How To Best Prepare For A Successful Virtual Interview
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room:
Your job.
Were you furloughed? Let go? Working from home? Having second thoughts in the direction of your career? However Covid-19 affected your job status, you are not along in experiencing changes in your work environment. The good news is, you’re a strong bad ass woman who won’t let a shift shake your hustle. The other piece of good news is, there are a number of companies currently hiring remote employees so if you’re on the job hunt - keep reading.
Since you most likely won’t have an in person interview, let’s chat through some tips on how you can successfully prepare to give a kick ass interview and walk into a new role with confidence.
5 Tips On How To Successfully Prepare For A Virtual Interview
Approach It As Normal
Even though a virtual interview may feel quite the opposite of normal, approaching the situation as if it was protocol will help to reduce any uneasiness you're feeling. It’s important to reset your mind into believing that all interviews are created equal, regardless of what side of the screen you are in. This mindset will help as you begin to successfully prepare to speak with your potential future employer. Remember, the only difference is physical presence and that does not take away from your hard work and qualifications.
Dress For The Job You Want
Looking the part is a crucial piece to the interview pie. When it comes to appearance, my biggest tip is to dress for the part and ensure you are set up in a neutral tidy space for the interview. If you’re baffled on what to wear, take a breathe and don’t overthink it! Whatever professional or business attire you would wear to an in person interview can also be wore for a virtual interview. You can’t go wrong with a blouse and dress pants or an appropriate dress.
Now that you’re dressed the part, let’s talk about the best place to set up shop for your interview. If you have a dedicate office space within your home then that's ideal! If not, don't sweat it. A pro tip would be to isolate yourself in a quiet area with a clean background. If you live with a spouse or roommate, make sure they are aware of your scheduled interview so they can respect your space. This applies to pets also, make sure the door is shut so they are unable to walk in and distract you during the interview.
Check Your Technology
Before your interview, make sure to take the time to check your tech. Creating a check list beforehand will ensure that you are not wasting time and energy scrambling last minute. A few items I suggest double checking before your interview:
- ensuring your internet is connected and running to it's full capacity
- downloading the latest version of any computer or application software
- have your headphones nearby and ready to use
- that all your necessary devices are charged and or have access to be plugged in if need be
- confirming that your webcam and microphone are working properly
Maintain Good Eye Contact
Ok before you go jumping to the next tip, stick with me here because this is key! Whether you are having an in person interview or a virtual interview, maintaining eye contact is of the utmost importance. If you don't have a lot of experience with webcam or virtual meetings then take note that it will make all the difference if you look into the webcam rather than at the screen itself. Why? Well, by maintaining eye contact with the webcam it will translate that you looking at the interviewer rather then if you are fixated on the screen itself it can appear as if you are looking down which would not be proper interview etiquette. Before your interview, virtually practice with a family member or friend on the other side to ensure you feel confident.
Do Your Research
Before jumping into an interview make sure you have dotted your I' and crossed your T's when it comes to research. You can never be too over-prepared so do your due diligence beforehand so you feel confident enough to rock your virtual interview.
Not sure where to start? Here are three research stepping stones:
- write down a list of questions or notes ahead of time
- understand the role and requirements you are interviewing for
- take the time to research the company's culture, foundation and CEO
Be Yourself
No, I’m not trying to sound like a Pinterest quote but being yourself is crucial to having a successful interview. So while you want to pull out all the stops to land the job but don't let your nerves get in the way of your showing your true colors. The employer is looking to get to know you so show them what you got.
Good luck sis!
I know you’ll do great : )
DM me if you need a pep talk beforehand, I got you covered!
