Offices around the country are starting to reopen, but job interviews are still online. Although the idea of a virtual interview process may seem daunting, mastering online onboarding just takes some preparation, practice and a decent Wi-Fi signal. Want to crush your virtual interviews and get the job? Here are five tips.
Look Presentable
As an English major, I know better than to judge a book by its cover. As a human being, I know that worn books tend to stay in storage. Presentation matters, so give yourself the best start to an interview by looking put-together. Wear business professional clothing (it’s always better to overdress than underdress), fix your hair, make sure you have good lighting and greet your interviewer with a smile.
Create a Good Interview Environment
Yes, your dog is adorable, but your interviewer doesn’t have any job openings for canines. Eliminate all possible distractions from the interview room (including anything that will prompt you to fidget) and do what you can to minimize noise. Also, even though you aren’t in the same room with your interviewer, eye contact still matters. Make sure that your camera is on eye level and that the upper half of your body is clearly framed on the screen.
Update Your Resume and Know It
It’s a good practice to have a printed copy of your resume nearby during an interview, but the truth is that you shouldn’t need it. Before every interview, make sure that your interviewer has an updated copy of your resume and ask yourself how every experience you have is relevant to this specific position. You don’t need to memorize every bullet point, but you should know enough from your experiences to talk about anything on the paper. After all, there are few things more embarrassing in an interview than not being able to answer a question about your own life.
Be Prepared and Practice
My dad always says that 90% of life is showing up. Trust me, showing up gets a lot harder when your interview platform isn’t working. Practice with the program the day before to make sure you’re familiar with it, test your audio and, most importantly, be on the call early. As the old saying goes, early is on-time, on-time is late and late is unacceptable.
Be Energetic and Excited
You’re interviewing for a job, good for you! A real person from a real company wants to talk to you, and you should feel great about that. But if you’re nervous, here’s a secret that no one ever tells you: The interviewer is excited, too. Your interviewer wants to hire you, but they need to know that you actually want the job, so showing your enthusiasm is crucial. Be personable, ask questions (seriously, asking questions makes a huge difference) and let them know that you’re excited!
To find more advice and information about preparing for virtual interviews, check out the Lehigh Career and Professional Development website.