There’s a high chance that your next interview is going to be online in the era of proliferating remote work. Knowing how to shine in front of the webcam will be critical in getting the job.
But this poses a challenge for applicants who are used to the standard face to face interviews. Thusly, online education platform FutureLearn has shared a few helpful tips on how to prepare for an online interview.
Conventional interview wisdom still applies: dress professionally, research the company, know your interviewer, and prepare a list of questions. The difference now is that the applicant must also control the interview environment and tweak their communication style for online meetings.
Some helpful tips:
- Remove distractions: structure the background to avoid distracting the interviewer. Ask other household members to hush-hush during the interview.
- Use good gear and set the mood: Situate the webcam in a bright room, make sure the face is well lit. Use a good microphone and stop all downloads prior to joining the interview to ensure a good connection.
- Use aids: Put up the resume, portfolio, and question list on the monitor. Glance at them sporadically and don’t become fixated on them. It’s also important to remember that when trying to establish eye contact, look into the webcam, not at the screen.
- Use your head, literally: Body language is a key part of communication, remote or otherwise. Now that the interviewer will likely only see your face, nod and give appropriate facial expressions to show that you’re engaged.
- Be prepared to present and take tests: the interviewer may only have the resume on hand. Be prepared to present previous projects and work experiences from the local machine. Conversely, the interviewer may administer tests during the interview, prepare to take those as well.