Create a Better Virtual Interviewing Experience

Virtual interviewing is here to stay – four tips on how to prepare

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March 17, 2020 — With COVID-19 forcing us all to conduct business from home for the foreseeable future, virtual interviews are now replacing the standard, in-person candidate interview.

To complement advice for hiring companies from our colleagues at Glassdoor, our consultants have assembled essential tips to help candidates conduct successful interviews from home:

Tip #1: Don’t use this time to review your entire career from the start – unless you’re asked – as this takes up precious time during the interview and you might be covering information that the interviewer might not prioritize at that time. If you think that you might be speaking too much, you are.

“The number one reason candidates don’t pass a phone or video interview is that they talk too much,” according to partner Marc Gasperino. “Know how much time you have and attempt to provide specific examples of results in your career that will mirror what the opportunity might call for.”

Tip #2: Make sure you have proper lighting and audio for the interview and align your camera at eye level so your interviewer isn’t looking up or down at you. Do not use your phone to conduct video interviews.

Tip #3: If your camera and monitor are separate, make sure to address the camera versus the monitor. Good eye contact is important and will help make the video interview feel more authentic. Minimizing background distractions such as open closet doors or cluttered bookshelves is also important.

Tip #4: Treat video calls with the same level of importance as you would an in-person interview. Give yourself time prior to the start of the interview to make sure you don’t have any technical issues. Don’t schedule the video right before or after another video or phone call.

On what hiring companies should consider, partner John Morrow adds: “Companies slow to embrace virtual work environments are being thrown into the deep end of the pool and will surface with a much more tangible understanding of the benefits and advantages. With the right rules and expectations in place, organizations can not only maintain their hiring momentum and the pursuit of key talent, but also work to minimize any loss of productivity in the foreseeable future.”

We recognize the unprecedented magnitude of what we’re all going through right now and hope this helps. Stay safe and well, and if you have questions about how to shine in a remote interview, please contact us.

Find our successful placements of leading executives here.