It’s the way in which the modern-day world is going. Hands have been forced somewhat, but as each week passes by we are seeing more companies take the plunge and allow their employees to work from home on a full-time basis.
Naturally, this also spans to interviews. Those companies that work from home are unlikely to ask staff to come in and conduct interviews, for the same reasons they have made them work remotely.
Ultimately, the interview landscape is changing. More are being conducted over Zoom, or the video conferencing software of choice, and this means that a few extra considerations are entering the picture.
Today is not meant to showcase the latest and greatest interview techniques – there are a whole host of resources out there. However, if you have been asked to attend an online interview, here are four hacks that can help you succeed.
Understand the technology
You might be the best candidate for the job. You might give off the perfect first impressions (more on that next). Everything about you might be absolutely what the interviewer was looking for.
There’s one problem; you don’t know how to use Zoom. Granted, there will be plenty of cases this will not be a deal-breaker, but on others it can make your interview not happen or be impossible to follow. Make sure you understand how to use this software before diving into your interview.
First impressions still count
We all know about the importance of first impressions, especially in interviews.
Even though your next one is about to be conducted remotely, be under no illusions – you need to follow the same guidance.
You might not be entering an office environment, but make sure your attire is nothing short of professional. In addition, pay attention to your beauty regime. Head to Covent Garden and arm yourself with the most suited products for your skin; remember, it’s your face which is under the microscope more than ever on Zoom. Poorly applied make-up will stand out like a sore thumb.
The same rules apply with your body language
Your interviewer might not be able to see your whole body, but that doesn’t mean to say that you can ignore body language. This is one of the most important ways to convey information and the best advice is to sit tall, with your hands out of sight, and your feet on the floor. Make sure you regularly interact with the interviewer, even via a nod or acknowledgement, so they can see that you are attentive and the screen hasn’t frozen!
Ensure everyone in the household is on the same page
This might be a different type of interview, but everybody in the household needs to understand the importance. There can’t be any form of disturbance in the background as this is only going to annoy the person on the other end of the screen. Make sure you inform everyone a long-time in advance of the interview so you can have a quiet space to yourself.