You have a virtual interview! Congratulations! See below useful tips to help you prepare and deliver your virtual interview as planned.
Tips on how to prepare for virtual job interviews:
1. Raise your laptop so you aren’t staring down into the camera. This can cause a goldfish in bowl effect.
2. Look into the camera, not the screen. If you struggle looking into the camera, I suggest that you put sticker note next to it and focus on the sticker rather than the camera. The interviewer will not notice this.
3. Check camera and audio well ahead of time.
4. Have a quiet location, neutral, uncluttered background, and good lighting.
5. Dress professionally even though it’s not in-person.
6. Avoid interruption by people and pets.
7. Have easily readable notes or post-its as prompt around your laptop.
8. Silence your mobile phone and close all other programs, notifications.
9. Sit upright, but relax shoulders. Smile.
10. Make sure you use your full name when enter the call.
As with in-person interviews, eye contact is essential to keep the interviewer fully engaged.
A “thank you” email 6-8 hours later, or the following day is good form.
All other rules of interview engagement apply.
Let your skills and experience shine through!
Also, whilst we are on this topic, you need to make sure you stand out. To best prepare, be mindful of these three things recruiters and hiring managers generally look for:
1 - Two way conversation
Firstly, if you interview is with a recruiter or a hiring manager then they will want to know how it is to work with you and certinatly treat a job interview as an opportunity to have a two way conversation and also assess if this place is the right for you too. Try to assess and answer if you actually want to work together and everything else should follow in its place.
2 - Let your way of thinking shine
Secondly, if you are asked a question you are not sure how to answer, then make sure you do not try to cover it up. Instead, I suggest that you demonstrate how you might think the issue through to show how you handle challenges and demonstrate that you are open to new things.
3 - Take initiative Finally, I suggest that you demonstrate you can take initiative. The best way to evidence this is to be prepared. You need to make sure you have done your research and know as much as possible about the organisation, history, current market challenges, try to do its SWOT analysis. You could also practice by role playing the interview with a friend ahead of time. This will help you notice any gaps in your knowledge. —
You can also read my blogs on how to answer 6 most easy and 6 most difficult interview questions with suggested answers to help you prepare.
As a reminder, if your virtual interviews are likely to be a competency based interview, please read my blog on how to prepare for a competency based interview HERE with top tips and tools to make sure you do land your dream job.
Do you have anything else to add that has worked for you to share with me?
If you would like a prep interview meeting, please consider booking 1:1 Upgrade Yourself | Career Coaching sessions with me which you can book HERE.
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Good luck
Sanja xx
