We’re all understand that virtual or online interview has been a thing for quite some time, even before the COVID-19 pandemic began. It’s simple, flexible, time-saving, and cost-efficient; for both job seekers and recruiters. Even though some of them still require in-person interviews for some parts of the hiring process, or for some specific roles, virtual/online interviews will likely be staying around for a while.
Now, whether this is your first time doing a Zoom or Google Meet interview, or you have been doing it for quite some time already, HubbedIn Singapore laid out a few tips on how to help you nail your online interviews.
Remember, being well prepared is the name of the game here.
1. Do Some Research on The Company
Some of you probably just keep applying for jobs that match your skills and/or your recent roles, but it’s always better to learn a thing or two about the company you’re applying jobs to (especially if they already invited you to an interview).
See their websites, LinkedIn profile, or even check out their Wikipedia page if they have one. Take notes on what their main businesses are, what is the direction and main targets of their business, who is the leader or the members of the working group of the job that you’re applying to. From a recruiters’ or users’ perspective, it’s always nice to interview someone who at least know a bit about their business.
Just play it cool and humble, though. Avoid the all-knowing attitude.
2. Prepare Your Portfolio
During an in-person interview, you can submit or bring in your portfolios with you. But during online interviews, you should prepare the digital files in your computer, just in case they ask you for it. Most of the time, you already submitted the files, or give the download link when you first submitted the application.
If you already have the files with you, you won’t have to look for it and take more time to make it presentable. It’ll save you more time when they ask you to show and describe your previous work experience.
3. Practice Speaking
Most of the time you won’t know how many people will be in the same room interviewing you, even when it’s online. The pressure it brings will be different as well. To avoid any awkwardness, it’s always better to practice your speaking skills. You can try to run a simulation interview with a friend, or with your partner, or practice speaking in front of a mirror by yourself is also very helping to improve your skill.
The point is, not only you need to get used to make a speech or a presentation in front of people, but also to receive their feedbacks and then provide responds. It’s not that difficult eventually, it surely takes time build up your confidence.
4. Prepare a Q&A list
Talking about receiving feedbacks and providing responds, it’s also better if you already have a list of prepared answers for them, so you won’t be blank out if they ask you something.
Preparing a list of questions for your recruiters are also quite helpful. When they allow you to ask them questions (usually at the end of the interview), you can start asking related with the job you’re applying. Things like, working hour schedule, work allocation between team members, office/work culture, career path, the exact goals of the business, company projections on the long run, etc.
It can help the recruiters to recognize your eagerness, knowledge of the business as a whole, and potential contributions to the company.
5. Choose a Quiet Place
Find a peaceful spot with proper lighting somewhere in your home, or in a coffee shop maybe, to have your online interview. Having a noise from outside is annoying for both the recruiters and you. One can be in a moment of explaining something important, while the other one can’t hear anything due to the noise.
6. Dress Well, Be Punctual
Another rule applies for both in-person and online interview; you need to dress well and also be punctual. Imagine if you’re a senior recruiter, already dressed for a meeting and login on time, and then a candidate shows up with loose T-shirt, and 10 minutes late. Not really a good picture, right?
7. Pay Attention to Body Language
This one is a tricky part, by paying attention to the opponent’s body language (even during an online interview, unless both parties are off camera), you can see whether the recruiters is being uncomfortable with you; be it because your speaking duration has gone on too long, or you misinterpret the questions and provide the wrong answers.
It’s always better to time your presentation, and let the recruiters ask again if they need more details from your explanation. 7-10 minutes is sufficient for a presentation. Sometimes they even tell you in the beginning how much time you have for the presentation.
If you think you don’t get the questions right, and worry you might answer it wrong and waste time for both of you, you can always ask the recruiters to repeat or elaborate their questions. Most of the time you know the exact answers already, but since you heard the questions wrong, you ended up give the wrong responds.
8. Be Yourself
The more important thing you can do is to be yourself. Don’t pretend you know something just because the recruiters mentioned about it (or because the company’s website wrote it so), while in fact you don’t. If you know only a certain part of a tool, or only working partly on some projects, then say so. Many good recruiters and users would give you the opportunity to explore more and hire you eventually, rather than to dismiss your application right away because you don’t know the whole thing about it.
Be humble, don’t pretend to be someone you’re not, and don’t exaggerate things.
9. Follow up with a Thank You E-mail
Lastly, whether you got the job or not at then, it’s better to send a Thank You E-mail to the recruiters after your interview. Let them know that you’re grateful for their time and you’re available if they want to have further discussions about the job application. And that’s it.
Those are the tips we have for you to try. Be confident, and good luck!
