Be Prepared For Your Next Virtual Interview With These 8 Helpful Tips💪

Introduction

If you’re here, I can only assume that you are about to embark on or have already embarked on the hunt for a job! But during these unprecedented times, it seems that most interviews will be conducted virtually and if you’re like me, you’re slightly (REALLY) freaking out 😰 .

I’m currently in the home stretch of my time at the Flatiron School and graduation is in a week, which means I’m approaching my job search. So, I’m in full panic mode.

I’m particularly nervous about virtual interviews because I have had a lot of rough experiences with them in the past. I know I can’t be the only one nervous about interviewing virtually, so I wanted to create a guide with all of the tips and tricks I have accumulated from my experiences and from research online to help you ace your next virtual interview!

Eight Tips for Your Next Virtual Interview

1. Check to make sure all of your technology is functioning.

This is perhaps one of the most important tips for virtual interviews because the whole interview truly depends on your tech functioning. I can tell you from experience, it is extremely unprofessional to go into an interview and spend 15 minutes trying to get your sound to work and camera focused. So, before your interview:

a. Check and ensure that you have strong Wi-Fi connection and that you have consistent service. I will talk about it more in the next tip, but it is important that you choose a location/environment that has stable Wi-Fi connection.

b. TEST and RE-CALIBRATE your microphone and camera on the application that you plan to have the interview. I suggest having a practice call with a friend the day before to make sure that your microphone and video are functioning and their settings are ready to go for your interview.

2. Set the environment for the interview.

Make sure you choose a location with optimal lighting, minimal outside noises, and where there isn’t too much behind you. You want to make sure you are the focal point on the screen and there isn’t anything detracting from your interviewer’s experience with you.

Not only do you have to choose the right spot, but you also have to make sure you limit any possible distractions during the interview. Make sure you put your phone on silent, close any windows if you live in a noisy neighborhood and if you have roommates or are in a location with other people, make sure they are aware of when your interview is so they are respectful about making noise during that time. Additionally, I covered it a bit in the last tips, but make sure you’re in a location that has a strong Wi-Fi signal because having a call drop in the middle of an interview will disrupt the flow of the interview and detract from the interviewer’s experience.

3. Dress up as if you are going to an in-person interview.

This seems pretty obvious, but you would be surprised of how many stories I’ve heard of people not wearing appropriate clothing during an interview. Just because it’s not in person, does not mean you don’t have to dress in business professional attire. Also, do not just dress your top half and ignore your bottom half. Interviewers can and will ask you to stand up to ensure you are fully dressed and not just dressing your top half. Whether the interview is casual or not, it is always safe to over-dress than under-dress for an interview. Don’t be lazy and make sure that you dress appropriately, because as obvious as it sounds, it can drastically effect your interviewers impression of you.

4. Be aware of your body language.

It will definitely be a challenge to display the type of energy you want in your interview with your body language through video. However there is still a lot you can do that will facilitate a positive experience for both you and your interviewer. First, make sure you are sitting up straight in your chair, just like you would in an in-person interview. Slouching and bad posture sends the wrong signals to your interviewer, and it is still very noticeable to interviewers through video.

Also, make sure that your camera is set up at eye-level. This is to ensure that while speaking, you look directly into your camera. There is research that shows that interviewers are more likely to remember what you say if you keep direct eye-contact with them. So, make sure to position your camera and to look at the camera when you speak instead of the interviewers face on your screen.

Lastly, make sure you are aware of how much you’re smiling during an interview. There are studies that show the optimal times to smile during an interview are at the beginning and at the end of an interview. Studies also show that smiling too much during the middle of an interview has a negative correlation to hiring. But don’t worry too heavily about the smiling, just be aware of it and most importantly, be yourself. Make sure you present yourself as confident and excited in the beginning and focus in during the end.

5. Be prepared for the interview BEFORE the interview

You don’t want to be clicking or typing while you’re in the middle of your interview. Make sure that you do all your research on the company prior to your interview and prepare answers for common interview questions. You can refer to this link for some questions to prepare for the interview and how to best answer them. Also make sure you have questions prepared for the interviewer as well. When you have questions for your interviewer, it shows that you are interested in the position and that you did your research. The article here from the Harvard Business Review goes over three important questions that are great to ask in an interview.

The most important part about preparation is practice. Make sure that you spend time practicing your answers and find time to do some mock interviews with someone. You don’t want to sound rehearsed, so make sure you’re not memorizing answers. You should know what topics and ideas you want to discuss and tailor the interview to show your best attributes and be adaptable when there are questions you don’t expect.

6. Make a connection.

An easy way to help you set yourself apart from other candidates is by making a connection with the interviewer. You could be talking to your interviewer and you both realize you have something in common. Don’t be afraid to entertain those small conversations during the interview. Finding a genuine connection with your interviewer can help them remember you, especially if they’re interviewing multiple candidates. But, don’t force something that’s not there. Listen to them and most importantly just be you.

7. BE YOURSELF AND BE CONFIDENT.

In my opinion, this is the most important tip for any interview, virtual or in-person. The interviewer is not just looking for someone with all the right answers, they are mostly looking for people who are the right fit for the position. Interviewers know when you’re not being genuine, and they can smell fake from a mile away. Just be yourself and give them a reason to push you on to the next round of interviews or give you a job.

This brings me to my next point, be CONFIDENT! You should be proud of yourself for getting the interview and remember that you DESERVE to be interviewing for that position as much as the the other candidates who received the interview. What sets you apart from the other candidates is your personality. Be confident in who you are and know that you deserve to work for a company that fits you. As much as the interviewer is trying to find the right candidate, you should also be looking for the right company that matches your personality.

8. Follow-up on interviews within 24 hours.

Last but not least, make sure that you follow up with your interviewer(s) within 24 hours of the interview. Make sure to let them know how much you appreciated their time and also refer back to any connections you may have made during the interview. The follow-up email really goes a long way to let the interviewer know that the position is important to you and that you are genuinely interested. It is also an opportunity to “sell” yourself to your interviewer(s) one last time before they make the decision.

Final Thoughts

Regardless of whether you’re new to virtual interviews or if you’re like me and you’ve had bad experiences with them, these tips should help give you some guidance and ease some of your concerns. The job search is not easy and virtual interviews don’t make the process any easier. But unfortunately, it is a reality that we must embrace in order to find a job. So, I hope you will be able to use this article as a tool to help prepare for your virtual interviews and help you develop a routine to prepare for all your interviews. I have also attached a link to a web application, Pramp, that is a mock interviewing tool that can be helpful as you practice for your upcoming interviews. Lastly, I want you to remember that YOU CAN DO THIS!

Pramp — (Mock Interview Practice)