How To Nail A Job Interview Remotely
Whether it’s a remote job or a remote interview for an office job, handling a virtual interview requires some slightly different skills when compared to a standard job interview.
We spoke to the HR departments of three major companies about their virtual interviews and they told is that if you want to nail a video interview, this is the way to go about it.
Remote Job Interview Preparation
Acing job interviews starts before the first video call, you want to prepare ahead of time and ensure that you’re ready for anything that remote interviews can throw at you.
Know Your Technology (Particularly For A Video Interview)
If you’re going to be doing a video interview then you want to know what platform the interviewer will be using and then you should spend some time practicing using the video software in question.
This is doubly true if you want to do anything fancy like screen sharing during the remote work interview.
While interviewers tend to be pretty forgiving of technical foul-ups during an interview, the best way to deal with this sort of problem is to avoid it in the first place.
Then the person-to-person interview is all about showing your competence rather than dealing with the job of managing the video technology.
You should also make sure that everyone sharing your Internet connection knows not to be streaming, torrenting, etc. during the time that you are on the call.
Sort Out Your Appearance
You should always dress like you’re interviewing in the company office. Sure, you may be working from home in the long run and then you can dress in your PJs all day long if you want to but if you want to make the right impression – you dress to impress.
You may also want to consider how your home office looks behind you while you take the call. We’d suggest placing yourself up against a plain background that isn’t distracting.
This way you help to project an organized and competent version of yourself.
Rehearse Your Remote Interview
The best plan for handling a remote work interview is to practice it before you get to the interview itself.
Use their video software too and learn to maintain eye contact, etc., and how to give a swift glance to yourself while you talk, just to ensure you haven’t left the tag on your tie or anything silly.
Check our list of questions you need to prepare for, for additional guidance.
Nailing The Interview On The Day
Then it’s all about how you handle the interviewer on the day itself.
Stay Positive
You can’t get the same levels of visual information out of an interviewer over a video link as you can in person. This doesn’t matter.
Stay positive and assume things are going well unless anyone else tells you otherwise. It’s very easy to assume you’re doing badly and then for your body language to reflect that on the call. Don’t let that happen to you.
“Hype Up” Your Emotions For The Camera
For the same reason, one of the best tips for dealing with a video call is to hype up your emotions a bit (don’t look to come over as emotionally garbled but more happy, positive, etc.) this helps your interviewer get a handle on who you are.
We suggest a little interviewing practice with a friend who can give you some feedback on how you come over as a candidate on a Zoom call.
Show Emotional Warmth
The recent Covid-19 situation means that many people have got into the habit of checking in with the other person on a call to ensure they’re feeling OK.
Just be warm and ask the other person if they are well and if those around them are too. There’s no need to dive into details here.
Make Sure To Ask Good Questions
The best tips for interviews always include this advice – make sure when you are given the opportunity to ask questions that you make them pertinent and interesting and that they reflect your background and experience.
We’ve got some questions prepared for you if you’re not sure what to ask.
This is your chance to go beyond the surface level and really drill down into what the role will entail and the interviewer will want to see what you’ve learned.
After The Interview: Follow Up
Finally, make sure that you follow up after the interview. Don’t harass the person you talked to but do send them a thank you note on the same day and a week or so later, if you haven’t heard, feel free to send them an e-mail asking if there’s any news.
It doesn’t hurt to show that you’re keen. Good luck.
If you use our tips, you shouldn’t need a backup plan to nail your remote job interview.
If you prepare properly, focus on being professional during the interaction and then follow up, you’re almost guaranteed to be one of the best candidates that they talk to.
