What are the best practices for acing phone, video, and online interviews?

I always found it helpful to simulate interviews beforehand. That is, to run through all the technical processes with a friend. Then you develop a sense of where there are still problems, can fix them and get the necessary security.

There is such a thing as background bias, so please pay attention to it! AVOID taking any calls for an interview or networking conversation in your bedroom! Opt for a background with books or even a living room or den where it's more buttoned up. AVOID any messes including laundry to fold or a kitchen that's filled with dishes or left over meals. We're well past the Covid panacea where there was greater allowance for stray debris. You want the focus to be on you and what you have to say. Lastly, make sure the light is NOT behind you. It makes it hard for the viewer to see you clearly. These small and easy adjustments can make or break a conversation. Use every tool in your toolbox to put yourself in the best light!

Listen to some relaxing music and calm your nerves before the interview. Always keep a glass of water handy, incase of sudden dry throat or cough. Keep your resume handy but don’t memorise your answer rather think of conversational points.

Two things I always ask: - what the dress code for their interviews are. - what are the on camera requirements are. Everyone on? Only the interviewer and the candidate?

? Check the camera in advance to ensure the angle is at the same height as the top of your head, rather than looking up from below (avoid looking up the nostrils). People look better when the camera looks down on them. This position will also help your posture remain upright. ? Check your microphone to ensure it works, and that the sound is normal and not hollow or tinny. ? Place lights to shine on the face – not from behind the head. Lights placed behind the head will often cause a halo effect or completely wash out the video, preventing the interviewer from seeing the candidate. Check lighting and sound way in advance of the interview day.

As a Career Transition Coach, I always advise my clients to go to the company linkedin page and look at what they recently posted. This tells us a lot about the company’s current initiatives that we can also discuss in the interview. In addition, check out the career path of the individuals you are interviewing with - try to find any point of connection or overlap with your own career you can bring up in conversation during the j review - maybe even a shared interest!

Familiarize yourself with the company's history, values, and recent news. This will help you demonstrate your genuine interest during the interview.

You've begun the process of researching the position by writing a tailored resume. You're almost halfway there. Continue the effort to land the job by doing more research on the position, as well as the company and interviewer/s. Interviewers are looking for more than candidates who have the skills and experience for the job; they're looking for candidates who have a sincere interest in working for their company. Can you imagine holding a party knowing that half the guest don't want to be there? It's similar to interviewers who get the sense that a candidate has no interest in the company. When you ask the interviewer/s questions, always lead with something like, "Having researched the companies culture, I'd like to know more about it."

A seasoned interviewer can tell as much about a candidate from the answers they give as to the questions they ask. Your questions should be part of the dialogue, but when asked if you have questions, make sure you have some to ask, rather than saying you have none. Ideally, your questions should stimulate open-ended conversations with employers.

These comments could not be more spot on, preparation, whether an interview or formal presentation, preparation is the single most important thing we can do, and it has the added benefit of making people more comfortable, and at ease. Our stress level goes up geometrically when we know we’re not prepared.

Practice, practice, practice. And do not wait until you have had an interview request. There are NO NEW interview questions. Practicing should be part of your weekly job searching routine. Prepare in advance!

Too many candidates forget about vocal tonality. Low vocal tones force the listener to lean in and higher ones convey enthusiasm. You want to vary them. Why? It bodes well for your ability to move your audience and you may be presenting to a large team or even the board. The last thing you want to do is put them to sleep or come across as too aggressive. Confident yes, but not in your face. And please, please watch out for the dreaded filler words: Ums, you knows, you get it, "like" and the like are verbal crutches we have, but diminish our impact. They are removable by simply pausing. It may take time but so worth it! What you say and how you say it happens in a short window -- fill it with what gets remembered for its value.

Even if it is a telephone interview, remember to smile. It warms your voice so you come across as someone who is more friendly and approachable. Talk 10% louder as this also helps to convey your personality. These are proven techniques which I teach to my career coaching clients to use every time they go for interview.

Before your interview, think of a few challenges you've overcome, as you will likely be asked some form of this question. The STAR method is a great template you can use to keep your story on track. Break down your thought process during the challenge and explain what it took to solve the problem. If possible, relate how a similar thought process could apply to the role you’re applying for. Showcase your ability to handle tough situations and adapt when needed.

The STAR method can be intimidating for even the most qualified candidates. Often, the STAR "question" being asked is really a series of questions related to a situation or task. While the STAR process can be helpful in digging into candidate experiences, the associated questions can be lengthy. As a candidate, take notes to help you remember the entirety of the question or scenario presented. Don't hesitate to ask for clarification, and it's absolutely ok to briefly pause and think. One other thought - nodding to show engagement can be great, but it can also make you look a bit like a bobble head. It's all about balance.

Not talking over the interviewers is huge in terms of etiquette. Personally, I get offended when people talk over me. It's a sign of disrespect. It says, "My opinions are more important than yours." So, imagine how an interviewer will feel if you do the same. They won't be impressed; they'll be offended.

The most likely question you will get at the start will be something like; "What made you apply for this job?" or"Tell us your understanding of this job and why you are a good fit for it?" The key element here apart from showing you understand the role is to showcase your motivation. In other words, you need to connect it with your story to date. Stats and stories are a great way to do this so you connect with both the interviewer's heart and their head. The aim is to be appropriately memorable (ie for the right reasons).

You should mail a follow-up letter within 24 hours of your interview! Ideally, it should be typed (or neatly written) and addressed to the main interviewer or the person to whom you will report. The letter should again thank them for their time and consideration and ask for the job! It should portray you as being confident and ready to meet the challenges of the position. Another objective of this letter is to demonstrate your writing ability. A written letter is generally preferable to sending an e-mail; however, based on time sensitivities, e-mail is acceptable. Send the same content as mentioned above to the hiring manager. Also, send a short thank you note to the other interviewers and address each individually.

Ask if the interviewer (s) mind if you take notes. You can have a notebook ready to the side. This will not only help you develop thoughtful questions for the end of the interview, but your notes may provide additional content for your follow-up thank you. You can also have notes off-camera prepared to help remind you of key points during the interview.

Send a thank-you email after the interview to express your appreciation for the opportunity and reiterate your interest no less than 24 hours interviews after your interview. Customize responses to each person that you interviewed with, please do not send the same copy and pasted response to everyone. Treat each thank you as its own unique opportunity!

Practice and preparation are key to performing well in any type of interview. Take the time to rehearse your responses, test your technology, and gather all necessary materials beforehand.

I tell my clients to prepare for questions you anticipate. Take it further and turn each question into a behavioral-based question. For example, if you anticipate a question like, "What's your experience in creating a social media campaign?" think about it as "Tell us how you've created a social media campaign involving Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, etc." Have your STAR stories ready. An interviewer would love to hear a response like, "I have created a social media campaign. Would you like to hear about it?" This will give more credibility to your answer.

To prepare yourself in the video or online interview: Testing - technology such as network, camera, microphone etc are all in good condition. Practice - research the company, study their goals and mission; trial run the Q&A with your friend or career mentor Reaction - listen to your interviewer questions carefully and speak clearly in a moderate pace Time Manage - be punctual and login in advance to prevent any network issue Feedback - ask questions and share your insights about the job to show enthusiasm Retrospective - do review on how you did well and log down the improvement areas for next time Relax and stay clam!

Generally, these are excellent comments. The one perspective I would add is to consider where you are in the interviewing cycle. Prep and conversation during a screening interview with HR is dramatically different than with hiring manager, or “skill checker“. Always remember you’re selling yourself. You may not be able to get the job in the first interview, but you can lose it. Also, don’t be afraid to take uncomfortable issues off the table, age, employment, history, travel tolerance, etc. These are uncomfortable items that interviewers may not, or cannot bring up formally, but will be considered. Bringing them up proactively demonstrates confidence and insight, better, they know where you stand, then speculate.

I alwasy say to my career coaching clients this is the only time in life when you effectively get given the exam answers beforehand. Look at what they want and think about what sorts of questions you would as if you were the recruiter - and what examples and answers you would want to hear to be convinced that this is the right person for the job. Good luck!