Pre-pandemic an interview required an in-person visit with the employer, but today virtual interviews are the norm. This virtual platform can throw candidates off if they aren’t prepared. And the reality is, candidates can’t afford to have a bad virtual interview. Today’s job seekers are competing with candidates throughout the country—not only candidates in their state, county and city, which means everyone needs to put their best foot forward during a virtual interview to win the position.
By following these five best practices for virtual interviews, you will significantly increase your chances of getting that job offer!
1. Dress for the Occasion
There are many benefits when working from home. Wearing whatever you want may be one of them. However, when you have a virtual meeting or interview, you need to dress the part. You should dress up and fix your hair exactly how you would if the interview was taking place in person. It may be virtual, but the cameras will show how seriously you are taking the interview.
2. Minimize Distractions
Choose the location well in advance and find a quiet place in your home with minimal distractions. Be mindful of the space behind you; a messy, chaotic living room isn’t going to tell your interviewer that you’re organized and detail oriented. Your phone is one of the biggest distractions. Sometimes we can check our phones without even realizing we’re doing it. It’s very disrespectful to the interviewer, so make sure to silence your mobile device.
3. Be Prepared
Just as you would for an in-person interview, you should prepare questions and talking points in advance. Do your research on the company and the role you are interviewing for. The interviewer will tell you how this virtual interview will be conducted. It may be through Teams, Zoom, Skype, etc. Make sure you have the appropriate platform downloaded on your device. Test the audio and camera in advance. Ensure your computer is plugged in and test your internet as well. Have a glass of water, notepad and pen next to your computer. One of the all-time best practices for virtual interviews is to arrive early. Remember this for interview success: early is on-time, on-time is late, and late is unacceptable!
4. Show your personality
It can be more challenging to show your personality virtually. You must be mindful of your tone, pitch, and word choice as well as your body language. Great posture, occasional hand gestures, smiling, eye contact and head nods show you are engaged.
5. Follow up
You should send a follow-up email within 24 hours of your interview. In your email, thank the interviewer for their time and the opportunity. This will set you apart from a large pool of candidates that skip this step and will also show your professionalism.
According to Job.com Cofounder and Chief Visionary Officer Arran Stewart says that, in the past, 44% of companies wouldn’t consider offering employees the option to work remotely. Due to the pandemic, times have changed and businesses have adapted and implemented work-from-home policies, opening up a new pool of career opportunities for job seekers. During this shift from traditional work environments to virtual workplaces, the hiring and interview process has changed significantly, making it more important than ever to hone your virtual interviewee skills. As you navigate the virtual interview processes, be sure to follow the best practices for virtual interviews listed above to land that dream job.