The number of online job interviews has rapidly increased over the past two years and only seems to be becoming ever more popular. In a recent Indeed poll, 82% of employers said they are using virtual interviews.
A virtual interview, from an employer’s perspective, is quicker, easier, and cheaper. The convenience of being interviewed at home also has similar advantages for the potential employee – no travel required, saving transport costs, and having to put time aside to travel. But it also has a downside, the hiring manager gets a glimpse at the applicants’ private lives.
This sneak peek is a peephole into an applicant’s personal life. Just like a face-to-face job interview, where the candidate’s clothes create an unconscious bias, the background of a virtual interviewee can influence the employer’s hiring decision-making process.
Background Matters
Many online platforms offer fake backgrounds; a beach, a beautiful countryside, or an office setting. These backgrounds either look fake, seem inappropriate for a job interview, or create a ghost effect – where the applicant’s body has a white shadow around it.
The number one rule for a virtual job interview is to use a real background.
3 Background choices
With a real background there are three obvious choices:
- Clean space (often a white wall)
- Single item (plant)
- Full view (able to see the whole room)
It is common for interviewees to choose a clean space, a close-up camera that captures the applicant’s face with a blank background – a painted wall.
The camera position is highly important as discussed in our ‘online interview tips’ article. But a blank background can be boring. A white wall doesn’t say anything about the candidate’s personality. Some hiring managers may even feel the applicants are hiding something.
If a blank wall is chosen, use a coloured wall. Ideally blue. Blue conveys relaxation, calmness and as discussed in Very Well Mind, blue is associated with stability and reliability.
Your Background Shows Who You Are
The background an applicant chooses says a lot about them, often speaking to the employer’s subconscious decision-making process.
Having one or two items in the background makes the who image a little more interesting. Too many items make a ‘busy’ image that can be distracting.
The question is, what to choose to place in the background? A bookshelf filled with industry-related books can create the impression of authority or knowledge. But bookshelves can be overcrowded.
A few books on each shelf separated by an additional item can make a cleaner and more professional background.
Plants are ideal for an online interview background. Potted plants, especially in bloom, are pleasing to the eye. They look good in the background and help create a calming atmosphere.
Ensure the plant isn’t looking dried up, shriveled, or dead.
Whichever object is chosen should be to one side of the frame, not taking more space than 1/6th of the whole space.
Don’t Show Everything
A full room frame is bad for virtual interviews. One, in a full view, shot the applicant’s face is less clear which leads to less non-verbal communication, facial expressions.
In addition, a full view of the room will either show too much – which is distracting, can highlight mess which doesn’t create a good impression, or has lots of clear space, which is seen as boring.
Camera, Lights, Action
Finally, think about the essentials of creating a video. The virtual interview setup is similar to setting up a space for a video or film.
One of the most important elements of being on camera is the lighting. Some candidates will set up the camera with a large window behind, where the sun blinds the interview panel, hiding the applicant’s face.
Others will set up the video call in a dark room with little like creating dark shadows that create a horror film type of environment.
If a job seeker has the equipment, they can set up lighting behind the camera facing the interviewee which lights up their face. If not, a cheaper option if to have the camera in front of a large window, facing the job candidate, allowing the sun to naturally light up the room.
The idea is to find a well-lit clean room where the job hunter feels relaxed and calm. Ensure the room is clean and add one or two small items in the background, a flower or book.
