Beyond B-School
Tips to Ace a Video Interview Part 1
with Ross Macpherson
with Ross Macpherson

Content, Presentation and Delivery

This presentation covers what is going to make the difference in any kind of video interview job interview. In this Part 1 of 2, Ross Macpherson answers the following questions about video interviewing:

  1. How does the technology impact how to conduct yourself?
  2. How are you going to be that best candidate, that best fit?
  3. How should you communicate your personal brand in the most compelling way, given the technology?
Macpherson's area of focus in this video is what you say and how you say it.

What to Say and How to Say It

All of the best practices for MBA students; how to conduct themselves, how to research, how to prepare, how to respond, what a behavioral question and answer look like, all of that still applies. Then where does the technology change what students need to do to prepare?
  • Be crystal clear on your brand, value, fit. It is your responsibility to make certain that you are clear about what is it and be able to articulate it concisely.
  • Smile and exude energy and professionalism. To be engaging be engaging in the process is difficult. Talking to a lens takes a little bit of practice. Be who you are at your absolute best. Everyone has that best, most dynamic person, a version of themselves.
  • Practice enough to eliminate the ums, ahhs and pauses. If you "um, ah" all the way through your presentation, it might be interpreted as lowering a decisiveness score or impacting confidence.
  • Weave the right keywords into your responses. The technology is looking for keywords. Employers are going to type in the sort of keywords, the sort of cognitive assessment criteria, and so forth. With video technology and video interviewing technology, it's just a subtle skill to weave the keywords in there and then all of a sudden scores go up.


Example:

Role: Senior Analyst, Investment Banking

Desired attributes listed in the job posting:
  • Self-motivated
  • Team player,
  • Organization,
  • Communications,
  • Analytical

Skills in the posting:
  • Numerical computation
  • Spreadsheets models
  • Gathering information
  • Client presentations

Approach:
Think of stories and examples that match and then actually articulate the word in the response. It's a subtle little change, but it's going to make a huge difference in your final assessment scores.

Behavioral question:

Describe a time when you completed a task that no one thought you could. How did you manage to finish it?

Response:

"I suppose the best example I could give is the valuation project we had to complete at the end of last term. It was a major project, and it wasn't so much the scope of it, but the limited time we had to complete it. The best approach I figured was to analyze the steps needed and organize a logical plan. There were three of us on the team, and I put a spreadsheet together with roles, targets, and timelines and worked with everyone to execute each step according to the paln. I also ensured that if any member of the team struggled to meet a task or timeline, they communicate it to the rest of us. It was a very analytical approach but it was necessary and allowed us to get the project done on time."

Note: In a normal face-to-fac interview, you've got the luxury of a person on the other end sort of intuiting that from your answer. With the video interview, you just need to add in that little naming. Actually name it.

Please continue to Part 2 of Tips to Ace a Video Interview where Ross Macpherson describes how you build effective video bios and video intros. He will be talking about tips and strategies that to help.you look and sound your absolute best on video.

Ross Macpherson is the President of Career Quest, a Certified Personal Branding Strategist, Certified Online Identity Strategist, Certified Interview and Job Search Coach, and is recognized as one of the best resume writers in North America. With over 15 years experience in the career industry, he specializes in advanced strategies that help senior and executive professionals throughout the US, Canada, and internationally. His work has been featured in 18 career publications.

 

Ross routinely speaks to MBA programs across North America, and is known for delivering powerful and entertaining sessions that teach real-world success strategies. He has also spoken at major career events, global industry conferences, professional associations, and executive networking groups across the U.S. and Canada, and his high-energy style has consistently put him at the top of the career management speaking circuit. Contact Ross at [email protected]