How to Prepare for Your Remote Interview
Are you preparing for a remote job interview and feeling worried it may be trickier to determine whether the opportunity’s right for you? Let’s face it. When interviewing remotely, there’s no chance of visiting the company’s offices, meeting your would-be teammates in the flesh, and getting a feel for the company’s culture as a whole.
That said, I think it’s more than feasible to ascertain whether the opportunity is fitting for you if you’re interviewing remotely, as I’ll explain in this article. I’ll help you learn practical techniques, including how to ask the interviewer appropriate questions, how to decipher their body language, and how to asses the company’s online presence before the interview.
Is this job really right for me?
There’s always loads to mull over when deciding if a job opportunity is suitable for you, whether you’re interviewing face-to-face or remotely. I recommend asking yourself the following questions:
While all of the above is critical, at the end of the day, I think your intuition is your friend here and will guide you. That ‘gut feeling’ will sway you when it comes to deciding whether or not the job’s right for you. And naturally, it’s a lot more straightforward for that instinct to take effect when you’re interviewing in person.
Five ways to determine if a job’s right
I bet lots of you ask yourself the following: how do I know if a job is truly the right one for me when interviewing from home? Check out my thoughts on this below:
1.???Do some pre-remote-interview research
You can unearth a lot about a company by reviewing what language it uses in job adverts. So I suggest researching the sort of language the company uses – is it calm, user-friendly, and inclusive? Does the company use the first or second person? Are the language and imagery it uses diverse? Does it point out the job responsibilities succinctly and directly?
I also advise that you understand job descriptions, as this can help build a clearer picture of the job than you may think. And don’t forget to evaluate the company’s website – it’ll give away more information on its purpose and vision. From here, I think you’ll be able to see how well these fit with your values – in the same way you would before an in-person interview. I recommend checking out its YouTube channel as well, as a lot of companies produce videos to give would-be staff a sneak peek of what it’s like to be a part of it.
And did you know? You can head over to Glassdoor and read company reviews on here, as well as on Google News for any up-to-date reportage. So, as well as browsing the company’s social media profiles, I advocate taking a look at current workers on LinkedIn – this may give you an insight into the company culture.
When your hiring manager or recruiter emails over any company documents – whether that’s reports, articles, or other such material – before the remote interview, make sure you read them. By doing this, you’ll gain a glimpse into what the company’s key focuses and values are. For instance, the organisation may have publicised a new pledge to inclusion and diversity.
Alternatively, it may have distributed an account of today’s industry. Usually, you’ll find these pieces of information on a company’s website, so don’t miss out on scrolling through to scrutinise its purpose and vision.
2.???Ascertain the company’s culture when interviewing remotely?
Often, your prospective employer will send you some short footage filmed by staff about their role, experience, and expertise of working at the company or ask you to join them on a virtual office tour.
What’s more, the company may offer you virtual introductory meetings with your potential boss and teammates. Ask your recruiter if these aren’t apparent or available immediately during the interview process. I think this will give you more of an idea about what it’s like to work there and gain an insight into what the office atmosphere is like, on those projects, with your colleagues – then evaluate whether all of this works for you.
While on your remote job interview, keep an eye out for other company culture giveaways. What can you find out about the interviewer’s environment or background when being interviewed that may suggest it’s a great place to work? Is there?anything?that can shed some light on what sort of person your would-be manager will be? If they’re office-based, what’s the branding and design like? And if there’s home-based, can you hear or see children, indicating they may be easy-going and flexible?
3.???It’s a two-way process
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Be sure to ask the interviewer the appropriate questions. And who said interviews are just for the interviewers? Whether they’re carried out remotely or in person, it’s a mutual, shared process. Rather than an interview being an opportunity to find out more about your aptness for a job, I think it also gives you a chance to ascertain whether the job’s appropriate for you.
So, your questions to the interviewer and the answers they give, particularly during a remote interview, are incredibly valuable when it comes to deciding whether the role is right for you or not.
To give you a better idea of what it would be like to work there, don’t be afraid to ask specific questions about your new position, colleagues, interviewer, organisation, and development and learning prospects.
Some of the questions to ask your interviewer include:
Another thing I feel is worth bearing in mind during the remote interview is COVID-19-related questions. I suggest asking about things like, “Is there support when working from home or as part of a hybrid team?” and “What have you learned from the pandemic so far, from a leadership and business perspective?”
I think questions such as these will help you ascertain how the company works during the pandemic, their reaction, and whether or not you’d have been happy to be a part of the team during any shifts and changes related to COVID-19.
The interviewer’s answers will enable you to understand whether you’re a good fit for the company. For instance, if the company reveals it’s ‘results-driven’, does this signify you could be punished for missing a target or deadline, or even a mistake?
Here's a quick interview checklist you can try:
4.???Study the interviewer’s body language
I don’t think isn’t as easy to read an interviewer’s body language as easily when interviewing remotely as it is in person. But I don’t think it’s impossible. You’ll be able to see what the interviewer’s posture is like when you’re talking and whether they’re smiling. Do they have their arms open or crossed? Their vocal pitch and gestures can say a lot about how enthusiastic they are about you, as an applicant.
By doing this, you’re checking in on the importance from their viewpoint of what you’re saying. You may have a better understanding of how well your views, personality, and ideas marry up with the interviewer’s, not to mention the company.
And I can’t stress the importance of making sure your space is well-lit, and placing post-it notes of a smiley face above the camera to remind you to smile throughout your remote job interview.
5.???Interview reflection?
Lastly, think about how the remote interview, from beginning to end, was handled. Were you, as the candidate, at the heart of the process? Has feedback and communication been in-depth and speedy? How organised is the company? All of this, I think, coupled with your experience and know-how of the organisation up to the present time, will reveal whether the company’s culture is right for you.
Don’t think that just because your interview is happening remotely, you can’t find everything required to ascertain whether an opportunity is right for you. I hope that by following these five steps, you’ll realise this, too.
Contact us
As well as finding you your dream job, at Market Talent, we can give you one-to-one help and advice to help you practice your interviewing techniques. Give us a call on?020 7971 7700?or email us at?[email protected].
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