Eight Tips to Prepare for a Virtual Interview

by Rian Donatelli

1. First and foremost, it is still a “real” interview, and should be treated as such. There is a person on the other end who will be making an executive decision about your qualifications for the job, so assume it’s no different than if you met this individual in person.
2. Dress to impress! Even if they won’t see your feet, dressing from head to toe in at least business casual attire is the first way to not only look professional when the camera goes live, but help you get into the right mindset. You’ll be surprised how you will feel you can take on the world when you LOOK like you can!
3. Find a quiet and professional location for the interview. If you have a home office, this is perfect. If not, most libraries offer conference rooms free of charge, which you can reserve for yourself for the duration of the interview. There is nothing less professional than children, pets, or other household distractions infringing on your interview experience, and greatly affecting your appearance of professionalism. If you cannot get away from the home, set up at a dining room table or in a living room, and make sure everyone in the home knows you need some privacy for the allotted amount of time.
4. Try out the interview system in question before the interview. The day or night before, log on and familiarize yourself if it’s a program you’ve never used. Even if it is something you use often, like FaceTime, double check that you have the contact info correct.
5. Pay close attention to the time zone the interviews are conducted in. This one is SO important. With the advent of virtual interviews, corporations have opened themselves up to a huge network of individuals all over the world, and while advantageous, also likely means they operate on a different time zone than yourself. No one wants to get off on a bad foot because you missed your interview or were late because you were unsure of the time zone. If it isn’t clarified anywhere in a confirmation of any kind, reach out to your recruiter or interviewer, they will be happy to give you the information, and glad that you were proactive.
6. Try to use a laptop or desktop if at all possible, but if you have to use a Smartphone, set up a tripod system beforehand, so your hands can be free for the interview. You can even use a stack of books. What you don’t want to do is hold the phone for the duration of the interview; this is a professional encounter, not a FaceTime chat with your grandma.
7. Like any interview, make sure you have studied up on the company and position you wish to hold. Google them. See if they have had any news lately. Did they recently merge with anyone? Or perhaps they made a branding change not long ago. In the very least, know the goods and/or services they offer, and be prepared to tell them how you could aid them in this niche if you were hired.
8. Prepare questions. Almost always the interviewer will ask you if you have any questions, and if they have answered all of them, its fine to tell them so. However, this is your chance to have their undivided attention, and ESPECIALLY if you are offered a job directly following. You will want to have compiled a list of anything you might have wanted to know, rather than bombarding the interviewer’s inbox with emails less than 24 hours after they had time set aside to make themselves available just for you.

With these tips you will be well on your way to not only acing that interview, but job offers galore! Break a leg and most of all, be yourself, and let your personality shine!