Series: The Role of Building Automation in Disaster Resilience (3/3)
In the previous articles, we covered real-time data monitoring and emergency lighting. Now, we’ll dive into Integrated Communication Systems, an often-overlooked but critical component in disaster resilience. Clear and timely communication can make all the difference when evacuating a building or responding to an emergency, and Building Automation Systems (BAS) can streamline this process with ease.
During a disaster, panic is often the biggest threat to safety. Confusion and a lack of direction can quickly escalate an already dangerous situation. Whether it’s an earthquake, fire, or flood, the ability to disseminate clear instructions to building occupants is crucial. However, relying on manual processes or outdated communication systems can lead to delays, miscommunication, and, ultimately, more chaos.
The Importance of Communication in a Crisis
This is where integrated communication systems, powered by BAS, step in. These systems use a variety of channels—from public address systems to mobile alerts—to ensure that everyone, from facility staff to building occupants, receives accurate and timely instructions.
How BAS Enhances Communication During Emergencies
BAS can unify multiple communication systems under one platform. Imagine the fire alarm goes off in a large commercial building. Instead of relying solely on a single alarm system, BAS can automatically trigger voice announcements, emergency lighting sequences, and send text alerts to occupants’ phones. This multi-layered approach ensures that no one misses the critical message.
Additionally, real-time data gathered through other BAS features, such as flood sensors or seismic monitors, can be used to tailor these communications. If floodwaters are rising on one side of the building, the system can direct people to the safest exits based on real-time data.
Examples of Integrated Communication in Action
Voice Commands and Public Address Systems: In an emergency, automated public address (PA) systems can provide clear, calm instructions. This can include directing people to exits, advising them to shelter in place, or providing real-time updates as the situation unfolds.
Mobile Alerts and Text Messages: Most occupants carry mobile phones, making SMS and app-based notifications an ideal communication method. A BAS can send real-time alerts with detailed instructions, ensuring that people are kept informed even if they’re not near a PA system.
Visual Alerts: For individuals with hearing impairments, visual communication through digital displays and flashing lights can ensure everyone receives the message. A BAS can trigger these systems in sync with other alerts to create a cohesive, inclusive response.
Coordination with First Responders
Another major advantage of integrating communication systems with BAS is the ability to provide real-time data to first responders. As firefighters, EMTs, or police arrive on the scene, the BAS can feed them critical information, such as the status of fire alarms, gas leaks, or structural damage. This allows emergency teams to act faster and more effectively, increasing the chances of a safe outcome.
For instance, if an earthquake has caused damage to specific areas of the building, the BAS can alert first responders to avoid these zones, helping them prioritize where to focus their efforts.
Conclusion: Communication is Key
Effective communication during a disaster can save lives. By integrating communication systems through a BAS, facility managers can ensure that emergency instructions are delivered clearly and immediately across multiple platforms. Whether it’s through PA systems, text alerts, or direct coordination with first responders, BAS streamlines emergency communication to ensure that everyone receives the right message at the right time.
For Further Consideration: Facility managers can also explore how automation enhances other aspects of disaster resilience, such as automated access controls to secure entrances, advanced smoke detection systems, and real-time monitoring of power and water systems. Each of these elements can further bolster a building’s ability to withstand and recover from a disaster, ensuring long-term resilience.
In the critical sphere of facility safety, the traditional approach to emergency drills often misses the mark on engagement and effectiveness. As facility managers and owners seek to ensure the safety of all occupants, the challenge lies in transforming these drills from mundane obligations into captivating and instructive experiences. This article unveils innovative strategies and game-like drills that promise not only to instruct but also to captivate, ensuring that when emergencies arise, responses are both rapid and proficient.
The Game-Changer: Gamification of Drills
Emergency Quest: Imagine transforming the necessity of learning emergency routes and locations of safety equipment into an adventure. Participants engage in a scavenger hunt, navigating clues to discover vital resources and exits. This interactive approach not only makes learning fun but embeds crucial safety information into participants’ memories.
Safety Bingo: This game converts the drill into a lively bingo session, where actions such as locating fire alarms or identifying exit routes become the means to victory. It transforms emergency preparedness into an engaging group activity, ensuring wide participation.
The Power of Role-Playing
Crisis Actors: Adding realism to drills, volunteers simulate scenarios like being trapped or facing a medical emergency. This method enhances the drill’s realism, pushing participants to apply their knowledge practically and under pressure.
The Director’s Cut: Participants take the reins, directing the emergency response based on given scenarios. This role-play tests leadership and decision-making skills, offering valuable insights into both individual and collective preparedness.
Leveraging Technology for Enhanced Realism
VR Simulations: Virtual reality offers immersive experiences of varied emergencies, from fires to earthquakes, without real-world risks. It allows repeated practice in simulated conditions, sharpening responses and decision-making skills.
AR Escape Rooms: Augmented reality turns emergency preparedness into an interactive escape room challenge. Participants use smartphones or AR glasses to solve puzzles related to emergency scenarios, merging problem-solving fun with practical safety training.
Introducing Fun to Serious Learning
Emergency Olympics: A competitive twist on learning critical skills, where teams vie in tasks like evacuation speed or communication efficiency. This competition makes learning memorable and enjoyable.
Safety Flash Mob: A flash mob performing an emergency drill catches everyone by surprise, serving as a vivid reminder of emergency actions in an unexpected and engaging format.
Engaging Everyone: The Path to Enhanced Preparedness
Active participation is the cornerstone of effective emergency preparedness. Facility managers should ensure clear communication of drill objectives and procedures, making the importance of these activities clear. Feedback is essential for refining drills, making them more effective and engaging over time. Recognizing and rewarding participation and outstanding performance can motivate ongoing engagement and improvement.
Conclusion
By transforming emergency drills with innovative ideas and engaging methods, facility managers can foster an environment where preparedness is both a priority and a positive part of the organizational culture. These strategies ensure that when emergencies occur, everyone is equipped to respond with confidence and efficiency, making the workplace not only safer but also more connected and empowered.
The most difficult part of creating short videos isn’t the production or sharing. It’s coming up with effective content ideas. One easy way to generate engaging content is to use a common category as a guide. Here are some popular categories that work well on most platforms, as standard corporate posts or paid ads.
One limitation you may run into is the maximum video length for each app. As of the time of this writing, the following max time limits apply for the following platforms:
TikTok: 10 Minutes
Instagram Reels: 90 seconds
YouTube Shorts: 60 seconds
If your video concept will require more than a minute, it probably isn’t practical for a YouTube Short.
1. Behind-the-Scenes
Show a glimpse into your daily operations and behind-the-scenes tour. This could include showcasing your team working on projects, setting up equipment, or testing systems. Behind-the-Scenes also work well for events. If your company attends industry events, trade shows, or conferences, capture moments from these events and share them. This can create excitement and showcase your company’s involvement in the industry.
2. Before-and-After Transformations
Highlight the transformational power of your work by sharing videos that show “before” and “after” shots of projects you have completed. This can be particularly captivating if you’re working on visual installations or upgrading systems.
Educate your audience by sharing short, informative videos that provide tips and tutorials related to your business or industry. For example, you could explain how to set up a specific type of BMS or offer troubleshooting advice.
Showcasing your products in action is a great way to engage with your audience. Demonstrate how your products work, highlight their unique features, and explain their benefits.
Introduce your team members through short videos that highlight their roles, skills, and personalities. This humanizes your brand and helps your audience connect with the people behind the company.
6. Client Testimonials
Share short clips of satisfied clients discussing the positive impact your services have had on their businesses or lives. This can help build trust and credibility among your audience.
7. Q&A
Take questions from your followers and answer them with another video. Q&As give your audience valuable information, creates a direct connection with them, and addresses their immediate concerns.
Showcase unique or creative projects you’ve worked on that go beyond your traditional work. For example, if you’ve integrated systems into an immersive art installation or a smart home with innovative features, capture and share those moments.
Share your thoughts and insights on current trends and developments in the systems integration industry. This positions you as an expert and keeps your audience informed about the latest advancements.
Collaborate with other content creators or businesses in related fields to create engaging and mutually beneficial content. This can help expand your reach and bring new perspectives to your audience.
11. Company Culture and Employee Spotlights
Highlight your company culture and introduce your team members to your audience. This humanizes your brand and fosters a connection with your followers. Showing off your company culture also aids in employee recruitment.
12. User-Generated Content
If you want to get your audience hooked on short-form video content, get them to create their own! Encourage your audience to make short-form videos featuring your products. Social media advertising can be much more effective when it features user-generated content (UGC), whether it be product reviews or DIY tutorials.
Bonus: Popular Topics
Popular short form video apps consistently feature specific topics and genres that are popular with users. Mix these topics with the above categories to create engaging content unique to your brand. For example, you could showcase an access control project (Behind-the-Scenes) that made a building more accessible to folks with visual impairment (Social Responsibility).
Sustainability and Social Responsibility
If your company has a strong commitment to sustainability or social responsibility, create videos that highlight your initiatives. Share your efforts to reduce your carbon footprint, support charitable causes, or make a positive impact on society.
Share creative DIY projects or life hacks that are related to your products or industry. This can provide value to your audience while promoting your brand.
Humor and Entertainment
Don’t be afraid to inject humor and entertainment into your videos. Create light-hearted content that resonates with your target audience and makes them smile.
Education
Create informative and educational content related to your industry. Share tips, tricks, and insights that can help your audience learn something new or solve a problem. During anniversaries of important dates, share a historical fact about your industry that’s interesting.
Participate in popular challenges and trends that are relevant to your industry or brand. Put your own spin on these trends to showcase your company’s personality and creativity.
Remember to keep your videos short, engaging, and visually appealing. Add music, captions, or other effects to make your content stand out. Also, don’t forget to use relevant hashtags and engage with your audience by responding to comments and participating in trends and challenges.
Remote work has presented challenges for both workers and their companies. Challenges include adopting flexible schedules and conducting video interviews. However, managing a team of remote workers can be a challenge, but it can also be a rewarding experience for both the employer and employees. With the right strategies in place, it is possible to effectively manage and support a team of remote workers. Here are some tips for managing remote workers:
1. Clearly Communicate Expectations
It’s important to make sure that remote workers know what is expected of them and how their role fits into the overall goals of the company. Regular meetings and clear, concise communication are best for providing expectations. When explaining your anticipations, whether verbally or written, use simple language, short instructions, and concrete examples. Anticipate potential problems and emphasize actions that are acceptable and ones that aren’t. So as not to appear negative, maybe include a few anticipated positives too.
2. Set Regular Check-ins
Scheduling regular check-ins with remote workers can help to ensure that they are on track with their work and address any concerns they may have. They also make up for the emotional gap left from the absence of face-to-face communication. The non-verbal cues we get from personal interactions are critical to building trust, empathy, and understanding, even in a professional relationship. Regular check-ins help make up for this deficient.
3. Keep Meetings Short
Employees can’t maximize remote work benefits if they spend too much time in lengthy online meetings. They might as well be at the office. Set a start and stop time and stick to it. One easy way to do this is to set a timer on your phone or your Windows Clock app. Better yet, use the free version of Zoom conference calling, which limits a call to forty minutes. The service will pop up a reminder that your meeting is about to end so you can wrap up your discussion. Also, use a meeting agenda with bullet points to keep the meeting on track.
4. Shift to a Results-based Appraisal
Your employees’ workflows will inevitably change with remote work. It’s just the nature of remote work for more time to be spent on other things like family responsibilities during “normal” work hours. Besides, the whole appeal of remote work is that workers can have a healthier work-life balance. So, shift your appraisal from the “correct” process, to goals and results. Dedicated, honest workers will find the shortest distance from A to B in their new workflow. Let them find their way. Ask yourself “Are they delivering results?” If the answer is “Yes”, then base your appraisal more on that fact rather than how unorthodox or non-traditional the approach to the work may seem.
5. Provide support
It is important to make sure that remote workers have the resources and support they need to be successful in their role. This can include access to training and development opportunities, as well as any necessary equipment or software. Create virtual “happy hours” or other informal events to build relationships.
6. React to Signs of Stress
Change is hard. Adjusting to a new workflow is a major change for employees. New problems crop up, along with opportunities. The stress may be overwhelming at time. Be sensitive to signs of over-work or excessive stress. Stressed workers may seem more argumentative, report more sick time, or complain more. Identify signs quickly so you can make changes. Check in regularly and facilitate an honest and open dialogue so workers aren’t afraid to tell you about problems.
Conclusion
In addition to these tips, there are a few best practices that can help to ensure the success of a remote team. For one, it is important to establish a process for tracking and managing work. This can include using project management software or creating clear, actionable to-do lists to ensure that work is completed efficiently and effectively.
Also, it’s critical to provide regular feedback to remote workers. This can help to keep them motivated and engaged, as well as provide opportunities for growth and development.
Managing a team of remote workers can be a challenge, but with the right strategies in place, it’s easy to ensure success for workers and the company. By following these tips, employers can create a positive and productive work environment for their remote team members.
You stride through a bustling conference hall, alive with excited chats and enthusiastic handshakes. In your pocket, a stack of freshly printed business cards. In your head, a well-rehearsed elevator pitch. You’re confident and poised, ready to network.
As you cruise, you notice only small groups engaged in salesy banter. You spot someone in a corner alone. Dang it, they’re on their phone. Then someone walks by you…maybe…nope, they’re headed to the bathroom. Soon a quiet panic sets in. You find no openings. You feel isolated, alone within the crowd. The clusters of exhibitors, speakers and attendees appear as guarded fortresses, impervious to any networking siege. The walls grow higher. That quiet panic is now a raucous party of self-doubt and insecurity. You bolt to a shadowy corner of the room. Finding a safe harbor, you whip out your phone and pretend to scroll.
Anyone who’s ever attended an expo or tradeshow is familiar with this situation. It’s a universal experience, and one that betrays a paradox: humans are built for social interaction but find it incredibly hard to meet new people. However, introductions aren’t an irrational phobia. Meeting new people is full of unknowns. As children, we’re taught “Don’t talk to strangers”, only to grow up and realize it’s essential to doing business, making friends, and finding mates.
Introductions require an excuse to command someone’s attention. Icebreakers are simply excuses we’ve deemed “acceptable” for presuming someone wants to talk to us. We all know when someone crosses a line, and it’s this fear of transgression that, in large part, fuels our own anxiety towards meeting new people. We don’t want to be the person who interrupts, shares too much or comes off as “creepy”. But with preparation and practice, you can learn how to construct and deploy effective convo starters to super charge your next networking event. Here are 5 icebreaker tips to increase your networking success at your next tradeshow.
1. Choose Universal Topics
Effective icebreakers reflect common experiences. That’s why many people use sports or the weather to form a fast connection. But convo starters don’t have to reflect the human experience. In fact, they can be too broad. Something like “How ‘bout this weather?” would probably seem too general for a group gathered specifically to do business (unless that business is meteorology).
Instead, make your topics universally specific to the situation. With respect to an expo or tradeshow, a more specific “universal” topic would be something that many (but only) show attendees experienced. (“Did you enjoy the awards dinner last night?”). Other examples include:
“Who do you work for?”
“What industry are you in?”
“Can you recommend any good sessions to attend?”
“What’s your favorite part of the show so far?”
“Have you been to the Expo before?”
“Did you see X Company’s demonstration?”
Memorize four to six of these icebreakers and have them ready to go. You’ll discover more as the show goes on and be able to fine tune them to the situation.
Pro Tip: Eat lunch in the commons area of the tradeshow venue. Many will congregate here, and lunch is a perfect opportunity to socialize.
2. Keep Questions Person-Centered and Open-Ended
People enjoy talking about themselves, so your icebreakers should focus on the person or group. The example open questions above are person-centric, while not overstepping the line of being “too personal”. If you tell a story or anecdote, it should serve the purposes of the group and add value to the group’s discussion, not show how smart you are.
In general, you’ll get further with questions that elicit personal opinions (“What’s your favorite part of the show so far?”) rather than simple facts (“Who do you work for?”). That’s because opinions leave more room for commentary.
In general, design your questions to be open-ended. For example: “Who do you work for?” will get you less information than “Is your company exhibiting at the Show this year?” Even subtle changes in how you phrase the same question can have big impacts. Consider these two questions:
“Is this your first time at the Expo?”
“Have you been to the Expo before?”
While both are asking the same basic question, you will likely get two different answers. While # 1 may get you a simple “yes” or “no” response, the answer to # 2 will usually be longer and more in-depth. That’s because the addition of the phrase “before” references a past event. The reference unconsciously prompts the listener to be more descriptive or to tell a story of past events. The longer you can keep the convo started, the better your chances at making a deeper connection.
3. Learn to Infiltrate Small Groups
It’s difficult joining small groups where people are already engaged in conversations. Many of us feel injecting ourselves into the group is too intrusive or creepy. Much of this exclusionary vibe comes from the fact that people in groups tend to stand in a circular formation. The shape itself creates a boundary that seems to warn, “Do not enter.” However, the standard circular formation is a practical construction that ensures everyone inside can make eye contact. So, ironically, the circle is actually an attempt at inclusion. We do well to remember this fact, whether we are on the inside or outside.
Here are a few hacks for breaking into a group circle:
Start a convo with a group member, preferable one who seems bored. Then slowly work your way into the circle, or start a new one.
Look for a group with an odd number of people. It ensures there’s at least one person available for a chat.
Get in early. Locate a group that’s just starting to form.
At an after part event, wait for a drink server to come by for deliveries or to pick up empties. This usually breaks the circle momentarily. Use the opportunity to gain closer proximity.
Listen and wait until you can add something valuable and relevant. Make sure it’s substantial, but not too domineering. Short comments are easily acknowledged then ignored.
Smile and appear generally upbeat and approachable yourself.
Address the group. Deploy an interesting anecdote, ask an open-ended question, or relate a personal story. Anything interesting, educational or relevant will be well received.
Keep in mind, some groups are simply more “open” and sociable. The more familiar the members are with one another, the more they tend to keep things tight. To identify closed groups, look for body language signals. Friends or colleagues will tend to stand closer to one another, forming a tighter circle. These can be difficult to break. Other groups may be in a serious conversation and aren’t interested in being “social”. Look for signals like serious looks, crossed arms, or direct face-to-face discussions. Such closed groups should be obvious. Approach with caution.
4. Flattery is Your Friend
Flattery gets you everywhere when it comes to meeting people. Everyone is instantly receptive to praise, so flattery is an easy win for icebreakers. Most folks who are “famous” in your industry come to conferences expecting a bit of approbation—so, give it to them! You’re likely not annoying them, especially if they’re alone. In these cases, it’s acceptable to begin with a comment about yourself (“I enjoy reading your blog articles on smart building tech.”) In this case, you’re leading with an “I” statement, which may seem to shift the focus off the other person, but the compliment is actually putting all the attention on them.
5. Introduce Yourself Online Before the Tradeshow
There are plenty of to-dos on the pre-show checklist, from identifying your target audience to following groups on social media. But make sure online preliminary introductions is one task you check off. Connect with people on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. Like their pages and follow their accounts. It’s easier to “meet” someone in person if they’ve already “accepted” you with a connect request. So, use that digital handshake to your advantage.
Also, use your online accounts to announce you’ll be attending. Ask if anyone else is planning on going. Post to your trade groups and connections list. Follow up with offers to meet for coffee or lunch. You’ll likely make new connections. Announcing your plans to attend is an effective way to show your enthusiasm and openness to networking, and it will make real-life introductions much easier.
Conclusion
Like any skill, conference networking takes practice. There’s no substitute for hard work. Experience will hone your skills at picking up on body language signals, tone of voice, and group dynamics. You’ll fine tune your anecdotes, perfect your presentation. With these skills, you can identify better networking prospects and command the room.
Today more job interviews are being held via conference call apps like Zoom and Teams. Those looking to nab their next gig are jumping on a Zoom call to chat with prospective employer half way around the world. While a video job interview allows you to widen your pool of potential firms, these digital parleys require preparation if you want to make round two.
For one, non-verbal communication signs are hindered during video interviews. It’s difficult to maintain eye contact. Voice inflections may be distorted through digitalization. Body language is hidden by a narrow field of view. Still, with the right preparation, it’s easy to have a successful video job interview. Here are five must-know tips for newbies.
1. Lighting for a Healthier You
Don’t underestimate your lighting. No, you’re not interviewing for a reality TV show. And, yes, your computer monitor will provide a good supply of light to your face; however, that bluish hue will make you look like Ed Norton in Fight Club. Not the best way to present yourself “employable”. Instead, fight that blue hue with soft, warm lighting around your face. It makes you look healthier and more attractive. To do this, you want low spectrum lighting—bulbs that produce light around 2,700k-3,000k.
Use a small lamp near your monitor (just out of frame) to illuminate your face. Try turning on a room light with a warmer temperature bulb. If you’re in a nice, quiet area during the day, maybe consider sitting outside in the shade. What you’re looking for is to illuminate your face and keep the skin tones warm and pleasant looking. Small adjustments are what’s called for. There’s no need for a three-point lighting setup. So, don’t overdo it.
2. Give Them a Little Background
It’s easy to understate the importance of a good background in your video frame. The most common blunder people make is sitting in front of a bright window. The exterior light “blows out” the image sensor of your web cam, which can’t handle the bright and dark colors at once. The effect is a distracting large white blob of light surrounding an overly darkened face. Shut the blinds. Draw the curtains. Or find another locale.
Also, avoid backgrounds with overly bright colors. These are also distracting and draw attention away from you. Instead, conscript a background of neutral colors like gray, taupe, beige or cream. Walls and curtains of that hue are easy to come by. If your options are limited, try changing your background through the software. Most video platforms have background removal features, which can blur out your surroundings completely or show you calling from some exotic island locale.
Backgrounds that are too busy should also be swapped out. The description “busy” could refer to either a background with kinetic designs or with literal movement such as people at a restaurant. Both are distracting. Such bustling places with people would be inappropriate given the formality of the meeting anyway.
Pro Tip: Strategically place objects in the background that reinforce your personality or reaffirm the “What’s your hobbies, interests?” question. Enjoy playing field hockey? Prop your hockey stick in the corner of the screen. Maybe you’re a dyed in the wool fan of knitting. A carefully placed shawl on the back of your chair is a convenient prop for reinforcing your love—”I actually knitted this sweater I’m wearing!”
3. Get Ready for Your Closeup
Aside from the technical stuff, a video job interview is equal to an in-person interview with respect to decorum and professionalism. Sit up straight. Make eye contact (more on that below) and speak clearly and confidently. Professionalism also means dressing for success. Obviously, everything above the waist is a priority, since the southern regions will be out of frame (unless there’s a fire!).
Clean, kept hair, tie, coat or blouse are the standard boxes to tick. With respect to shirt/blouse color, take the same approach as with the background—nothing too busy or overly decorated. Go for solid colors and simple design. The focus should be on you. While heavy makeup is often avoided for in-person interviews, you’ll want to apply a bit more than normal for video. Much like the theater, video requires a bit more of a dramatic approach to makeup if you want it to appear “normal”.
Remember, your outfit needs to be appropriate to the position. You may have a good idea of what’s acceptable, but if not, do a little web searching to get the right dress code for your industry. Better yet, check out the company’s website “about” page and see what current employees are wearing.
Lastly, opt for smaller headphones, like ear buds, instead of larger, standard headphones. Smaller, lower profile speakers are usually cooler and more comfortable in stressful situations—plus, they won’t cover up that immaculate, newly quaffed hairdo you got in preparation.
4. Achieve a Solid Setup and Proper Eye Contact
Conference calls give you the freedom to do them anywhere. But wherever you choose to interview, ensure you have a solid equipment setup. Shakes and jitters induce nausea in your interlocutor, so don’t try and hold your device steady. Secure it well or invest in an inexpensive phone or tablet holder. Also, rotate your device to frame yourself in landscape rather than portrait mode. It will look more professional.
You will get better stabilization and overall control with a desktop or laptop setup. But keep webcam height in mind. Eye contact is important in a video job interview, but most desktop webcams sit at the top of the monitor. The higher position makes it impossible to appear as if you’re looking the person directly in the eye. You’re either looking at them or the camera, but not both.
To help the situation, lower your webcam to align it with the person’s image. Perfect alignment will, of course, cause the camera to obscure the person’s face, but you should be able to find a workable balance. Alternatively, purchase a transparent webcam holder, which solves the problem or try to engineer a similar contraption yourself.
One last note on eye contact: if you’re going to have notes for reference, put them on the monitor, either physically attached or in a doc. Looking down or to the side when referencing notes breaks your eye contact. To be sure, video job interviews are structured events, but employers expect you to speak extemporaneously. Don’t ever read verbatim from a prepared note and looking away to do so only makes you seem unprepared and nervous.
5. Practice Self-Sabotage
Regardless of the location, you should always do a run-through before a video job interview. Smart preppers do a run through with a friend or family member so they can anticipate questions and practice articulating their ideas. But proper practice includes more than memorizing your employment history; you should also formulate a plan for when things go wrong. And with video calls, there’s a heap of misfortune to anticipate, from low bandwidth issues to misapplied kitten filters. With that in mind, ready yourself for the unexpected by practicing self-sabotage.
Imagine the audio feed is disrupted. You’ll need some way to quickly communicate. Do you know how to find and use the chat feature? You’ll also need to determine if the issue is on your end or the platform’s. What if you accidentally share your screen, which is populated with “cheat sheets” and personal files? Are you familiar enough with the software interface to shut things down?
Compile a list of these types of emergencies, then pick them at random during your regular practice. Learning to adapt and overcome will help you not only ensure a smooth interview, but it’s also a personal trait that employers value in a prospective team member. Who knows, your quick thinking and action may impress them so much it gets you the position.
