Most job seekers already have some experience with video interviews. You still have to prepare, do your research, and be ready to answer any question they throw at you. You’ve probably figured out the room with the best internet connection, natural light, sound quality, and desk setup. Your webcam is at eye level and you’ve taken the right steps to avoid technical difficulties. I want to offer you a few unconventional remote interview tips to help you get the offer for your cool new job.
I recently went through the job search process and focused solely on remote jobs so almost all of my virtual interviews used common video conferencing tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Hangout. I went through my own traditional interview best practices. I conducted thorough research on the company and interviewers. Typed up my answers to common interview questions and practiced my answer to the “Tell me about yourself” question everyone asks.
I struggled through the first few online interviews because my desk setup and lighting were not ideal. I learned from my early mistakes and created my own quirky best practice for the virtual interview process. Here you go!
7 Tips for Remote Interviewing
Try aroma therapy.
An hour before your video call turn on your essential oil diffuser or light a candle or a stick of incense in your home office. Choose a scent that will help you relax and center yourself. Take advantage of the fact that you are in your own home. Make it work for you.
Wear superhero clothing.
I wore Wonder Woman socks and underwear to give me that extra boost of confidence. I thought it was funny and it put a smile on my face. Somehow it inspired good posture too!
Strike a superhero pose.
I saw this in an episode of Grey’s Anatomy when Dr. Amelia Shepard did the pose before a big surgery. I also heard a speaker cite this example in a session about women in leadership.
So, a few minutes before you log in to the call, strike and hold the super-hero pose for a few minutes. You may smile or laugh but stand up small, stick out your chest, and channel your favorite badass in tights! What do you have to lose?
Don’t schedule calls back-to-back.
Don’t feel pressured to schedule the interviews before you are ready. I tried to limit them to one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I also worked around my personal schedule. Companies should be flexible with their timing as well.
Allow yourself some time to get into the right headspace before the interview. Give yourself time to decompress afterward. You might feel a drop in adrenaline after the call is over. You need time to take a deep breath.
Review the notes you took and make sure you can read your handwriting. If you are still in the zone, go ahead and write the thank you email.
Confirm the time limit.
At the beginning of the call, ask the hiring manager or interviewer if they have a hard stop. This means there is no flexibility with the timing of the end of the call.
If the interview is only 30 minutes, you may need to edit your answers or try to get to the point more quickly. Don’t spend too much time with small talk. You don’t want to stop the flow of the conversation, but you also want to make the best impression you can and cover all of your top skills and experiences. You also don’t want to run out of time before you get a chance to ask your own list of questions. Especially, what are the next steps?
If the call is 45-60 minutes, then you have more time to let the conversation flow. You always need to be mindful of the time to make sure you get the chance to end the call on a strong note.
Set up your notes.
One advantage of virtual interviews is that you can have some notes available to refer to during the interview. You shouldn’t look like you are reading a script. If you are thoroughly prepared, you will do fine without the notes but you might have a few key topics you don’t want to forget. I also made a list of the questions I wanted to ask and had those handy too.
If you have multiple monitors, have the notes doc in your eyesight. You can also print them or have a notebook ready to take notes during the call. I found it distracting to try to type during video interviews so I used pen and paper.
Practice in front of the camera.
I know some of my tips may be nerdy. This is one of them. Turn on your camera and practice some of your interview answers. Speak as if you are really answering the interview question. Don’t refer to your notes. This will help you get a feel for how nervous you feel. The more prepared you are, the better chance you will make a good impression.
I specifically practiced my answer to the “Tell me about yourself” question that every single person asked! I timed myself too. Most of my interviews were only 30 minutes so I wanted to make sure my answer was right on!
Observe your non-verbal cues and body language. Watch your posture and your hand motions. Does your chair swivel? Do you fidget with nervous energy? Practice leaning in to show your interest. Try different facial expressions to indicate you are listening. Nod your head, lift your eyebrows, and smile.
With an in-person interview, it’s important to make eye contact. In a virtual situation, this is tough. To make it look like you are making eye contact, you have to look directly into the camera. I wasn’t able to do this. I wanted to watch my interviewer on the screen and try to pick up on nonverbal cues. You will have to figure out what works for you.
You might even have a family member log in from a different room to do a trial run and ask you some practice questions. Give them the job description and see what questions they come up with! Again, nerdy tips, but you might get a lot out of it and be much better prepared for the live video interview.
Virtual interviewing has its benefits. I found the hiring process a lot less stressful since there was no commute and I could wear comfy pants. The most important thing is to be prepared. Congratulations if you are reading this you are a few steps ahead of the other job candidates. Hopefully, you find these tips helpful and you experience a series of successful video interviews that lead to a cool new job offer.
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