5 tips on how to show up for a virtual interview

 As offices continue to remain shut and many organizations are declaring work from home indefinitely, virtual hiring for various roles has become a new reality. Just as employees adopt the concept of ‘work from anywhere’, virtual hiring is getting mainstream acceptance by many organizations, globally.  In fact, according to recent data shared by Indeed, is quite encouraging- more than 1,250 employers have hosted over 3,700 virtual hiring events with their portal. This new trend of hiring which seems to be growing certainly calls for new ways to prepare for your virtual interview.

 

Here are some of our recommendations on how to show up differently for your virtual interview: 

 

1. Test your technology: Test your equipment before the call. Ensure you do not use conferencing tools that produces grainy visuals and muffled audio. It might be worth your while investing in a good webcam or microphone and secure internet. 

 

2. Professional virtual identity: Many of us have several online identities and often these sync up if you are using the same machine for your social media interactions. You might therefore want to choose a profile that is professional in nature, displaying a professional photograph as well. 

 

3. Dress for success: Often when you use video technology, you tend to switch off your camera. In the case of virtual interviews, etiquette demands that the camera should be turned on so that the interviewer can see you. It is therefore important to dress-up formally for the interview. You might be in your pajamas foremost part of the day but for the virtual interview it is important to dress your part. 

 

4. Rid yourself of distractions: Tuning off distractions should be part of the interview etiquette in the virtual world. This would entail switching off the television, not getting distracted with YouTube on your machine and putting your phone on silent mode. This would need you to also isolate yourself in a room and schedule the call when you do not expect visitors. 

 

5. Practice your answers: Like every other physical interview, practice answers to commonly asked questions such as why you are leaving your job, salary expectations, your strengths and weaknesses, your achievements in your current role and why you should be hired. 

 

As workplaces continue to evolve, virtual interviews will continue to become the norm. Professionals navigating the job market are likely to be subject to virtual interviews, and more so when workplaces adapt to change post pandemic. These five steps to mastering the virtual interview could take you one step closer to the job of your dreams.