The recent pandemic has increased the popularity of remote interviews and applications at great companies worldwide, which might seem like a great opportunity for people who often miss their interviews because of tardiness.
However, virtual interviews are not all fun and games; they have their negative points, which can significantly affect your chances of acing the interview.
Virtual interviews can be hard for both the candidate and the interviewer. A lot can go wrong in a virtual interview, from forgetting to unmute your microphone to having an unstable internet connection.
This article has highlighted various virtual job interview tips that can help both the candidate and the employer. And help you master the art of remote interviews to get selected in a good web development company or any other prestigious position you’re applying for!
So without further ado, let us get to it!
What is a Virtual Interview?
Virtual interviews are remote interviews that take place via phone call or video call rather than the typical face-to-face meeting. Covid-19 has increased the popularity of virtual interviews, and they might become the new method of holding interviews even post-pandemic.
Such interviews take place in a similar way the face-to-face interviews are conducted; however, both the candidate and interviewer have to make certain adjustments to make up for the limited ability to read the person’s body language and facial expressions.
The recent popularity of remote interviews has forced both the employees and candidates to perfect the art of the virtual interview process. Below we have mentioned virtual job interview tips for both the candidate and the employee.
Virtual Interview Tips
We have divided this heading into two-part that talk about the virtual interview tips for the candidates, and the other part talks about virtual interview tips for the employers. This way, it will be easier to understand for both parties.
Virtual Interview Tips For Candidates
1- Test Your Technology Beforehand
A virtual interview requires a few things, a computer, a good webcam, a clear microphone, and a stable internet connection. Make sure you have all of these in perfect working conditions beforehand to save yourself the embarrassment and chances of failing the interview because of the poor technology.
Ensuring that you have a reliable internet connection is essential. A lagging video or disappearing in the middle of the interview as your signals were disturbed does not leave a good first impression on the interviewer. A few minutes before your interview, make sure everything is in a workable condition, and the internet is working effectively. It is always best to have a backup internet plan.
Moreover, you can also check different background options to ensure that you’re well-prepped for the interview.
2- Have a Clean and Well-Lighted Space
In a traditional interview, you can charm your way by your overall attire or infuse conversations that speak about your uniqueness; however, in virtual interviews, you have less chance of captivating the interviewer this way. However, the space around you can set up an impression on your recruiter.
For this, it is best to find a spot at your place that is minimal and clean. Having a cluttered background can distract your interviewer’s attention from you. You can even opt to have virtual backgrounds of an office setting or quiet cafes. This can help you when you cannot find a suitable environment around you.
Moreover, the lighting plays a major role in your interview. Bad lighting can ruin the quality of your video. The interviewers will face difficulty studying your body language and having a cool light around you rather than a warm set in a modern, clearer, and bright space, which 95% of the interviewers appreciate.
3- Be in Your Best Attire
People often do not put any effort into their dressing while giving a virtual interview; however, it is always the best advice to make an effort to look good for a virtual interview. This helps you appear professional and can also help raise your confidence and make you feel more prepared.
Even though the interview would be through the screen, your recruiter can still see half of you, so even though you choose to be in your pajamas, you should still make an effort to look professional from the top. This will tell the interviewer that you know how to maintain professionalism.
4- Keep Your Notes Accessible
It is always a great idea to keep your notes accessible so that you can refer to them during your interview without making it obvious. You can also research the company’s services and make notes about them.
Always keep the points you want to make highlighted to refer to them quickly. The most unnerving question for the candidates is when the interviewer asks for their best work. In such cases, if you have your impactful work in strong bullet points in front of you, it will be easier for you to share.
However, it is essential to be discreet about the notes. Most of the time, candidates fail their interviews as they make their notes reading obvious. For this reason, it is important not to keep more than one page of notes. And only refer to your notes occasionally and remind yourself about the important points.
5- Minimize Possible Distractions
The best place to give an interview is at your home or other quiet locations where there are few or no distractions. Try to find a clean and professional site so that the only focal point is you and not your surroundings.
At times, various uncontrollable distractions might disturb your interviews, such as the ringing of the phone or the cars passing by. You can keep your phone on silent or in another room and keep the room windows closed.
6- Speak Loudly and Clearly
In certain cases, the interviews fail because your interviewer cannot listen to what you are saying properly. In face-to-face interviews, the interviewer can easily hear your words; however, it is difficult to hear someone over the internet in virtual interviews.
Hence it is important to speak loud and clear so that your recruiter and properly hear your answers. This will make you appear more professional and confident.
Virtual Interview Tips For Employers
1- Provide Instructions for Using the Video Conferencing Platform
As an employer, it is essential to understand that any video conferencing platform you provide to your candidate might not be what your candidate is familiar with. Even if the platform is easy to use or very popular, like Zoom, Skype, or Google Hangouts, the interviewer might be from a remote place that your candidate might not be familiar with.
Hence it is essential to provide your candidate with a list of instructions about how the interview would be carried out and the instructions related to the platform it would be held on. Provide step-by-step instructions to the candidate so that the interview goes smoothly without any complications.
2- Schedule More Time for the Meeting
It is essential to schedule more time on your hand for a virtual interview than you typically would for a personal interview. Virtual interviews are often as any technical issue can arise. The candidate can answer longer answers as it is difficult to read the other person’s body language over a video call. Hence, remote interviews can go for a longer time than personal interviews.
3- Perform a Video Interview Test Run
Having a technical difficulty while conducting a virtual interview can negatively reflect your company and make you look less professional. To achieve an effective interview, it is essential to prepare beforehand for your interview. Ensure that you have a stable internet connection and no technical issues.
Make sure you understand the platform you will be interviewing on and understand all the technicalities of the platform. If you want to share your screen with the candidate, make sure that you know how to do so before the interview.
4- Prepare Your Questions Beforehand
It might sound surprising to some people, but the interviewer needs to practice beforehand just as much as it is for the candidate to practice before an interview. The employer can not expect to just wing and interview. It is essential to prepare the questions beforehand and keep track of them throughout the interview to ensure the candidate has answered them.
Remember that you are representing your company, and you do not want to scare a good potential worker for your company. Hence preparing in advance will help you appear more professional and confident.
Moreover, it is best to start your interview with icebreaking questions rather than directly jumping into the tough questions. This will make the candidate feel more at ease; remember that virtual interviews are just as tough as face-to-face ones.
5- Appear as Professional as You Would in Person
Virtual interviews are different from traditional real-life interviews; however, it is essential to conduct the interview the same way you would face-to-face. Even though the candidate can only see your top half, it is necessary to appear professional and dress accordingly as it will leave a good impression about the company on the candidate.
Keep the interview engaging and maintain eye contact during the video interview. The tip is to look into your webcam and not at the screen. Moreover, use hand gestures as the candidate would not be able to see your body language; instead, the hand gestures you use will help you appear more professional.
Are Virtual Interviews Easier?
Virtual Interviews bring in a lot of opportunities for people who cannot make it to the interview because of serval reasons, like leaving far away from the interview place. However, this does not mean that virtual interviews are more accessible.
In fact, according to a study, about 62 percent of American adults say that they prefer in-person interviews rather than virtual ones. Person interviews give them more opportunity to judge the company they are applying to and its environment. Moreover, they are afraid that remote interviews limit the connection they can make with the interviewer.
Similarly, the employees are also afraid that the virtual interviews limit the ability to get an insight into the candidate. Companies are asking for guidance on running an effective virtual interview.
However, with effective methods and proper guidance, remote interviews can be a blessing by saving time and giving more people a chance to apply for the job.
The Bottom Line
Whether in person or virtual, job interviews are unnerving for a person. However, a person can easily ace the interview with the right tips and effective methods and researching about the services of the company. The key is to appear as professional and confident as possible to charm either the employer or the candidate.
