The pandemic has affected every single thing in our lives, and just like many other job functions, recruiting and hiring processes have needed to adjust. (Best 10 Online Interview Tips to follow).
Asking a candidate to travel and physically appear to perform a job interview is no longer practical or wise in many locations.
Luckily, in our age of software and technology, there have been a number of tools readily available to help us make these adjustments.
This includes both live and on-demand interviewing (video interviews) solutions that provide more flexibility for candidates to pass through the hiring and assessment process without being physically present.
In recent years, online interviews (video interviews) for jobs have become more popular and many companies are regularly using technology to conduct preliminary interviews. During the pandemic, job interviews for nearly every stage of the hiring process became the norm.
While online interviews are similar to traditional, in-person meetings, they have some major differences that candidates should be prepared for, so, make to prepare for these online interview tips.
(Don’t forget to check for the previous page Face-to-Face Interview Tips).
1. Do a test-run with your computer.
The first and one of the most important online interview tips is that you should run into serious interview hiccups if your microphone or webcam stops working right before your video interviews — or if the Wi-Fi is on the fritz!
When preparing for your video interviews, one of the most important online interviewing tips is to test these four components, so you know your technology is good to go:
· Audio Settings: make sure your speakers and microphone work perfectly, do a few microphone tests to make sure you are coming across loud and clear with no static.
· Internet Connection: it may be wise to ensure you’re plugged in with an Ethernet cable for a wired connection. Video conferencing can take up a lot of bandwidth, and a spotty Wi-Fi connection may cause an overly lagged session.
· Video Platforms: You’ll also want to familiarize yourself with the video interview software. Zoom, Microsoft Teams, GoToMeeting, Skype, and Google Meet are some common platforms.
· Camera Settings: Is it too dark? Too light? Too distracting in the background? It’s best to sit in front of a plain, solid-colored background wall with plenty of light in front of you so as not to create a glare or shadow. This way, the interviewer will focus on you and not the décor behind you.
2. Remove distractions.
Silence anything that could interfere with your conversation, including your phone and email notifications on your computer.
It is rude to be interrupted during an online interviews unless you have an emergency situation that your potential employer is already going to be aware of.
Pro Tip: Make sure no one else is around when you are completing your online interviews, including pets.
Online Interviewers have seen cats walk across the computer screen and close the session, half-clothed people walking across the room in the background or hear children screaming in the next room. Don’t jeopardize your career by not being prepared!
If you can’t ensure people aren’t going to interrupt you, it might be best to either take your interview to another location or make sure your roommates (or family) can plan to be gone for the day.
3. Log on early and test setup.
This is one of the important online interview tips, being on time is really being about 10 minutes early. For a virtual, first-time video interviews, you may want to make sure you are ready to go 15-20 minutes early.
If this sounds like a lot, just remember: In a normal interview, you would probably be getting ready, driving, parking and finding the right room before the interview.
In this situation, setting up the computer and logging in is essentially the parking part of your video interviews process. Make sure everything works and then you can hang out until about 5-10 minutes before the scheduled time.
Pro Tip: ALWAYS act like your interviewer can hear and see everything you are doing.
Getting in the habit of feeling “watched” during the session will help you not do something strange because you forget people are in the room or don’t realize your camera is on.
From the moment you log in until the moment you close the screen, just assume they can hear and see everything.
4. Sit up and dress professionally.
Even though you’re not meeting your interviewer in person, make sure to dress for success and sit up straight. First impressions matter and your appearance can really make or break yours.
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to smile! Whether you are talking to an actual person or recording your answers, smile the way you would during an in-person interview.
Wear clothes that are flattering and fit the job you are interviewing for. When in doubt, dress up rather than dress down (especially for virtual online interviews!).
Not only will sitting up and smiling make you look more professional and engaged—they will actually help you feel more powerful and energetic! Good posture makes you feel more confident, puts you in a better mood and communicates openness.
5. Calm your nerves.
Practice your main talking points if you’re nervous and remember to slow down—it can be easy to talk over people on online calls.
You may need to be slightly louder and more emphatic than you would be in person, since the screen is going to reduce a little bit of the impact you would have in person.
Pro Tip: Even though this particular interview is hosted online, don’t forget to review your traditional interview skills.
You’ll want to have answers prepared to some of the more common interview questions and examples in case they ask for specifics.
Before your online interviews, try standing in power poses to channel your nerves into feel-good energy. Science has shown that these poses can help you think on the go and perform well under stress.
6. Look your interviewer in the “eye”.
In the online environment, eye contact is important—even though it isn’t true eye contact.
Instead of looking at the person on the screen, look directly into the webcam and stay engaged. It can be tricky to look at the camera when you see a person on the screen.
But, looking at the screen will make you look like you are staring down (since screens are usually below cameras).
If you’ve taken a selfie before, then you probably know the deal. But, somehow, video is harder.
Pro Tip: If you are uncomfortable, put a picture of someone you know up by the webcam. This way, you feel as though you’re chatting with a friend.
If you have a webcam on a stand, you can even place it in front of the person’s face to make this a little easier.
7. Listen carefully.
It’s easy to miss something important during an interview. It’s also sometimes very difficult to interrupt without an embarrassing mess of overlapping sound bytes.
Avoid weird situations by jotting down keywords or short reminder phrases if you want to remember a point or circle back to ask a question.
Try not to let your note-taking interfere with the flow of the interview. If you do miss something that was said, make sure you ask.
Pro Tip: Sometimes devices have speakers that don’t get very loud. You may want to consider connecting your laptop to external speakers or even headphones to get clearer sound.
If you have any gaming or podcasting microphones, using one could really improve the quality of your voice for the call.
8. Use engaged body language.
Also one of the most important online interview tips, similar to the power poses, using engaged body language during the interview is going to help you answer with confidence and energy.
Even if the call is just over the phone, the right posture will help you sound more friendly, open and sure of yourself.
On the flip side, slouching can cause you to feel tired and want to be done. Crossing your arms or your legs will look like you aren’t fully engaged and can actually cause a kind of mental block that makes it hard to really take in the information.
Pro Tip: Make sure you are sitting up straight with your shoulders back and head up. This is something you will want to practice when you are getting your spot picked out.
Make sure that your computer or camera is positioned at eye level, so you don’t have to lean over or duck down to get in the frame. You may need to place it on a box or stand to get it to the perfect height.
9. Don’t rely on notes.
While you might take a few notes of your own during the interview, don’t write down a list of things you want to say. Too many notes will be awkward and make the interview seem forced.
Pro Tip: You won’t want to have detailed notes, but you will want to have a few questions jotted down so you are prepared. You may even include some stats or competitor notes that you saw in your research.
Don’t feel like you need to rush into answers. Give yourself a second or two to breathe before answering the questions. Not only will the short pause give you a second to organize your thoughts, it will ensure you aren’t cutting in on top of the interviewer.
Remember, when you are nervous, you are more likely to go faster than when you are comfortable, so slow it down!
10. Be yourself
You want to come across as genuine and authentic during an interview. This is your opportunity to express yourself off paper. Your resume already got your foot in the door, now you get to show who you are as an individual.
Being overly stiff is a pretty common response to nerves. Try to loosen up your mindset and take cues from your interviewer. When you choose your outfit for the meeting, for example, try to dress professionally without squashing your personal style.
Pro Tip: Knowing who you are as a professional is really important. Stop and think deeply about your personal strengths, weaknesses and traits.
You can even make a list ahead of time to get your thoughts organized. These are likely going to be questions asked during the interview anyways.
When you have a better feel for what you want to communicate, you’ll be better enabled to let your strengths naturally shine through.
Bonus Tip
Bottom line: Don’t stress too much! Online Interviews are commonly used in the first round of candidate interviews because they save the company time and money.
They help level the playing field for applicants. The good news is that there is (more than likely) going to be an in-person interview in the next round, giving you the chance to meet your prospective employer in person.