Video interviewing is becoming more and more popular these days.  Do you know how to handle yourself in one?

Here are 7 tips that will keep you from getting passed up:

1)      Practice makes perfect.  Try practicing a few video interviews via Skype or Google+ Hangouts with friends or family.  They can give you feedback on how you look on screen, if you are looking them in the eye and if you sound ok.

There are several tools out there that can help you practice in advance besides Google Hangouts or Skype. For example, Spark Hire gives you the option to create a job seeker account with a video profile.  You can make your profile public for all recruiters and employers to see or you can submit your application for specific jobs.  I like that this site has job postings that you can search and apply for without having to leave the site.

2)      Look your interviewer in the eye.  CIO recently shared that a post-it note under the camera can help you focus on the correct spot to look during the interview.

3)      Appearances can be distracting so make sure you look as good as if you were going in for an in-person interview.  You want to make sure that you are dressed from head to toe so that if you shift in your seat the interviewer doesn’t get a view of your pajama bottoms.  It can also be distracting if you are wearing bright white or if you have busy patterns on your shirt or dress.  Keep things neutral.

4)      Keep your environment free of clutter and distractions.  You want the interviewer to be focused on you not what you have hanging on the wall behind you. We suggest that you do your interview with your back against a white wall, or make sure it doesn’t have any inappropriate wall hangings

5)      Make sure there is no background noise.  Microphones pick up any sound, so make sure that you are not shuffling papers and that kids, pets, tv or radio can not be heard.  Remember outdoor noises count too.

6)      Frame yourself in a good light.  The best view for an interview is your head and shoulders so make sure to adjust the camera angle so that you fit into the frame perfectly.  In addition be aware of the room lighting.  If the lighting is behind you, it will make your best features too dark and create a silhouette.  The lighting should light up your face as this is what the interviewer will be looking at the most.

7)      If you need to take notes, make sure to let the interviewer know.  That way they understand why you are looking away from the screen.

Remember that video interviews are just like in-person interviews.  If you follow the above guidelines and do your normal prep work (company and industry research, list of questions to ask), you will do just fine.  Good luck!