Once the preserve of trendy start-ups and employers who had no option but to sift through potential employees via the medium because of the vast distances involved between themselves and said candidate, online job interviews have seen a major explosion in popularity due to the restrictions imposed on the world by the prevalence of Covid-19 and the rise of video services such as Zoom, FaceTime, and WhatsApp video.
And while all job interviews are essentially the same be it in person, by telephone, or online, there are subtle differences and it is how a candidate responds to these distinctions that can be the key in landing the role and heading back to the drawing board. Here at the advertiser.ie we provide some top tips on how to ace that online job interview.
Now before we start, research, being prepared, and having your own questions are all standard measures you need to take before any interview, so we will not be mentioning them. Instead we will concentrate specifically on what you need to study for the online job interview experience.
1 Check your tech
This may seem like an obvious point but making sure your phone or laptop has a webcam that produces a clear image as well as a sound audio mic is crucial. Try a couple of dummy interviews with friends or family to find out if they can hear and see you perfectly. Your tests may work out fine but if you are finding faults in your connection it could be either your equipment or WiFi. This will be important to remedy before the big day.
2 Setting the scene
Once your equipment receives the green light, next item on the list is to work out where you will set up for the interview. Remember what is behind you will be seen by the employer so avoid rooms which may be cluttered. Best background is a plain wall. Next item on the list will be light. Is there enough natural light or do I need to turn on some bulbs? And finally sound. Again a trial run with a family member or friend will be important to make sure they can hear clearly. Remember you don't want tinny audio or even worse, construction sounds from outside coming through your window.
3 Look the part
They say never judge a book by its cover but in reality, first impressions do leave a lasting imprint. You may be tempted to dress casually for an online job interview, you are after all probably going to be sitting in your bedroom but while the experience may seem rather chilled out, remember it is a job interview. Prepare and prune yourself as if you were going to meet the person, so shower, shave, and, suit.
4 Body language
Sit up straight, look sharp, and look interested. Words can lie but our bodies cannot. It may be tempting to give off a more relaxed image as you are in the comfortable surrounds of your home but ask yourself a question; if you were hiring a potential employee who would you rather; the slouched over person or the attentive, alert person? It is a simple answer.
5 Have a CV handy
Now it is likely the interviewer will have a copy of your CV but on the off chance he/she may not, it is always a good idea to have your resume in an easily accessible file on your laptop so you can waste little time in providing it.
So there you have it. Five tips on how to do online job interviews.
All is left to do now is lining up the interviews and land your dream job!
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