I was excited about today's interview but floundered due to the Zoom call.

7 Comments

1. AnonymousJanuary 19,2023 at 8:14PM UTC

   I believe that Zoom allows you to practice. Check it out. If not, practice with a free software program on your computer, or SKYPE with a friend and practice.

2. AnonymousJanuary 19,2023 at 10:39PM UTC

   Maybe lower your expectations about getting the job, which will remove the jitters you're feeling. I noticed that, in my experience, I have done better on interviews that outright tell me I'm a shoo-in for the next round when I could care less about it going anywhere and just simply using the interview as target practice.

3. Andi SchulerJanuary 20,2023 at 12:16AM UTC

   Practicing with family and friends is a great start, but make sure your practice is intentional. Notice what specific things about Zoom make you nervous and work on specific things in your practice session. Take a LinkedIn Learning or Skillshare course or watch YouTube videos about how to get better speaking on Zoom. If the job isn’t remote, you might be able to see if you could do an in person interview. But if the job is remote, it sounds like communicating over Zoom would be a big part of the job, so it’s definitely a skill you want to master. Just keep a growth mindset and remember just because you may not feel good at it now doesn’t mean you can’t get good at it. If you applied for the job, you must believe you can do the job well. So remember you are interviewing because you can do this job well!

4. AnonymousJanuary 21,2023 at 7:27PM UTC

   Thank you all and I appreciate your advice. Online streaming interviews make me nervous as the delay in most services appears that you're still talking while you've finished. We end up talking over each other, the service stops and one or both of us need to reconnect and I find it off putting watching myself talk when it's split screen.

   When I try to look at the interview, I can tell I have weird expressions on my face as I'm looking in the camera. I rely so much on body language or social cues that watching the camera instead of the interviewer makes it more difficult to navigate the situation.

   The jobs I'm interviewing for are hybrid or in person but the interviews are done over Zoom due to WFH schedules. I don't love streaming and would rather have a call or in-person meeting as I feel more confident. That being said, all the problems I've had with online interviews due to technology makes me apprehensive about those type of meetings.

   During a recent Zoom interview, the connection (even when plugged into the ethernet cord) kept dropping. I couldn't hear what she was saying and we needed to reconnect twice. I wasn't surprised not to move forward as we didn't fully hear each other. I'm finding that a lot of companies are using this platform and it's not working well as so much time is spent repeating conversations.

   I'm fine during in-person meetings so it's not a lack of confidence. In addition, I was a manager and had to have frequent calls on Teams throughout the week. It feels differently when a potential job is on the line.

5. AnonymousJanuary 22,2023 at 4:19PM UTC

   Hmmm a few suggestions. First if you keep telling yourself "I'm terrible at zoom calls and I get so nervous for them" then it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. Can you reframe it in a way that allows yourself patience and grace? as in "I'm not comfortable with Zoom calls yet." (Adding the yet at the end is so important because it implies it's a skill you can learn instead of a fixed trait). Familiarity breeds comfort so find ways to get more familiar with Zoom. The 100th Zoom calls will be way easier than the 5th, whether it's a social call or professional call. Also notice how your body responds to feeling nervous and when you're practicing, try to imagine those sensations in your body. I.e. if you have butterflies in your stomach, try to recall that sensation ahead of time and then tell your story while you imagine that sensation in your body. If you have sweaty hands then maybe keep a towel nearby to wipe them on discreetly. Dry mouth, keep a glass soft water. Nobody will fault you for taking a sip of water before you answer a question. Second, keep in mind that you will likely have to perform for the camera if you want to convey energy or emotion. Just assume the camera will wash everything out and so you must amp up the visual energy. Try to imagine you're meeting a dear friend in a coffee shop and are really excited about what you're talking about, and then bring that level of energy to the call. (Yes, it's exhausting but they pay off can be worth it.) Again, with practice it can become more automatic. Third, you can change the way you view the screen so that the person you're speaking with is full screen and your video is pretty small vs. the split screen where both are same size. The button to do that lives in the upper right side of an active video call. I think it says "view" or something like that.You could even stick a post it note over the screen where your video appears so you can't see your video at all, and that might help you focus on the body language of the other person rather than yourself. (But remember, if they aren't actively performing for the camera then they may come across as disengaged or bored. It's not you, it's Zoom, and even though it's hard, try not to let it phase you. Articles have been written about this effect if you're curious to learn more).

6. Alison TatumJanuary 22,2023 at 4:29PM UTC

   If your home internet connection is dropping video calls maybe it's time for an upgrade? Or most public libraries have study rooms that can be reserved, the internet there will likely be pretty good.

   If you have a weird camera angle maybe get an external webcam and/or elevate your computer if it has a built in webcam so that when you are looking towards the center of your screen you are also basically looking into the camera.

7. AnonymousJanuary 22,2023 at 5:42PM UTC

   Put a mirror behind your computer screen and look at yourself while you are presenting. At the start of the interview ask the interviewer about themselves and how long they have been at the company and what makes them excited about working there. IF you personalize it a bit for them it's a lot less like a firing squad with questions just coming at you. Watch your body language in the mirror and use that to adjust if you see your nervousness showing .