How to Successfully Prepare for Remote Interviews

Whether you’ve already had a few remote interviews or you have your first one coming up, these tips will help you to succeed in the virtual space. Our recruitment specialists are experienced in preparing individuals for remote interviews and advising clients on how to conduct them.

Prepare and research – a remote interview is no different in this regard; research the company, the individuals interviewing you and know what is currently happening in the market. Ask in advance what type of interview it will be, for example whether it will involve competency-based questions, and prepare your answers accordingly, highlighting clear examples from your past experience. Most importantly, know your CV and cover letter.

Practice Zoom calls with friends – if you are not used to using video conferencing technology or you just feel uncomfortable talking through such platforms, ask your friends or family members to join a call or two before the interview. Even if they are casual calls to talk about the football match last night or what your plans are for the weekend, you will quickly adapt to video conferencing.

Find the right space – select a room, whether it is in your house or somewhere else, that is quiet, has a good Wi-Fi connection and is clean and clutter free. Ensure you will not be disturbed by other individuals in the house and where possible, avoid rooms near busy roads or other distractions.  

Dress appropriately – whether the company has a casual dress policy or not, dress (in full) for a formal interview.

Test your equipment – whether it is your own device or you have borrowed it from a family member or friend, know how to use it. Test the sound, the connection to Wi-Fi and platform through which the interview will take place and be aware of functionality like an automatic lock screen. And don’t forget to charge the battery!

Warm up your voice – as you cannot use body language to the same effect in a remote interview, you rely on your voice to get the message across. So, it is important to warm up those vocal cords in order to speak clearly and with conviction. Try tongue twisters, humming or practicing a few aahs at different volumes.

Take deep breaths – this is an important technique to use in preparing for an interview. Take a deep breath through your nose so that your diaphragm expands, hold it for five seconds and release the breath through your mouth. Then repeat the process at least five times. Using this technique will calm the body (let’s face it, we all get a few butterflies before an interview).

Have a conversation – remember that the person speaking to you wants to get to know you. They are not trying to catch you out with trick questions, rather they want to understand your expertise, your experience and who you are as a person.

Smile and make eye contact – it's easy to forget to look at the camera when you are talking or thinking about a question in a remote interview. Remember to focus on the interview participants, keep eye contact with the individual asking you the questions and most importantly, smile!

Don’t get thrown off by other people – if you are interviewing with a panel, expect that the participants may take turns asking you questions. Pay attention to the person asking the questions and don’t get distracted by the other panel participants and what they are doing.

Exaggerate your actions – it can be difficult to gauge engagement through a remote interview, nodding and agreement phrases such as “yes, I see” are not necessarily as obvious. Make sure it is noticeable to the employer that you are listening, that you understand what is being said and get involved by asking questions or sharing your thoughts.

Go old school with a pen and paper – use a notepad to take notes about the company or to record questions you want to ask at a later stage of the conversation. Do not use note-taking functionality on your device – switching screens can be confusing and depending on the device, the keyboard may be quite loud when typing.

Don’t panic if Wi-Fi drops off – if you are doing a remote interview, chances are the interviewers are used to remote working so most likely have experienced this at some stage themselves. Try to re-connect and log back in and if that does not work, have another device nearby with mobile data and the interview login details so that you can quickly get back online. Apologise to the interview participants and politely ask where the conversation was left.

If you have not already experienced a remote interview, chances are you will when you’re searching for your next role. Remote hiring, onboarding and working are fast becoming the norm in the business world, as employers recognise the benefits for their business and their employees. So even if your first remote interview feels unusual, with practice it will soon become a natural process. Just remember to prepare in advance by following our tips above – best of luck!

Coopman Search and Selection is a specialist financial services recruitment company providing solutions to the market for accounting, finance, risk and compliance opportunities on a permanent and interim basis. Contact us at [email protected] for further advice on remote interviews.