Nailing a virtual interview

It’s no secret that the virtual interview is a very different experience for both the job seeker and the hiring manager. There are many factors that you as the job seeker can control, to ensure your experience is a good one.

Before Covid, the virtual interview was something that was rarely used by businesses, but it has now become very common for many businesses to use them regularly.

From a job seeker’s perspective, it is important that the virtual interview is approached to provide the best possible outcome, ie ‘getting the job’. Here are some valuable tips, that you can use in the future.

Technology and Virtual Interview Setup
As a job seeker, you want to be as prepared as possible for a virtual interview to ensure the entire video call runs smoothly.

I would recommend having a practice run of setting up the video call, to ensure that the video link works, the internet connection is strong, the video function is working, and the audio connection is working.

By checking these four factors prior to the interview, you can ensure that the call is going to run smoothly when the actual interview is conducted. It is also important to note that there will be an expectation from hiring managers and recruiters, for you to have your camera activated throughout the virtual interview.

Also be aware and check the level of background noise and making sure you are in a quiet location for the interview.

Another factor to consider is the location in which you attend the interview and the background that appears behind you on the screen. I would recommend attending the interview inside, with your device on a steady surface.  

It can be quite distracting for hiring managers when job seekers attend interviews in an undesirable  location or have a camera that is shaking throughout the interview.

Having a simple background in your interview will also ensure that the hiring manager is just focusing on you and what you have to say, rather than being distracted by an irrelevant background of the video call.

First Impressions
When a job seeker has an in person interview, there are many factors which can assist having a strong first impression. Some of these factors may be removed when attending a virtual interview, so it is important to consider the factors which can be controlled.

One of the major factors that can assist with a strong first impression is what is clothing is worn. It may feel strange to wear corporate clothing for an interview conducted in your own house, but those efforts will say a lot to a hiring manager about your interest in the business and the position.

In some cases, the hiring manager may not expect you to be corporately dressed for a virtual interview and your recruitment consultant will often advise on what the dress code will be prior to the interview. But when in doubt, it is better to be over dressed than under dressed for your interview.

Another factor that contributes to a first impression is when you arrive to your virtual interview. This point goes back to making sure your technology is set up properly prior to the interview.

Being on time to the interview is a controllable factor that starts the interview on a good note rather than being late and essentially at a disadvantage from the outset of the interview.

This reiterates the importance of making sure your technology is working before the call starts and making sure you are not in a rush.

Interview Preparation
There are many resources out there that job seekers can use to prepare for interviews.

A great starting point is the business’ website. It is critical that there is an understanding of what the business does and their ‘unique selling points’. Often hiring managers will ask the job seeker what they know about the business. This is an opportunity for the job seekers to display their research and that they have looked into the business prior to the interview.

I would also recommend having a strong understanding of the position that you are interviewing for and the responsibilities. This is information found in the position description and often a recruitment consultant, will give you an overview of the position, so I would recommend taking some notes of the main points and asking the recruiter any questions you have, while you are running through the role.

Ensuring that you understand what the role consists of will allow you to provide examples of your previous work, to best illustrate your suitability to the role.

LinkedIn will also provide great insights for you leading into the interview. You can also research the interviewer. Their work history, how long they have held their current role and the positions their work history. If you can drop little insights throughout the interview which indicate that you have done your research, the hiring manager is likely to be impressed with your efforts.

As you are preparing, I would recommend writing down any questions that come to mind.

Four key areas on where you could focus your questioning about the business, the role, the culture of the business and the hiring manager.

By preparing questions for each of these four topic areas, you will gain a great overview of the opportunity overall.

The Business

1. What are some of the projects you are currently working on as a business?
2. What are the growth plans for the business moving forward?
3. How big is the team I would be working in?
   
   

The Role

1. What does a typical day look like in this position?
2. What challenges am I likely to face in this position?
3. What does the progression path through the business look like?
   
   

The Culture

1. How would you describe the culture of the business?
2. What are the attributes of a top performer in the business?
3. Are there any activities you do internally to build team culture?
   
   

The Hiring Manager

1. What do you like about working for this business?
2. How would you describe your experience working here?
3. What advice would you give to someone who is just starting in this business?

This blog has been resourced and taken from people2people's recent Talent Webinar: Finding a job in Victoria. To watch this webinar, please follow the link here.