If you have recently attended any interview, whether for job hunting or academic purposes, chances are the session took place virtually over Zoom, Skype or HireVue. The pandemic made remote hiring and virtual interviewing the new necessities during lockdowns - which have now turned into the new norms. Remote interviews are usually conducted much the same way as in-person interviews. That said, these interviews require interviewees to add some extra points to their preparation checklist due to the unique challenges that come with the territory of such arrangements. Here is a simple guide to help you overcome such challenges and stand out during your next virtual interview.
Learn about your potential employer
The easiest way to start things off on the right foot is to research your potential employer before the interview. You may want to scope out their website, blogs, social media accounts, recent news coverage and LinkedIn profiles of company leaders and employees. Doing this pre-work will help you to find common grounds to bring into the conversation, showing that you have a genuine interest in what the company does.
Prepare answers to the most frequently asked questions
Some of the commonly asked questions that you can expect are: "Introduce yourself. Walk me through your resume. What is your biggest weakness? What are your strengths? Why do you want to work for us? Why should we hire you? What do you know about our company? What experience do you have relevant to this position?" Prepare concise and convincing answers to such questions. Make sure these answers delineate exactly why you want and would be perfect for the role you are aiming for.
Check the hardware and software
The last thing you want during an interview session is technical snags breaking the flow of your conversation. To combat this, download and test the video meeting app with a family member or a friend couple of days in advance to get familiar with the features and settings. Make sure you have a fast and reliable Wi-Fi connection. Buy some internet data on your phone as a backup plan just in case your Wi-Fi gets disconnected.
Additionally, test your microphone speakers, headphones and sound settings to work out any kinks in the system. If your interviewer cannot hear you or you cannot hear them, it will imply that you are disorganised. Have your laptop fully charged or plugged in so that it does not run out of battery during the interview. If, despite taking all precautions, your call drops or video freezes, inform the interviewer, try to stay calm and find a solution quickly.