6 Most Useful Tips to Prepare for an Online Job Interview
The pandemic era has got many of our usual behaviors changed and online job interviews are one of them.
With many restrictions, every day we are in need of getting accustomed to new ideas, new environments, and new practices. Instead of physical job interviews, an online job interview, which, although existed earlier for some cases like job interviews with an employer staying abroad, or just for the initial formalities. But in the present scenario, most of the organizations and also the jobseekers are now interested to appear online for the whole process of job interviews.
As the online job interview is a relatively new concept for most job seekers, it is important that the interviewees appearing for an online job interview should not miss some very important aspects for preparing themselves. With the right approach and a little training, online job interviews can be a cakewalk.
Prepare yourself well.
Similar to the regular, physical job interviews you must prepare well with your subject and experience. We recommend going through your resume once and remember the projects you have worked on so far, along with the timelines. These are important and you don’t want to see your resume in front of the board!
Practice your communication skill before the online job interview if you think it needs a little brush-up. Personally, I read just any book the night before loud enough to hear what I spell, as it gives me the confidence of communicating the next day before an interviewer. You may have your own technique. Do that.
Be prepared for the HR round questions like ‘tell me about yourself’, ‘three strong and weak sides of your character’, or ‘where do you see yourself after five years from now.’
Get to know about the company as much as possible. Start from the company website and search Google or talk to a friend who is already employed with them.
While this is basic, you should have some other things on the checklist. You must have a computer working fine, mics and earphones tested and working well, along with the required software installed in it (e.g. Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, or anything like that), and a net connection with good speed. Don’t forget to fully charge your computer and the net device (maybe your phone). If you are not already using the software, I recommend downloading it at least 1–2 days before the interview day and get to know the functionalities well to avoid being embarrassed during the job interview.
Dress formally.
It is likely that you will attend the job interview from your home or any other place which is not an office place. But be cautious enough to wear a clean and ironed dress and accessories as you would have worn during a physical job interview. You will be seen in the video and the last thing you would want to appear less formal, which may decrease your chance of selection.
Select the right place.
It is quite important to choose a particular place in your home or the place from where you would attend the online job interview. ensure proper light, and we recommend a place near the window with plenty of natural light coming in. Note that there should not be any light overhead or on your backside. Test the lighting with a mock session beforehand. Preferably you should choose a place where the noises from the surroundings are the least, even if you don’t get a soundproof room. Place your computer in such a way that you get a light-shade background.
Tips for the interview-day
Communicate with the HR guy at least 15 minutes before the scheduled time to confirm the timing and your presence. Make sure to log in 1–2 minutes beforehand to showcase your seriousness about the online job interview. Keep a pen and some papers, tissue or handkerchief, and a glass of water ready at hand. Better to keep your phone switched off. Or if you are connected to the internet from your phone, make sure that it is in silent mode and away from you so that you don’t get distracted during a conversation.
During the interview
Sit straight with a good posture and confidence. It is advisable to keep your hands on your lap. You may do a little breathing exercise 10–15 minutes prior to appearing on-screen, it helps. Introduce yourself in a formal way and go easy. Speak slowly and clearly and never demonstrate that you are in hurry.
Okay, and prepare for the unfortunate.
There may be certain unfortunate cases of network disturbances, or even failure. Remain
prepared in your mind for it. For minor disturbances, it may happen that you can’t get to listen to what your interviewer speaks. Request them to tell it again, it’s better to request them than not understanding a question and telling something irrelevant in reply.
If the network fails, call the contact person and express your issue. Request for time, and in case of permanent failures, request for an alternative slot. Being honest is always the best policy.
We wish you good luck with the online job interview.
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