Why am I not able to pass the HireVue?
If you’ve asked yourself this question, you are not the first. The deceptively straight forward and simple HireVue process actually requires preparation and practice to be able to perform at your best consistently. Each opportunity matters.
We have put together the Voomer Video Success Framework that highlights three core areas of video interviews and some strategies on how to perform at your best while practicing with the AI video feedback from Voomer.
Using Voomer its possible for you to understand how an interviewer, and Artifical Intelligence (AI) will rate your performance on the three areas of the Voomer Video Success Framework and how you will compare to other candidates. Visual, Verbal, and Vocal are the three key components of the Framework.
If you are looking to nail your next interview, check out our YouTube channel, or other posts on topics such as Camera Angle, Audio, and Eye-Contact that can help you out!
Ok so here’s the problem that you can solve with the Voomer Video Success Framework:
You’re trying to find a reliable method for succeeding in the HireVue interview, you know you need to perform confidently, engagingly and convincingly – but for some reason you haven’t been able to progress to the next stage.
Each HireVue that you can’t get through is a valuable opportunity lost, and there is no feedback on what you can improve available. If you can’t get through you may have to go with plan B. On the other hand, getting it right means that every opportunity could potentially become an offer.
There are three steps that work together in unison to create the Voomer Video-Success Framework. A systematic way to prepare you to perform at your best in the one-way video interview.
- Visual: Everything that can be seen, you, your background, and movement.
- Vocal: How you say everything, and how well you can be heard.
- Verbal: What you know, and the words you use.
The Visual Step
OK so let’s get started and look at the key parts to the Visual step. This is the first part of the Voomer Video-Success Framework.
Background: Try to go for something organized and minimalist. Let everything in the cameras view have a reason for being there. If all else fails go for a plain wall – it will look surprisingly professional. Adding a pot plant can really make the scene pop.
Lighting: Have the main source of light in front of you. Don’t sit with a window behind you, and use a soft table lamp to brighten up your face.
Appearance: Imagine it is your first day on the job. Mirroring your colleagues, or going one small step smarter, is a great way to find the perfect balance and not appear overly formal. If there is a very strong corporate color scheme see if you can work that in with an accessory or tie. Think of what you would wear to your first day in the office – or any differences in geography. West coast technology startups have a very diffent expectation compared to East coast big law.
Eye-contact – try to maintain eye-contact with the camera, You can put a sticker where you need to look. Some people even print out a set of eyes to stick either side of the camera.
So now We’ve got those first parts, Background, Lighting, Appearance and Eye Contact, that make up the Visual step of the Voomer Video-Success-Framework. Now let’s now talk about the Vocal step.
The Vocal Step
This is another area that has had a massive impact on my own interview skills. What Tone, Pauses, and Microphone are, among other things, they are the Vocal step of the framework. This step is all about how you speak.
When it comes to tone, monotone is unfortunately our default. Much as we may think we are using emphasis when we are telling a story, for video interviews multiply this by ten. Imagine a tooth brush the size of a guitar, pretend and act out how you would brush your teeth with it. That difference is how much nearly all of us need to increase our emphasis when we are communicating.
The easiest way to improve your Vocal delivery is to find a word to emphasise in each sentence. Whisper wise words, the crux of the story, the deciding moment that you want the interviewer to focus on. Use rhythm to convey a ongoing or repeating process, and up your volume as you reach your conclusion.
Pauses also draw the interviewer into what you are saying. Whenever you decide to pause count to three in your head. Sitting a pause is like the end of a gymnastic routine, sit the landing. It feels weird to you but by gosh to the interviewer it makes you look like a confident pro, a great benefit is that it also gives you time to think about how you want to finish your answer.
Finally, and most importantly, you’ve got to get an external microphone enabling you to be heard clearly. If you have bad audio, and all the interviewer can hear is your computer fan, the interviewer will skip your answer. Bad audio is so much worse than bad video. Even the headphones from your phone are a vast improvement. For less than $15 you can get yourself a lav mic from Amazon, I guarantee one of the best investments you’ll ever make.
Now that the interviewer can hear you clearly and you are engaging, this then aligns perfectly with the final step in Voomer’s Video Success Framework, which is the Verbal step.
The Verbal step is all about the content. Questions are behavioural (tell us about a time when… ) or motivational (why apply here? Why us? Why now?). We’ve got a video all about preparing for common questions here.
The Verbal Step
We all know that doing your research on the position and the company makes the difference. Focus on two main areas:
- What are the company’s core values that you can tie your answers back to?
- What are any recent public filings or press releases, read the exectutive summaries
Also make sure to come up with an answer for the two of the most common questions. “Tell us about a time you worked in a team”. “Tell us about a time when you handled conflict”.
Anyway the key is don’t freak out, be relatable, if you need to take a moment to think, do it with a smile and make it a confident pause.
Summary
Even if you have set yourself up with your very own Voomer Video-Success-Framework, the most difficult step is applying it in your actual day-to-day life. It can be very intimidating, even if you believe it will bring you more focus and better performance.
The best way to get over that barrier is to Practice. Practice. Practice. Use Voomer to prepare for your exact position, record as many times as you want and get specific feedback on the areas of the Video Success Framework to improve the most and pass the HireVue.