!

The quality of your internet connection is key during a video interview. While it’s easy to point fingers at certain Internet Service Providers (answers on a postcard!) there are steps you can take to minimise interruptions. Don’t take an interview over a data connection. If you can, plug your device into the router via an Ethernet cable to keep your connection as stable as possible. While you can’t avoid Des next door cutting through your streets broadband cables with his spade, you can give yourself as good a chance as possible of keeping your interview on track.

Another great tip from Lauren Grundy you might not have heard is to use sticky notes around your screen. Video interviews allow you to take control of the situation, so write some notes down and stick them around your device’s screen to remember key talking points to bring up.

Watch Lauren Grundy give great video interview tips and tricks here

Avoid these video interview disasters

There are some aspects of video interviews you might not notice that can make a big difference.

Owen Harris offered some great tips on video interview disasters to avoid.

Don’t have your microphone to close to your face. You want to make the best first impression possible, so even something as small as moving the microphone slightly away from your face will stop distortion and avoid the interviewer becoming distracted while you talk about your cloud engineer skills.

Making sure your desk is tidy and free of distractions won’t only help your well-being, but also stop accidents happening. A glass of water or cup of coffee on a pile of loose papers next to your laptop while you’re on a video interview is a disaster waiting to happen. Clear your space, prepare properly and give yourself the best chance of succeeding.

Watch Owen Harris talk about avoiding video interview disasters here

Conclusion

Over the course of 2020, video interviews and technologies have become an ever more present part of the hiring process.

For clients and candidates alike, setting yourself up for success is an important step in achieving your goals.

Whether you’re making a first impression with a candidate, or answering video interview questions, highlighting your strengths and avoiding disaster will help you hire the best cloud engineers and get your next cloud job.

If you need more help with video interviews, give our team a call on 020 3617 1040, email hello@infraview.co.uk and follow us on LinkedIn.