Virtual interviews. How to prepare successfully.

With virtual interviewing quickly becoming the new norm for businesses to meet and select their future employees, it’s important that job seekers feel confident when preparing for this new way of interviewing for their dream job. I recently discussed the topic with Natalie White, an experienced Head of People within the Technology space, who gave her honest account of both the obvious must-do’s and the personal pointers to tick off before sitting down in front of your computer screen.

 

Obvious:

·      Check and double check the link/zoom address ahead of the call to make sure everything is working ok – classic false start!

·      Make sure you have a good internet connection!! Nothing is more frustrating for you or the interviewer if you’re mid-flow on the answer/question you’ve perfected over the last few days only to be thwarted by Sandra catching up on her favourite Netflix series next door!

·      Check your angles! Natural light is great but if you’re sat in front of a window, make sure your interviewer is able to see you

·      Get comfortable with video interviewing before your interview. It’s not a natural state for us to see ourselves on camera but the more you do it, the less conscious you become

·      Look smart! This is an interview after all…

Personal:

·      Video interviewing takes away the ability to read body language as easily as you might being in front of someone (this speaks for both sides). I always try to find out a little more about the person if I can in terms of their interests outside of work. This is a great way to build rapport that could be missing due to the remote interview. Equally, picking something that you might have both encountered in your careers/shared connections or companies are a good hook to start a richer conversation.

·      Do your research as with any other interview. Just because the environmental circumstances may be different for us all at the moment, this shouldn’t make you any less prepared or relaxed on your pre-interview prep.

·      If I’m not 100% sure I entirely understand the business I’m interviewing at (for HR people this could be an IT or Finance or Tech company that may be a little tricky to fully wrap our minds around). A good source for me is looking at case studies they may have on their website or LinkedIn profile. This is a great way to put their offering into context and also gives you insight into why their clients choose to work with them and not a competitor.

·      Lastly, these are very challenging times we’re going through, just remember your interviewer is also experiencing the same thing. I’m a great believer that humour can go a long way and also gives a human element to the interview.

Preparation is key for all interviews but the above should give you a great guide to the added extras you must consider in order to have a successful virtual interview and remember, 55% of communication is body language! 

Skip to content