From lighting to attire: tips for a flawless law firm video interview

Sep 01, 2023

Written By Lewis Ogg

Video interviews are a central component of law firm applications, so presenting yourself effectively can make all the difference in giving you the best chance of success. Whether it’s live or pre-recorded, follow these tips to bring your best self to any online interview.

Level-up lighting

When it comes to a video interview, remember that the recruiter is there to see you, and in the same way you would not conduct an in-person interview in a dimly lit room, make sure that your whole face is visibly lit throughout the interview.

Whether an interviewer means to judge, shadows make the candidate seem less professional and less personable than in a well-lit environment. T

here are a couple of ways to overcome lighting troubles. The easiest method is, of course, to find a location that is naturally well-lit, preferably with natural light behind the camera, so that glare is minimised.

In terms of artificial lighting, ring lamps are perfect because they cast white light in a more rounded manner than regular lamps; however, if a ring lamp is not available, a normal lamp placed behind the camera will work just fine.

Framing and angles

The second part of guaranteeing high video quality is to be conscious of both what angle the interviewer will be looking at you from and how you are centred within the frame.

Ideally, you want to conduct your interview at eye level, minimising the space around you. Properly angling and framing yourself creates a more natural interviewing dynamic allowing for a better flow of conversation.

Finding the right angle can be difficult, especially for those working with small laptops. However, easy DIY fixes, such as placing your laptop upon a stack of wide books or simply lowering the chair you are sitting on, can make all the difference in finding a natural eye level.

Similarly, if you have a particularly wide camera, while not ideal, be aware of keeping a clean background behind you and adjusting your distance from the camera to occupy more of the frame. Why not do a practice video call beforehand to test your webcam out?

Be positive and personable

Video interviews can often feel forced and wooden; as such, it is up to you to bring a positive and friendly demeanour to break down the barriers created by being on video.

This is good advice for any interview setting; however, it is especially important in a video interview, where you must go to greater lengths to allow your personality to shine through.

Remember, law firms are looking for personalities and characters to bring into their culture. Allow yours to shine through regardless of how the interview takes place.

Bear in mind that your interviewer is also a normal person who would much rather that the next hour pass in a friendly rather than confrontational manner.

Watch for social cues

Though a seemingly obvious point, it can often take much more care and consideration to pick up on social cues via video compared with an in-person interview.

As we want to create the most natural interviewing environment, it is essential that you take the time to pick up on any cues that your interviewer may be showing.

A common example of missing social cues is interrupting. When interviewing in-person, people don’t unintentionally interrupt as much, because it is clear from body language that the other person is about to begin speaking. However, it is common for the flow of a video interview to be derailed by a succession of awkward interruptions. To prevent this, make sure you allow an extra second or so for the video on your end to catch up with any movements the interviewer may have made since you finished your sentence.

Dress appropriately

Looking the part is a vital aspect of mastering the video interview. Considering that a large portion of a firm’s correspondence with clients now takes place virtually, they want to know that their trainees take in-person and virtual interactions equally seriously.

Dress codes will vary between firms, though the industry standard and safest practice is generally a shirt and tie or a blouse. If you are unsure of what your firm expects, there is no shame in emailing their recruitment team for guidance. Remember to wear something professional on your bottom half, you might have to get up unexpectedly!

Summary

Candidates often take a far more relaxed approach to video interviews than they would in person. Avoid this mistake. You should be giving more preparation time to your video interviews than in-person counterparts, because thought needs to be put into exclusively virtual problems like lighting and framing.

These jobs may seem tedious but remember that the small things add up, and a little thought can go a long way in showing your interviewer your best self. Five minutes of preparation may make all the difference in getting you that training contract or vacation scheme.

If you want to go beyond these technical tips for a detailed dive into maximising your video interviewing skills, follow this link for our video interviewing masterclass.

Selection & Assessment