Job Search Skills

Video interviews are the crux of a job candidacy. They are becoming more central to a successful candidacy than a good resume. Sometimes, video interview formats are evaluating a candidate’s career readiness competencies. To do one’s best, the use of narrative or meaning-making is needed for responses.

Meaning-Making in Interviews

The asynchronous (one-way) video interviewing platform is a new recruiting tool. It is difficult to know how many employers are using them, because the Pandemic accelerated their adoption so rapidly. The recorded interview session is reviewed by either a staff member at the employer or by artificial intelligence. One out of five one-way interviews is likely to be AI-based. This technology compares a candidate against particular competencies by compiling their aggregated word choice. The algorithm uses personality theory and computational linguistic techniques. A candidate’s only control during the interview is to maximize and diversify their word choice. This can be accomplished by using narrative to extend a question response.

Candidates must carry a one-way interview by making meaning about themselves.

Meaning-Making of NDMU Courses, Roles & Experiences

Use these reflection tools to make sense of your involvement at NDMU. Opening these documents in Adobe Acrobat makes them fillable.

Interviewing Skills

Practice Questions

Employers use Behavioral Interview questions in every type of interview. These require a demonstration from the individual’s past by recounting a story. Here is a list of questions and their intentions. Use this list of story prompts (PDF) to develop responses. Some practice tools are listed below.

  • LinkedIn – Use the practice function called Interview Prep, located within the Jobs tab under “More Resources”. A profile is required. Send an invitation to connect to the NDMU Career Center’s profile. Then, ask us to critique your interview. Build familiarity with interview questions with the following LinkedIn site.
  • HireVue – Become familiar with one-way and AI-based interviews. To learn more before trying it, review this video. Practice a HireVue interview assessment.
  • StandOut – This practice interview has questions that pertain to specific occupations. Email the career center to request an invite to this resource.

Video Interviews Basics

Prepare Your Space

Long before the interview time, make sure you have prepared the ideal setting for your video interview:

  • No Interruptions: Identify a quiet location in which you will remain uninterrupted by children, pets, or co-workers. The backdrop should be neutral without distraction or clutter. Be careful not to sit in front of a window if there is no equivalent light source in front of you. Otherwise, your face will appear shadowed.
  • Device: Using either a phone or a laptop is fine. What matters is that you are not holding the device; that it is on a steady surface. You might need a tripod. Using earbuds is alright as long as they don’t pick up ambient noise. The camera should be at eye-level so you are not looking downward.
  • Lighting: Use excellent lighting to ensure you are not too dim on camera. To be sure, find a light ring for approximately $30-$40. A less expensive substitute is to place a desk lamp behind your camera device, pointing down. Then, place a white sheet of paper or cloth on the table or keyboard in front of you. This will help to even out the light.
  • Attire: Select appropriate professional attire that shows well under your lighting and looks good with your background. Avoid outfits with linear designs like herringbone or extreme stripes because they can appear to vibrate. Use the NDMYou Suit Closet to find an appropriate business suit.
  • Framing: Flip on your camera and adjust what’s visible in-frame behind you to project a highly professional image.

Two Types of Video Interviews

  • Two-way with a live, human interviewer(s).
  • One-way (asynchronous) interview. These are super-efficient recruiting tools, shortening the time-to-hire (a recruiting term) by replacing the traditional phone screen. It is often combined with artificial intelligence to improve diversity hiring and employee selection for performance factors.

Two-Way vs. One-Way Video Interviews

Follow Up for Both Interview Types

While your thoughts are fresh, after an interview, put them down in your notes and get to work on your thank you note(s). Remember, thank you notes are a sample of your business writing, so always run them through grammar check software to ensure you are putting your best foot forward.

If you do not have contact information for those interviewing you, reach out to your recruiter asking them to forward your thanks.

Resources

Glassdoor: Interview advice from job candidates who have interviewed at specific employers.

JobHero and Huntr are two job search organizers to keep track of the status of job alternatives.

Job Search Resources

Purpose

This interview style simply eliminates the travel to get to an interview. It also provides a visual for a phone screen.

Candidate Orientation

There are no significant differences to the dynamics of a face-to-face interview.

Preparation

Prepare in the same way you would for a traditional interview. Research is needed to know:

  • The interviewer’s background
  • The company’s story
  • Questions that you, as a candidate, will ask at the end of the interview.
  • Behavior-based questions. Practice telling stories that will be fitting as a response to them

Background

Project a highly professional image. The background can be interesting but not distracting.

Software Platforms

  • Set up professional profiles on Skype, Zoom, and GoTo Meeting.
  • Choose a professional looking profile photo as utilized on your LinkedIn profile.

Practice with a Partner

Two days before the interview, practice with a video partner:

  • Confirm they had no trouble finding your profile; all equipment is functioning; they agree that your background and lighting looks professional; your internet speed is adequate to ensure responsive delivery of your video stream on both ends; your attire is appropriate.
  • Practice looking at the camera versus at yourself. Skype, for example, allows you to reduce the size of the incoming video image, and then slide it up to rest just below your video camera. This allows you to better maintain eye contact if you find staring at the camera to feel awkward.
  • Practice answering questions as naturally as you would in a face-to-face interview, making sure that you aren’t fixated watching yourself on camera.

Final Checks

One Hour Prior:

  • Log on to your computer and troubleshoot equipment failures, software updates. or connectivity issues.
  • Remind others in the house that you will soon be interviewing. Ask your roommates to avoid using the wi-fi for data intensive needs.
  • Prioritize questions you intend to ask
  • Take another quick glance at the company website as well as the LinkedIn profile of the person(s) interviewing you
  • Flip on lights, double check what’s behind you.
  • Put away pets.
  • Slip on your professional attire.
  • Silence all phones, alarms, and if you are at home place a note on your front door.
  • Place your resume and any notes on your stories and preferred metaphors nearby.

Five Minutes Prior:

  • Log on to your account so that you are visible to the other party. The time beforehand depends on the service. Webex, for instance, seems to take longer to connect.
  • Keep your (silenced) phone within ‘eye’-shot in case the person interviewing you texts or calls with a change.
  • Take these remaining moments to relax, paying attention to your breath. You’ve got this.

Starting the Interview

  • Answer the video call immediately, utilizing your video camera and un-muted microphone unless instructed differently ahead of time.
  • Smile confidently greeting your interviewer warmly with enthusiasm, projecting a polished, professional, high-energy image.
  • Sneak a very quick glance at yourself to make sure you are still framed up alright, then check in with your interviewer, asking, “Can you see and hear me alright? Are there any adjustments you would like me to make?”
  • Let the interviewer take the lead, and always remember that typically interviewers typically have a list of questions to cover with all their candidates. You can only be properly evaluated if enough time is allotted for all questions. Therefore, don’t waste time telling them about all the technological obstacles you overcame to make this interview happen. Just smile and get on with the interview. You’ll get credit for being prepared.

During the Interview

  • Just like in a face-to-face interview, do not fidget, look away, or have your focus diverted elsewhere (only relevant in two-way interviews). Pause briefly after each question before you respond so that you don’t talk over the interviewer. Nod at the interviewer to show you’ve heard the question.
  • If something happens and you do not receive your video call on time, give it just a few minutes and then reach out to your recruiter letting them know that you were prepared, but perhaps something on the other side has gone wrong. Convey politeness and understanding. Let them jump in and orchestrate a solution. If you are dealing directly with the interviewer and have contact information, reach out to them. The same holds true if the video abruptly ends.
  • If during your video interview, the image or audio quality goes down enough to warrant pointing it out, simply say something like, “I’m noticing on my end that the video is lagging. Are you seeing that too? Should we start again?” If they respond yes, be sure to clarify, “You’re calling me back, correct?” and then wait for their call. Be patient; as you never know if there’s an equipment failure on their end or an unexpected software update caused the problem. If the wait goes on too long, check your texts and email to see if they’ve reached out on a different platform. If not, consider checking in to let them know you’re standing by.

Wrapping Up the Interview

  • As with a face-to-face interview, convey your interest in the job, asking if there are any hesitations on their behalf which you can address, because you would appreciate moving forward in the interview process. After addressing any concerns, ask for their expected timeline for making a decision. Finally, wrap up by thanking them for their time.
  • When the call has ended, be sure to log out of the video software before breaking out of your professional demeanor.

Purpose

The purpose of this interview style is efficiency. A job candidate can complete it when it is convenient. If it is reviewed by a human audience, they can also review it when they prefer.

In AI-based interviews, an algorithm measures personality traits that are matched to a customized candidate profile for each role. These systems gather data on an individual’s word choice and intonality. Some vendors also use facial expression data, but the leading vendor, HireVue, has ended this practice. Typically, the data on word choice is 80% of the input used by the algorithm. HR Departments are professionalizing their function with this technology and reclaiming a central role by digitizing performance factors for each job and improving diversity hiring by removing bias in the hiring managers.

Candidate Orientation

This interview requires a performance whether AI-based or not. (The employer doesn’t always indicate who the audience is.) AI is used to differentiate candidates and requires data inputs to distinguish personality traits.

Preparation

The preparation required is different than a typical interview. The task at hand with a one-way interview is to make meaning in order to influence the invisible audience whether human or AI.

  • Tell stories for behavior-based questions.
  • Use rhetorical devices like metaphors and archetypes
  • Tell bits about your interests

This preparation can also be used in a two-way interview, but there is a higher need in one-way interviews because the candidate is a performer and not responding to the interviewer’s lead.

  • Don’t memorize or over-practice your stories. There is research evidence that indicates a decay in input occurs from over-practicing.
  • Be succinct, specific, and symbolic in your responses.

Background

AI is sometimes not able to distinguish background objects from the main object (the job candidate). Sit against a blank wall to avoid any issues.

Software Platforms

There is nothing to set up. Some of the platforms use an app; Some are browser-based. You will receive instructions when selected.

Final Checks

Pick a time when the house is quiet and the wi-fi is not being used.

  • Flip on lights, double check what’s behind you.
  • Put away pets.
  • Slip on your professional attire.
  • Silence all phones, alarms, and if you are at home place a note on your front door.
  • Place your resume and any notes on your stories and preferred metaphors nearby.

Conducting the Interview

Act naturally. You’re performing for an unseen audience. You can use eye contact if you wish but do whatever is natural. Be yourself completely. It’s alright to fidget, look away, and divert your focus. It doesn’t matter. The AI algorithm wants authenticity.

Making a career decision requires planfulness. Individuals combine their self-knowledge with an understanding of the world of work. A simple way to gain self-knowledge is to clarify one’s trait elements (i.e., strengths and interests). On this page, there are several traditional assessments and occupational information sources. You can use the tools provided to build more self-awareness and see how your elements fit into the world of work.

Values (Desires)

Interests

Personality

Skills

Emotional Intelligence

An emotional intelligence assessment measures an ability to recognize emotions in yourself and others; understand their meaning and significance in relationships; and reason and problem-solve on the basis of them.

Occupational Information

You can gain new insights into how you fit into a career path by comparing two or more occupations together. Seek answers to the following questions. Learn the facts, see job outlooks, and hear the stories of working professionals. Factor this information into career decisions.

  • What is the employment outlook?
  • What level of education is typical?
  • What are the tasks in this role?
  • What are the skills needed?
  • What is a typical entry level salary?
  • What other occupations are related?

Primary Occupational & Labor Market Information

Other Occupational & Labor Market Information

Loyola-Notre Dame Library Resources

Bringing Self and Society Together

Use the insights you gained from the assessments and combine them with the occupational information you learned. Use the Decision-Making Grid to see how many of your trait elements are represented by the occupations you are interested in. This approach to career planning is imperfect, but it is a first step to deeper thinking about career management. Individuals are more complex than career and personality assessments can capture. More thorough career planning can be initiated by using the Career Center advisors.

Career Decision Making Grid (PDF)

Using Resume Builders

Rezi is an AI-based resume builder. NDMU-affiliated individuals with an ndm.edu email addresses can use it for free. Rezi is the first of its kind, a next generation resume builder, incorporating GPT-3 technology. You will be able to write a resume and cover letter in less than 30 minutes. Rezi does not use graphics or design features as these will corrupt the resume parsing process in an ATS. Use Rezi to:

  • Write ‘work experience’ bullet points automatically.
  • Write cover letters automatically.
  • Download your documents to MS Word, Google Docs, and PDF’s for free.
  • Match your resume with the keywords from an uploaded job description.

Rezi Resume Builder

Prompt the AI-generated language with Action Verbs (PDF). Always prompt the line with an action verb. Personalize each line as best you can.

Use these examples to get even more ideas for your resume

Applicant Tracking Systems

Nearly every employer uses a system that manages applicants’ resumes. Here are some tips for creating a resume that can pass through an ATS.

Cover Letters

A cover letter accompanies your resume when applying for positions. It lets employers know why you are interested in the position and their organization. Rezi creates cover letters but these guidelines will help to customize the language it generates.

Guidelines

  • Customize each cover letter to match your skills and experience to the position.
  • Adhere to application guidelines.
  • A well written, free of errors and grammatically correct cover letter is a must! Do not overuse the word “I.”
  • Be sure to lead with the correct verb tense.
  • Read your letter out loud to ensure that your ideas flow and to catch any awkward sentences or overuse of words or phrases.
  • As a final check, have your letter reviewed.

Cover Letter Checklist(PDF)    Example (PDF)

Salary Requirements

If you are required to include salary requirements, always state your requirements in a range and that you want to learn more about the position by meeting with them. Form your response on the basis of your research, not your personal need, such as: “Based on the research I have done for this position, it seems the salary range is…”

If an employer asks you to include salary history, avoid answering. This question is illegal in an increasing number of states.

Fraudulent Employer & Job Posting Warning and Disclaimer

The Notre Dame of Maryland University Career Center posts job listings for the convenience of students. The university does not endorse or recommend employers, and a posting does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation. The university explicitly makes no representations or guarantees about job listings or the accuracy of the information provided by the employer. The university is not responsible for safety, wages, working conditions or any other aspect of off-campus employment or pre-employment screening without limitation. It is the responsibility of students to perform due diligence in researching employers when applying for or accepting private, off-campus employment or pre-screening appointments and to thoroughly research the facts and reputation of each organization to which they are applying. Students should be prudent and use common sense and caution when applying for or accepting any position, and they should review the cautionary information we have included below in order to be better informed of potential fraudulent or improper practices in order to protect themselves from harm.

All job listings are posted at the discretion of the NDMU Career Center. We will not post jobs that appear to discriminate against applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, age, national origin, disabled or Vietnam Era veteran status, sexual orientation, disability or gender. The NDMU Career Center also reserves the right to refuse to post jobs that do not support the interests of the university.

The NDMU Career Center offers Handshake, a career services online platform, as a resource for employers to connect with NDMU students and alumni seeking career-related opportunities including internships, co-ops, and part and full-time jobs. NDMU is not responsible for the content of any information provided by any person or organization on the Handshake website, nor is NDMU responsible for the conduct of any such person or organization. Because we endeavor to keep fraudulent and scam postings off Handshake, our Career Center team attempts to validate the requestor seeking to make an employer account and/or position available to our students and alumni. Unfortunately, due to the high volume of employers seeking access to Handshake and postings, it is impossible to ensure that every employer is legitimate. If you suspect any fraudulent or other inappropriate actions involving Handshake, please immediately report it to NDMU Career Center  via phone at 410.532.5387 or via email at career@ndm.edu.

Furthermore, It is not uncommon in this digital age for your personal contact information to be found elsewhere on a legitimate website outside of NDMU or Handshake. As a result, it is possible that you could receive an unsolicited email, text message or phone call from a fraudulent contact regarding an alleged employment or other opportunity.  You should be vigilant in researching any unsolicited contacts. Review the following tips on how to vet potentially fraudulent employers and job postings.

We encourage both students and employers to provide feedback to our office regarding their experience through the use of our service. For additional information regarding our services, contact NDMU Career Center via phone at 410.532.5387 or via email at career@ndm.edu.

We reserve the right to update this warning and disclaimer notice regarding the use of these services.  We will include a statement on our website in the event we materially modify the notice.

Additional Info

Use caution when receiving contact from potential fraudulent employers.

While student contact information is often already publicly available on the internet and elsewhere, out of an abundance of caution, we recommend that you take care when you are contacted by someone you do not know via phone or email, especially if the communication is unexpected and references your resume. Phishing is one of the most common forms of online threats, and everyone should employ common safety procedures to protect themselves from phishing incidents, including:

  • Check that the sender’s email address matches the sender’s name.
  • Be on the lookout for misspellings and poor grammar, which can be an indication that the email did not originate from a trusted source.
  • Watch for unsolicited emails, phone calls or text messages that push you to act hastily or that seem too good to be true
  • Before clicking on a link, hover your mouse over the link. This will show you the actual web address embedded in the link.  Check this against the actual web address of the trusted source.
  • If you are still unsure, contact the source through another trusted channel (for example, a customer support number listed on the official website) to verify the email is legitimate.
  • It’s important to always vet any employer outreach through Handshake, any other recruiting platform, email or over the phone.

Generally, if a job posting, email, or interaction with an employer contains any of the following, end all contact with the employer and notify the NDMU Career Center immediately:

  • Offers to pay a large amount of money for very little work or sends you a check.
  • Offers you a job without ever interacting with you.
  • Offers to send you a check before you do any work.
  • Requests personal information from you such as Social Security Number, bank account numbers, PIN number, PayPal account, credit card information, copies of your passport or license and/or other personal documents
  • Requests that you forward, transfer or send by courier (i.e. FedEx, UPS), or “wire” any money to any employer, for any employer, using your personal account(s) or that you obtain and forward any prepaid gift cards.
  • Requests to have funds or paychecks directly deposited into any accounts by a new employer. (Arrangements for direct deposit or paycheck should be made during your first day or week of actual employment on site – not before.)
  • Does this job promise a large salary for almost no work? Especially if you have little or none of the required experience? Does the posting focus more on the money you will make rather than the responsibilities of the job?
  • Does this position offer you a large payment or reward in exchange for allowing the use of your bank account?
  • Does the contact’s email address match the company’s website domain? (i.e. JohnSmith@gmail.com rather than JohnSmith@companyname.com)?
  • Are there multiple misspellings in the job posting or email?
  • Does this opportunity sound too good to be true?
  • Read all information carefully. If the opportunity sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Just because a job lead appears in a legitimate publication, it does not mean that the job or company is, necessarily, legitimate. Forget getting rich quick.

Visit the company website.

  • If the company in question doesn’t have a website or the website does not seem to match the advertised job, there may be cause for concern.
  • Note the professionalism of the web site. Is there specific contact information? Are jobs and career information actually posted on the site?
  • Lack of pertinent information is a red flag.

Investigate the company’s references.

  • If you are not sure if a company is legitimate, request a list of other employees or contractors and then contact the references to see how satisfied they are.
  • If a company is not willing to share references (names, email addresses and phone numbers), this is a red flag.

Poor Communication Skills

  • Be careful when an employer cannot communicate accurately or effectively on the website, by email, over the telephone, etc. If communications are sloppy, how professional is the organization?

Exercise Extreme Caution When Asked to Pay Any Fees

Most legitimate employers will not charge to hire you! Don’t send money for work-at-home directories, advice on getting hired, company information or anything else related to the job. There are some well-known internship programs that do require payment to place you in internships. Remember that Handshake and other databases can provide UD students with free help in locating internships.

  • Do not give your personal bank account, PayPal account or credit card information to a new employer.
  • Do not agree to have funds or paychecks directly deposited into any accounts by a new employer. (Arrangements for direct deposit or paycheck should be made during your first day or week of actual employment on site – not before.)
  • Do not forward, transfer or send by courier (i.e. FedEx, UPS), or “wire” any money to any employer, for any employer, using your personal account(s). Do not obtain or forward any prepaid gift cards.
  • Do not transfer money and retain a portion for payment.
  • Do not respond to suspicious and/or “too good to be true” unsolicited job emails.
  • In general, applicants do not pay a fee to obtain a job (but there are some rare exceptions – so be careful and consult with a professional at the Career Center first).

Review Payment Information

  • When information about salary is not listed on a job posting, try to find out if you will receive a salary or be paid on commission.
  • Find out how much you will be paid, how often you will be paid and how you will be paid.
  • If the company does not pay an hourly rate or a salary, be cautious and investigate further.

You can check to see if a company is legitimate through various websites (some listed below).

If you contact the company directly, you can ask if the person actually works there. Don’t share personal information unless you are confident that the person and the company they work for are legitimate.

Visit the Federal Trade Commission for more examples and signs of a job scam.

Remember, if you are suspicious of a posting or email, end all communication with the employer and contact the NDMU Career Center via phone at 410.532.5387 or via email at career@ndm.edu

Follow these safety tips when going on an interview:

  • Always ensure it is in a public place and that someone knows of your plans to interview and the location.
  • Is the interview time at a reasonable time and day? Not Saturday morning at 7:00 am.
  • If a first interview was only a few minutes long, and the employer requests a second interview, it is probably not a good sign of integrity.
  • If your instincts tell you it’s suspicious, it probably is.
  • Do not feel pressured to give personally identifiable information in an application if you are not comfortable during an interview or during online/phone correspondence. Ask to take the document with you to complete and return so you have time to research the issue further.

Identity Theft
One type of scam targeting job seekers is related to identity theft.
The person behind the scam finds a legitimate job posting on a posting board. They then find out the real names of people that work in HR at that company.
They contact qualified individuals, posing as a company representative. In most cases, they go as far as conducting multiple interviews.
They send an offer letter and ask for standard pre-hire documentation which contains your social security number and banking information.

Steps you can take:

  • Check the email address of the person you are corresponding with. Companies will use email addresses that end in some variation of their company name.
  • Check the company website or call the direct line to validate the opportunity.
  • Reach out to the individual that is recruiting you on LinkedIn, ask to connect, and send them a message to validate the correspondence is real.
  • Legitimate companies will not hire you without a video or in-person interview. Request one if it is not offered.
  • Please contact the NDMU Career Center via phone at 410.532.5387 or email career@ndm.edu, so the employer and posting can be investigated and appropriate action can be taken.
  • You should immediately contact the local police. The police are responsible for conducting an investigation (regardless of whether the scam artist is local or in another state).
  • If you have sent money to a fraudulent employer, you should contact your bank and/or credit card company immediately to close the account and dispute the charges.
  • If the incident occurred completely over the internet, you should file an incident report with the United States Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission.