Virtual Interview Tips

Virtual interviews are increasingly common in today’s hiring practice, particularly due to the Covid 19 pandemic. The year 2020 proved that companies can hire and work remotely. If companies want to open their talent pool, it would be beneficial to recruit talent from anywhere nationally. Which means virtual interviews will continue to be in demand.

Here are the top 3 tips for interviewing virtually using platforms such as WebEx, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom.?

1.??Location is Key

Select a spot in your home with good natural light and reduce as much background noise as possible. Silence your phone, turn off notifications on your computer, and free yourself from any distractions.

Check your background. Is it too busy? Avoid sitting in areas of your home that provide distracting backgrounds. Also, avoid sitting in front of windows, this will cause your silhouette to appear dark and distorted.

2.??Be Prepared

Look up the time zone in advance, to ensure you will arrive early for your interview. Have a notebook ready to take notes in and bring an extra copy of your resume, along with the job description, so you can reference it throughout the interview.?

Dress business professionally like you would for an in-person interview. Also, be sure to wear solid colors. Stripes and complex patterns can look distracting on camera.

3.??Time to Shine

Know about the company you are interviewing for and have your 1-minute elevator speech ready for when the interviewer asks the daunting question “Tell me about yourself.”?Use this time to highlight some of your accomplishments and interests, as they align to the company vision and the role.

Show enthusiasm throughout the interview! Some candidates are rejected from a position for lack of energy.?Don’t let this be you!!!?

When you are asked about your strengths and weaknesses, use this time to turn a weakness into a positive. For example, “I could use more experience with (fill in the blank). To help myself improve in this area, I have enrolled in an online class in my free time to help me improve my skills.” In this scenario, you are acknowledging an area in which you are not an expert, while letting the interviewer know you have an action plan to improve.

There is always time for questions at the end. Try to have a few ready and while the interview is taking place. Remember, you are interviewing the company as much as the company is interviewing you.

Asking questions at the end of the interview allows you to learn more about the position you are interviewing for, the company, its culture, and objectives.?While this new format is more 2D, it will still allow your personality to shine by inflection in voice, energy, and presence.?Virtual interviews can be challenging but if you follow these tips, you will be that much closer to success.

Good luck!

Written by Kristie Penn

Kristie Penn is a Technical Recruiter at LER TechForce with over 20 years of industry experience. She was recently hired in February 2021 through WebEx. Kristie has a Bachelor’s degree from Oakland University in Human Resources (1999).?Her focus has been largely in the Automotive Industry.?In her free time, she enjoys walking, biking with her family, and helping the community.