You can’t escape them. You can’t ignore them. Your candidates want video interviews, and your organization is looking for ways to save money. There’s no better way to do that than to save 67% on travel costs with video interviewing. There are about a million articles detailing tips and tricks to perfecting video interviewing techniques, but why search through the dozens of Google result pages when you can read the majority of them right here?

1. Choose your environment wisely.

It stands to reason that if you’re applying for a position with a particular culture, you’d want your attire to match, as well as your environment. There’s no need for TVs or radios in the background, and you don’t want your dog to come barking in the room. Keep any mobile devices out of the room as well. According to a survey by Express Employment Professionals, 58% of respondents said that answering a phone call was a problem. Just don’t tempt yourself with the distraction.

2. Let there be light!

In an office, lighting generally comes from above. That, my friends, is a terrible recipe for an interview. When the light comes from behind or above during the video interview, cameras have difficulties with white balance and the exposure of the image. Instead, Glassdoor.com suggests putting two lights on either side of the computer screen. It will help the camera adjust and it will make you look that much better.

3. Up close and personal is too personal.

Being too close to the camera is like invading someone’s digital bubble. No one wants to be able to count your pores, so take a step back from the computer. Remember the yearbook pictures from high school? There’s a reason they take pictures shoulders up. It’s a perfect distance from the camera, so try to mimic that. Be far enough away from the webcam that you’ve perfectly framed your bust.

4. Professional mullets are a no-no.

While putting effort into your coif is important, so is your attire. 72% of hiring managers agree that dressing inappropriately for an interview is one of the biggest mistakes a candidate can make. Your upper half might be the only thing that’s on camera, but dress like you would for a traditional interview. So, go the whole nine yards, and dress professionally from head to toe.

5. Sit up straight, just like Momma said.

She was right. Sitting up straight says a lot about you. It sends very specific signals to your audience. For example, according to Fred Miller, a public speaking professional, leaning slightly forward shows interest, slouching to one side shows disinterest, and hunched shoulders show a lack of self-esteem.

6. Perfect the Practice.

It’s important to make sure your questions are standardized if you’re not doing screening with One-Way interviews. If the hiring team decides to do real-time video interviews, ask questions that help to ascertain competency, alignment, interest, and potential in the candidate pool. In fact, take the platform for a trial run.

7. Know the tech, know the support.

Just in case something goes awry, have your platform support on speed dial. In the very least, make sure your IT team is ready to jump on your computer to save the day.

Tips and tricks for interviewing are everywhere, and with the birth of video interviewing the list is even longer. Candidates and hiring managers alike have to be aware of the traditional interviewing tactics and common courtesies, but also factor in video technology.

Practice makes perfect, so take the technology for a test run to make sure you’ve got good posture, good lighting, and a good environment that’s free of distractions. Sometimes it’s easy to tell those who haven’t used a webcam before… they sit a little too close to the camera. Remember your digital bubble; take a step back from the screen. With all of this technology there are bound to be some problems – and probably some user errors – but hopefully with these tips, they can be minimized.

Bio: Julie Salerno, VP Sales

Julie Salerno provides guidance and leadership to GreenJobInterview’s sales team and is responsible for the ongoing growth of the company’s revenues and profitability. She is involved in strategic planning, helping to managing the company’s resources, and improving its business processes.

Previously, she served as a partner and senior executive recruiter at Personnel Strategies, Inc.

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