Ensuring a successful virtual interview
Tahlia • Jan 23, 2022

Ensuring a successful virtual interview


A virtual interview, or video interview, can be an effective way to demonstrate your skills to a potential employer.


With many more of us working from home more frequently, employers have taken to doing many virtual interviews. We don’t see this changing much moving forward. Perhaps the first interview will always be virtual?


It can also save time and money by allowing you to interview from your home or office rather than having to travel to their location to complete the face-to-face interview process.


To make sure you put your best foot forward here are some tips on how to conduct a successful virtual interview that will impress your prospective employer, while helping you secure the job offer you desire.


Log In & Connect Before Time


It’s important to be logged in before your interview starts. For virtual interviews, you need extra time to get set up: if you’re using a laptop, plug it in and make sure it’s charged. If you’re using your phone (which really should be avoided where you can), go someplace with excellent reception, ensure you have sufficient battery, and set it up somewhere stable so you don’t have to hold the phone in your hand. You need to take every precaution to ensure there are no technical glitches when you go live.


Have a Plan B


While there’s no harm in trying to plan out every detail of your interview, remember that you should always have a Plan B. Conduct your interview in a quiet room with minimal outside distractions. If something does go wrong and you need to reschedule or cancel, give plenty of notice.


Eat Before Going On


When you’re going to have a video interview, you should eat something before. This can help with your energy levels and make it easier to be more engaged. And if you’re someone who gets nervous or jittery when speaking to people, food can help keep your mind off that so that you stay on topic and don’t ramble aimlessly. Do not eat during the interview! (yes, it has happened)


Go to a Quiet Area Before Time


If you plan to video chat, make sure to go to a quiet area before your interview. Before we recommend you turn off your phone, put on some music, and practice taking deep breaths to relax and be at ease. You want to look natural and calm during your interview, not nervous or fidgety. If you have trouble staying still, get up and walk around a bit before chatting with your potential employer.


Dress Well for The Occasion


It’s important to dress well for your virtual interview. Although you might feel more comfortable in shorts and a t-shirt, hiring managers have been known to reject candidates who don’t take care of their appearance. You’re presenting yourself to a new person who you want to hire you, so do it well.


Make sure your Internet is working well before Time


If you’re in an area with poor internet, take care of that problem before your big interview. Test it out by logging into your social media accounts and surfing around. If you find any problems, get that sorted before your big day. There’s nothing worse than getting to an interview and finding that your internet isn’t working (or isn’t working well enough). It’s better to be safe than sorry—fix all known problems beforehand.


Test Your Microphone is Working Well before Time


You should do some test calls before it’s time to do your real interview. You don’t want to go on and then realise that your microphone is not working. This will make you uncomfortable, self-conscious, distracted and it may ruin your whole performance.


Use Headphones/Earphones If Needed


You should also make sure you test your earphones beforehand and learn how to mute yourself if need be; nothing could ruin a good interview faster than hearing crickets. This way you can ensure you hear you interviewer properly.


Be Confident


It’s okay to be nervous, but don’t let your nerves get in your way. The interview is going to feel as realistic as possible. Just go in with confidence and you’ll do great! Researching the company and the interviewer will give you an idea of who they are, what they want and how they operate. You also want to show that you really want to work there. By doing research, showing enthusiasm, and perhaps asking about something local, shows you’re interested and you’ve prepared which can make all the difference during interviews.


Have Questions Ready


Hiring managers will probably ask some variation of ‘Why are you interested in working here?’ The best way to impress your interviewer is to have specific questions prepared in advance. Find out as much as you can about the company, its mission, and its culture before your interview. If there are any particular programs or activities you’re especially interested in, bring them up—you’ll show that you did your research and would be excited to be part of something big.


Relax And Smile While Doing The Video Interview


At the end of the day, do the best you can when presenting yourself and that includes sitting up straight and relaxing your shoulders. Especially if you’re using a laptop for your interview. Keep your camera on throughout the interview and look directly at your interviewer (not yourself).


Speak Clearly To The Person On The Other End


Face-to-face communication is always best, but if you find yourself in a virtual interview, speak clearly and distinctly into your computer’s microphone. Don’t mumble or “um” or “like”. Doing so may make it harder for your interviewer to understand you—and appear unprofessional.


The bottom line is, do the best you can under the circumstances. That’s all an interviewer can ask for.


“One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.” — Arthur Ashe

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