How to Prepare for a Video or Remote Interview from Home

Remote interviews became necessary during the global pandemic and are now popular among employers who promote remote working. Remote interviews can make the process more efficient for both the employer and the candidate. A remote interview also saves candidates time and money by eliminating the need for them to travel to the company's headquarters. It also broadens the talent pool to include candidates who live far from the company's headquarters. In this article, we will discuss how to prepare for a remote interview.

Something that frightens interviewees is that they always claim that they are better in person than online because they can present themselves better. However, you can still make a good, if not excellent, impression on an interviewer via the internet. This article will provide you with our top tips for preparing for a remote interview.

What does it mean to interview remotely?

Learning how to conduct interviews over the phone or using a video conferencing communication platform can help you give your best performance. Candidates, employees, and human resource staff have grown accustomed to conducting interviews remotely as working from home has become more prevalent. Although the format of virtual interviews is similar to face-to-face interviews, there are technical and other factors to take into account in order to ensure a smooth virtual interview process.

How to prepare to interview remotely

If you're looking for work right now, remote interviews are probably common. Since many of your employer's regular meetings will be conducted virtually once you are employed, having this skill is also very impressive.

Here are some suggestions and things to think about in case a prospective employer asks you to participate in a remote interview:

Test Your Technology Before (A Few Days and On The Day)

First and foremost, ensure that you have all of the necessary equipment to conduct an interview. Check the speed of your laptop, microphone, camera, and internet connection so that when the interview begins, you can be heard and seen well, and your surrounding surroundings that linger in the background are not cluttered or messy.

Download any software you may need prior to the call. Ensure your video backdrop and lighting enable the interviewer to see you clearly. For professionalism, plain backgrounds are useful to stop any distractions.

Do Your Research

Preparation is essential whether you are participating in a virtual or in-person interview. You should not minimise your preparation simply because you are in a familiar place, such as your house. As with every interview, prepare by conducting preliminary research on the organisation, job role, and potential questions. Some businesses may additionally provide you with questions to answer as part of the interview or a case study to consider ahead of time.

Make a list of bullet points as prompts to help you prepare for a casual dialogue with the interviewers. Reading from a script or reading from pre-written replies can come across as awkward and over-rehearsed. Be proactive in your capacity to think logically about any remarks or queries for which you have not written answers.

Lay Everything Out That You Need (Water and Notepad)

Prepare a glass of water before the interview; I know this may sound strange, but you will need a drink to keep your vocal cords loose when you are speaking a lot. You don't want to have to leave the interview to get a drink.

Prepare a notepad and a pen to take notes. It is completely acceptable to inform the interviewer that you wish to take notes rather than looking down the entire time and leaving them wondering what you are doing.

Limit distractions

It's a good idea to keep your remote interview free of interruptions. Find a space with a desk where you can rest your device and a robust Internet connection.

Make sure nobody is planning to enter the area during the interview. If you have roommates or a partner, let them know you need some privacy. you can post a "do not disturb" sign on your door.

Keep you other devices like phones away from your desk, you can lessen the temptation to look at them while you're doing the interview.

Prepare some questions to ask the interviewer

It's important for applicants to ask their own questions during interviews because it's not just about the candidate being questioned. If you express interest in the company and the position by posing questions at the end of the interview, it can come across favourably. Have a notepad with a few already written questions handy for when your head gets stuck.

To determine if the role is a good fit for you, it may be helpful to ask questions about the corporate culture, what success looks like, and the difficulties and opportunities of the position you have applied for. These kinds of inquiries also demonstrate your interest in the position beyond the pay and job description. If you can relate any prior experiences to any of the obstacles or opportunities the interviewer discusses about the work, it can also be a fantastic approach to highlight any talents you were unable to mention during the interview.

Use Professional Body Language

Do not let the fact that you are conducting a phone or video interview limit your capacity to use body language. Even virtually, facial expressions can be important. It's critical to use professional body language that is apparent to give the interviewer the impression that you are poised and ready. Try to keep a professional, laid-back demeanour during any call connection or technical challenges. Although it may be annoying, it's important for the interviewer to see that you handle pressure properly.

Sit up straight and face the camera in your direction so that the interviewer can clearly see your face in the centre of the screen. To lessen the propensity to slouch, use a chair with back support or a computer chair. You would shake hands with potential employers during face-to-face interviews to establish a rapport. Find other ways to enthusiastically welcome interviewers since it will be conducted remotely, such as by smiling and waving.

Maintain Eye Contact

You might need to adjust the screen while conducting remote interviews on a laptop with a camera so that you don't appear to be staring down at the interviewer on the camera. Maintain eye contact with the interviewer by adjusting the angle of your laptop screen. To avoid giving the impression that you are looking away from them or at something else on your screen, it is crucial to maintain eye contact. Maintaining eye contact is the best way to build rapport during remote interviews.

Placing a book or similar substantial object that was created for the purpose underneath your laptop can help you make sure that your camera is level with your head. In order to keep your attention on the interviewer and the questions you're asking throughout the conversation, it's also helpful to avoid becoming distracted by how you appear if your video conferencing setup shows a smaller video of yourself on the screen.

Be Authentic & Yourself

When doing a remote interview, it's simple to alter your behaviour to make up for the absence of face-to-face contact. When interviewing, give yourself the chance to speak in a laid-back manner and take pleasure in the comfortable setting you're in.

In order to establish trust with the interviewer — who is interested in seeing how you express yourself—you should act naturally. This enables the interviewer to observe how you would conduct yourself while working remotely and speaking on behalf of the business. Having less formal video chats with friends and family who know the real you and can provide constructive comments will help you feel more at ease and more comfortable acting your actual self.

Start With Hello and End With Thank You

Remember to thank your interviewer for his/her/their time as soon as you begin, just like you would in a traditional interview. Remember that your final words before signing off the video call should be 'thank you.' You can also say, "Thank you again for your time," and "Have a wonderful remainder of your day!" (Or, if it's Friday, "Have a wonderful weekend!") It's warm and welcoming.

Be On Time for the Video Call.

As you would come 10 minutes early for a face-to-face interview, join the Zoom call or Google Hangout with a 3–5-minute lead time.

This is a good precaution to take and a good ideal practice just in case your interviewer also signs in early and sees that you were ready, rather than late.

Listen And Don’t Interrupt

To avoid interrupting the interviewer, pause and listen carefully.

If you or your interviewer are hard to hear, it becomes increasingly easy to interrupt each other, which is especially likely if there is a wait.

Pausing, as well as delays or echoes, can be excruciating (we'll discuss ways to avoid faulty connections later). Remember that interrupting can be detrimental. Be patient.

Follow Up After the Interview

Prepare a timely follow-up email after the interview and send it within 24 hours after the remote interview. In this follow-up email, you could express gratitude to the interviewer for their time and consideration of your application. Additionally, it's helpful to let them know you're accessible if they have any more queries. If you require the email address of the interviewer, get in touch with the HR representative or hiring manager you have been working with.

Remote Interview Etiquette

Maintain a good attitude and engage in small chat during the initial portion of the interview to avoid awkward silences. Make a light discussion like the weather or recent news in the industry you want to work in. This is an excellent conversation starter and allows for a smooth transition into the formal interview stage.

Be Well Presented and Dress Appropriately

Take a shower, get ready, and tidy up before your interview. Then, dress appropriately—and by appropriately, we mean the full outfit—for the position you're applying for. The interviewer may not understand what is going on, but you do, and we don't need you flashing the camera when you fidget in your seat. If you are unwilling to dress the part for 30 to an hour of your time, don't expect him to take you seriously.

Have A Phone Call as A Backup Plan.

If your internet connection is slow, you can begin with the video-enabled mode. You can make an introduction and explain ahead of time that you may be having connectivity troubles but wanted to meet face-to-face first.

Inform the interviewer that you will continue the interview via video to ensure that the audio is as seamless as feasible.

If Google Meet fails, have a backup plan in place, such as a phone call-in number or a Skype or Zoom account.

It also helps to be able to anticipate the need for this. If the recruiter who arranges your video interview does not supply a backup phone number, you might ask for one.

Have A Backup Internet Plan.

Ask your nice neighbour for their router password if you can see it in case you are having trouble with your own. Additionally, you can initiate a tether connection from your phone and fall back on your cellular connection. You should always have a backup strategy in case your service is interrupted.

Key Takeaway

Even though these interviews are conducted remotely, act as though they were in-person ones. The only difference is that they aren't seated next to you, so act confidently, professionally, and intelligently. You can do this. Good luck! You’ll be great!

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