Ah, the job interview. It’s not everyone’s favorite thing. You’re trying to make a good first impression while also assessing if you would even want to work with whoever is interviewing you — it’s challenging. And here’s the kicker: you’re doing it online.
Not to worry. There’s homework you can do and tips you can follow to succeed in a remote interview.
Don’t throw away your shot. “The biggest mistake many candidates make when interviewing remotely is not paying attention to the details such as their outfit and their background,” asserts leadership coach Heidy Lynne Kurter. She recommends keeping your background tidy and removing anything the employer might find unprofessional or distracting.
Once you have your setup squared away, record yourself in advance to assess details like camera angle, distance from the screen, and sound quality (earphones can help). Remember that people notice things like posture, eye contact, and any nervous habits. Use your phone to take a couple of photos of your staging so you can replicate it on interview day. Pro tip: No cat or dog cameos.
Get your tech and screen presence ready. “An oversight many candidates make is waiting a few minutes before the interview to test their equipment and attempt to learn the platform,” observes Kurter. “As soon as the interview is confirmed, take the time to double-check the interview platform, internet connection, and anything else that could possibly create problems.” Be sure to check it out ahead of time, especially if the company uses a platform you’re not familiar with.
After that, get comfortable. If you haven’t been doing a lot of online meetings, try some test Zoom or Skype calls with friends and relatives. If a mentor can do a mock interview with you, go for it. Do what it takes to go into the interview with confidence about your setup and virtual presence. Pro Tip: Disconnect other devices from your internet to improve connection speed.
Prepare to tell your story. Your interviewer wants to know your backstory — the short version. Plan how you’ll succinctly tell them where you’re from and went to school, your career path and why you chose it, and what makes you interested in working for them. Then listen for your cue when it’s show time. "Be prepared to take control of your narrative when you hear: ‘tell me about yourself’ or ‘walk me through your resume,’” advises Donna Peters, career coach and founder of The Me-Suite.
While it’s good to share information, remind yourself that they’re deciding whether you’re a “match” for them. Don’t get bogged down in random facts. “Instead, share your unique story by summarizing the themes that flow through the arc of your career — themes that brought you to today and make you uniquely relevant for this new role,” adds Peters. “This takes practice, so practice." Pro Tip: Droning on about a former employer is like talking about an ex on a first date.
Research the employer and interviewer. If you don’t Google them thoroughly, who will? “The secret to gaining a competitive advantage over other candidates is doing your homework on the company and seeing how you can sell your skills and fill the gaps,” says Kurter. “You can do this by watching some of their videos, reading reviews from current employees on Glassdoor, reading their website, and checking out their social media.” If you have a home state or academic major in common with an interviewer, make a mental note and mention it if there’s an appropriate moment.
Your research will also help you come up with a few questions to ask when they say, “Do you have any questions to ask?” Be ready to ask a question or two when invited, and don’t get too in-depth. Remember that an interview is simply a conversation, and an easy back-and-forth exchange can feel good on both sides of the screen. Pro Tip: Don’t ask about pay, and if they ask you about salary expectations, have a response ready.
Keep your glass half full. Cut yourself and your interviewer some slack. Sometimes there are unavoidable tech glitches. There can also be brief verbal collisions when you’re not familiar with someone’s pattern of speaking. It’s okay. No need to over-apologize. Move forward with your good intentions. Chances are, they’re pulling for you. "Remember, interviewers want you to be the one,” notes Peters. “If you’re the one, their role is so much easier. The interviewer is most often on your side until you give them a reason not to be." Pro Tip: You could be the one. Prepare as if you are. We’re cheering you on at AISES.
On Topic
Geri Brehm is principal in a private practice advising clients from Fortune 500 companies on best practices for maximizing employee and manager contributions. She consults and coaches on organizational growth through proactive leadership designed to maximize employee talents, abilities, and contributions. Her expertise includes coaching for leadership development, team building, organizational analysis, and workforce professional development. Geri is the senior associate director of career advising and mentoring at Brandeis International Business School and teaches management and leadership skills at Boston University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree. She holds graduate degrees from Harvard and Columbia Universities.
How do in-person and virtual interviews differ — from the perspective of the employer and the applicant?
Employers generally appreciate the lower cost of virtual interviews, but one negative is they don’t get a solid sense of the applicant’s “presence” because they are not physically in the same space. For the applicant, the primary negative is they can’t pick up cues as readily as they would in person. Also, applicants need to step up maybe five times their normal energy level because of the virtual medium. Another difference is that applicants might encounter a first-round pre-employment program designed to assess personality. This is not a personal one-on-one with a human interviewer, but rather an opportunity for the applicant to respond to questions on screen while the program tracks expressions and uses AI analysis to determine whether the applicant is a good fit. If you encounter this type of screening, be sure to smile, make eye contact with camera, and look enthusiastic and engaged. One similarity in virtual interviews for both employers and applicants is that everyone worries about the technology and experiences occasional glitches, and remote participants on both sides may have background noise they can’t control
Script the answers to likely questions, then tape yourself responding — and practice, practice, practice until you can do it smoothly. It’s like a final exam — it takes a lot of time to prepare, but you’ll be glad you did. The good news is that in a virtual interview you can have a printout behind the camera in huge letters with facts and information you want to communicate so you don’t have to worry about remembering minute details.
Not turning off distractions (is your phone in airplane mode?), not looking directly at the interviewer, and not planning your background. Pick a quiet space and stage a background that will not distract the interviewer from focusing on you. Bookshelves are great, and even a blank wall can work. Unless you have a green screen, avoid virtual backgrounds, which are prone to distortions. Technology is important. Be sure you have top connectivity and determine whether computer audio or earphones works better for you. Speak loud enough and slow down. Remember that it’s harder for everyone to focus on Zoom.
Think about how to be authentic, how to communicate not only the actions you’ve taken but the outcomes and your successes — that’s what the interviewer wants to hear about. Have a clear sense of who you are and what you can contribute. Every question will be something around “Why should I hire you? “And every answer should be “This is what I can contribute and how I can add value.”
You get a positive response pretty quickly, you see them smiling and picking up on your enthusiasm, and they tell you about next steps and when to expect to hear from them.
