How to Ace Virtual interviews

We have been privy to quite a few changes in the last four months that have shook the foundations of quite a few economies worldwide. Now, while these situations are not completely new since isolated threats through newer forms of viruses and bacteria have always seemed to have existed, the new virus situation has increased to become a pandemic. In a world, that was moving faster towards globalization and gaps between places and people was just a namesake, this did cause a lot of problems. Between, all of this was the world of employment. Over a period of time we have witnessed urbanization and a shift towards cities for employment becoming a reality. While Tier 1 cities in India, continued to hold a pivotal place in businesses, Tier 2 and 3 cities too started demonstrating the eagerness to come up the curve.

We have in the past few decades witnessed a surge in employment activity and with the country boasting of the most employable aged workforce. The preferred mode of interview to source talent, was in person interviews, barring a few companies that have been conducting virtual interviews. The nuances of cracking these interviews is not something people are very familiar with. I have compile a few of these best practices to help you ace your virtual interviews -

Prior to the interview 

• Take print outs of the job description and a copy of your resume. If possible get the interviewer’s phone number, in case you get disconnected and need to call the interviewer back.
• Keep a pen and paper handy to make additional notes. In case you are required to write/demonstrate something check the features of white boarding within the tool being used for the interview. 
• Ensure you have visited the washroom, kept yourself well hydrated to avoid any such adventures during the interviews
• Dress for an in-person interview. Wearing professional clothing can change the way you act. Keep in mind that some clothing details may not look good on screen. 
• Join 15 minutes before the scheduled call time in case you are called earlier than expected. Make sure the room is well-lit and that the area in view of the camera does not have anything in it that you do not want an employer to see. 
• Familiarize yourself with the mode of interview (Skype, Webex, Zoom etc) features in advance, enter your name. Make sure your headphones are securely in the jack, and that your Ethernet cable is connected for extra security in case your wireless connection fades out. 
• Test you connectivity well before the meeting and have a back up ready, find a quiet place where you can speak at a reasonable volume. Use a landline for phone interviews if at all possible. The sound quality will be better than on a cell phone. If you have kids/pets, try and still be at a place where their background noises/sporadic appearances can be avoided.
• Ensure that you turn off all programs that might pop up with an alert, such as email or instant messaging. 

During the Interview

• Answer the incoming call with your name and with a smile if it is a telephonic interview. For video interviews, introduce yourself with a smile when the panel joins. This lets the interviewer know they have the right number and person. 
• Pay attention to your body language and sit up straight as your voice will project better. Do not be afraid to use your hands to be expressive, if that is normal for you. However ensure you do not do the magician's wave or hynotic hand movements. If you are using video interviews, look directly at the camera and lean in slightly towards it, to convey interest.
• Don't make disappearances from the video and try to avoid appearing confused. If you are unsure about something, it is still advisable to say you are not certain about the answer (Basic interview rules never change)
• Pause a second or two longer than you normally would before answering a question to make sure the interviewer has stopped speaking. That way, if there is a lag, you can avoid interrupting the interviewer. 
• Interviews sometime tend to really go long, however please avoid breathing into the equipment and eating/drinking during the same (Use Mute wisely)
• Common courtesy and the May and Please never go out of fashion, so ensure you use them wherever required.
• At the end of the interview, tell them you would appreciate the opportunity to meet in person. 

After the Interview

Good practice to check in on the status and if possible drop a note to thank the interviewer for the time and communicate to them you look forward to the opportunity to meet in person.

Note that while your overall knowledge and exposure will be the one that will finally win you the day, it is important to learn to ace these interviews too that really mimic your presence in person during the interview. Happy Interviewing!