Be Ready to Interview Remotely

For many jobseekers this year, remote interviews will be the final hurdle before securing a dream job. If your next interview is a video interview, read on for tips on preparing your interview space, getting familiar with the tech and using your remote interview to your advantage.

Your Interview Setup

Your preference may be to have your books on display or a nice scene as your background, but for an interview we would suggest blurring or using a plain, one colour setting to reduce any distractions.

Instead? Focus on your lighting and sound. What is a familiar sound to you can be distracting or even worse overpowering for your interviewer. Also make sure any light source is in front rather than behind you. When it’s behind you, the light often makes it difficult to see you clearly. Consider switching off appliances or moving position if possible and if in any doubt, run a test video call with a friend or your recruiter.

Make the Most of Your Remote Interview

One of the challenging parts of a job interview is answering questions with concise, valuable information and including specific examples. But in a remote interview, there is an opportunity to answer questions in an innovative way that will set you apart and support your responses effectively. For examples, you could screen share:

• Your portfolio
• Reviews
• Professional website
• Projects or presentations

Remember also to have your CV to hand as well as a pen and notepad with any pre prepared or off the cuff questions or queries.

Technology

If you plan to use any of the interview aids above, ensure firstly you’ve removed any sensitive information and secondly, that you’ve tested the tech beforehand. A short practise with a friend or your recruiter could make all the difference.

Finally… Prepare, Prepare, Prepare!

Whether you’re doing the interview in person or virtually, it’s crucial that you prepare. It’s common knowledge that you need to do your homework, but few people do enough. Find out as much as possible about the company — it’s structure, its performance, its culture, its competitors. Research the industry and familiarise yourself with any trends and challenges. Make sure you take the time to  reread the job description, so that you can demonstrate you have what it takes to fill the role and practise go-to interview questions. (More on these next time)

MD Comment

“There’s no doubt Covid has massively accelerated the adoption of video technology for interviews, it’s here to stay and it’s an important skill to master. As with all interviews, preparation is a big part of success and now part of that prep has to include working through your technical environment to make sure you are comfortable with the platform or app you are using. Prep on the tech takes one hurdle out of the equation, allowing you to focus on the main event with much lower stress levels. Take this to the next level by practising your set up with your recruiter, a friend or family member so you can take advice as to how you, your lighting, background, voice and any screen shares comes across live on screen and make any adjustments accordingly. When your video interview is confirmed, get the contact telephone number of someone at the hiring company that you can call if there is a technical failure. Be on-line a few minutes before the video meeting starts – nothing worse than an interviewer starring at a blank screen waiting for you to arrive. If you have done all of the above, relax and enjoy your meeting!”