The career landscape is changing constantly, causing massive changes to the workforce. With the COVID-19 climate and the technological enhancements in recent years, remote work is more prevalent than ever before. With more remote work, comes more remote interviews as people are no longer limited to their immediate area when sourcing for the best candidate for a position. There are some differences between a traditional in-person interview and an interview conducted remotely but you can be successful with either with the right preparation. Check out these 5 easy tips as you prepare to rock your remote interview and land that next gig!
1. Dress For Success
This first one sounds too obvious, but you would be surprised how often it is overlooked! A virtual interview should not have any effect on how you dress. You should always fully dress in professional clothing as if you were going to meet the interviewer in person. Whether via video or audio only, dressing appropriately for an interview brings more confidence in your demeanor and sets the stage for a proper interview. If you are visible to your interviewer, it is even more important to ensure you look professional and show your best self. Regardless of the interview setup, dust off that suit and show up dressed for success. FYI, this includes bottoms and shoes even if you are seated. You never know when you might get up suddenly or show something you did not intend to!
2. Check Your Technology. And Then Check It Again.
The last thing you want is to have a technology failure during your interview. Prior to the day of your interview, plan to engage the technology platform with the device you will be using and ensure your practice run goes smoothly. You do not want anything technology related to distract the interviewer from the important part of your interview: YOU. I always recommend having a back up technology solution handy as well just in case something goes wrong with your first setup. Log on to the interview 15 minutes early and be sure you are as prepared as possible for anything that comes your way. Depending on the platform you are using, you can run practice sessions with Zoom or Skype to ensure your video and audio are operating smoothly.
3. Check The Background
If you will be using video for your interview, check the background to ensure it clean and professional. You want to try to find a suitable area with a clean wall, and no distractions in the background. If you are sitting at a desk, remove extraneous papers and objects and consider what can be seen by the interviewer. You do not want any personal items that may be showing to affect your interviewer’s perception of you. Clean and professional is best! Be strategic about where you can conduct the interview and make sure you have a plan for any background noises such as kids or pets.
4. Confirm Any Details Upfront
Since the interviewer may not be able to see you or your entire room, confirm all details with him/her upfront. Let the interviewer know if you will be typing notes or writing notes on paper so they are aware of why you might be looking away or using technology. If you are in a long interview or panel format, ask ahead of time how the questions will be presented or how long you will have for each question. Sometimes you cannot see all the people in the room, so it is helpful to know ahead of time what to expect with the interview format. If the speaker or interviewer will be rotating during the interview, you will want to know how things are going to operate.
5. Maintain Eye Contact
Eye contact can be tricky when it comes to remote interviews, but it is equally as crucial as in a traditional interview. Be sure you are looking into the webcam when speaking and not at the actual person on the camera. We tend to naturally look at the speaker, but this will mean you are actually looking down to your interviewer. Use a sticky note to remind yourself to look into the camera as much as you can.
Interviews are stressful no matter the format. Take out some of the stresses of your remote interview by being as prepared as possible. Cheers to the next leg of your career journey as you rock your remote interview with these 5 tips and see all the possibilities that lie ahead.
All the best,
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