Top 10 Virtual Interview Tips That You Must Know

Many things have changed due to COVID-19, including how we limit in-person interactions. Particularly in the beginning stages of the talent hunt, many interviews are now conducted electronically.

Many businesses decide to conduct virtual interviews to make the procedure more effective for both the employer and the potential employee. A potential employer may ask you to meet online for an early chat about a career, including remote positions and cost-effective first-round interviews. You can gain confidence and demonstrate your value as a job candidate during an online interview by being well-prepared for a virtual interview.

This article will guide you in overcoming the particular difficulties presented by providing virtual interview tips for candidates so you may present your best self.

Top 10 Virtual Interview Tips

1. Prepare as if it is an in-person interview

Your interview can be on Skype, Zoom or Google Meet, but it’s still a formal setting. You should prepare yourself thoroughly as if it is an in-person interview. This will include researching about the company, a few common questions that you want to ask and all possible questions asked by the interviewers. Be prepared to demonstrate why you are the person your interviewer is seeking someone they can imagine themselves working with, someone who is enthusiastic and informed about the position they are applying for.

2. Check your Technology

You can minimise technical issues by practising your setup beforehand using the same platform, internet connection, and hardware you’ll use during your interview. Invite a friend to ensure you can hear, be heard, and be seen during a video chat. Spend time learning the program’s fundamentals and ensuring you understand how to mute and unmute your microphone.

3. Never approach too close or too far

You shouldn’t sit too far from your computer as you wouldn’t sit eight feet or three inches from an interviewer in a conference room. When positioning your chair, you should be careful to avoid seeming too little or too large. Make sure there is some room on the screen above your head and that your shoulders and upper chest are visible to ensure that you are proportionate.

For the benefit of any interviewer with a poor connection, make sure you talk clearly and slowly while remaining casual. You shouldn’t sound like a computer just because your interview occurs on one! Since virtual interview tips for candidates rely less on body language for communication, you also want your speech to convey your feelings about what you’re saying. For instance, when discussing the topics you’re interested in, make sure you sound enthusiastic.

4. Early Arrival is a Good Idea

You wouldn’t arrive at the location of an interview at 3 PM or even at 2:59 PM, so you shouldn’t do it for a virtual interview as well. Close any auxiliary windows and tabs to prepare your computer. Additionally, if you want to be able to share a screen during your interview to display a portfolio or something similar, make sure it is prepared and open in a window that is minimised but still easy to access.

A few minutes before your scheduled virtual interview, launch the application. A lot of the popular virtual interview tools will give you the opportunity to check your shot before you fully start the meeting. Then, Turner says, “relax.” Do breathing exercises and arrive prepared “a few minutes early.” In this manner, “you’re already ready to go” when you click to join the call, and the interview begins.

5. A “Digital Handshake” to Begin

When you have a face-to-face interview, there is a moment when the interview has begun yet hasn’t yet started. You and your interviewer actually greet, shake hands, enter the room, and take seats. There is still time to settle in, even if you are not chit-chatting. This isn’t always the case with virtual interview tips for candidates. Therefore, we advise concentrating even more on forging the first bond.

She suggests trying a “digital handshake.” To establish a connection with the camera after saying hello, “look right at the camera, do a slight head nod as if to say ‘yeah!’ and add a grin, which translates warmth and openness.”

6. Accept the Differences

It’s acceptable to clarify right away that a virtual interview differs from an in-person interview. According to Eonnet, making individuals feel comfortable by acknowledging that things are different imitates those first few meetings. Additionally, don’t be afraid to speak up if something feels strange, such as if you can’t clearly hear or see your interviewer. It will show that you are willing to speak honestly about problems.

7. Good posture is important

You should naturally feel a little more at ease since you are at home. Avoid letting this cause you to slouch in your chair. You come off as being less interested. Your preferred seating position is to draw your chair away from the table, lean forward, place your feet on the floor, and place your hands on the surface. By doing this, you can move about without obstructing the camera.

Additionally, sitting up straight naturally boosts your energy and allows you to express your enthusiasm for the position. Standing is an option if you find it to be a simpler way to maintain your energy, but not if you tend to pace or shift around a lot.

8. Let the other individual finish their sentence

This is sound advice for life in general, but on video chat, responding too fast will silence the other person’s mic and completely cut them off, making you appear impolite even if you weren’t trying to be. Additionally, due to internet lag, it’s not always clear if someone is finished speaking or merely pausing. Therefore, wait until you believe your interviewer has finished before responding. If you struggle with this, practice shutting off your microphone while the other person is speaking; this will require you to allow them a little more time to finish their sentence.

9. Signal When You Have Finished Your Answers

In the same vein, signalling the conclusion of your answer is helpful for the other person, especially if it is lengthy. You can accomplish this by giving a visual cue, such as a nod, or you might ensure that your response is strongly concluded or ask the interviewer a question. A prolonged pause during which your interviewer tries to guess whether you’re finished might be awkward via video, although in person, it’s typically more obvious when the other person has completed speaking.

10. Approach your virtual interview as a conversation

Try to build a connection with the interviewer during your virtual interview. Treat it like a conversation to establish understanding, as you won’t have the chance to do so before or after. This helps build rapport, which is crucial since you won’t have pre- or post-interview interactions.

Make sure your video call is more than just a series of questions and answers. If you have comments after your interviewer responds, share them. Ask your questions throughout the conversation instead of waiting until the end. This helps the interviewer see you as someone they could easily talk to regularly.

About Virtual Jobs Fair

A virtual jobs fair is an online gathering that brings in collectively potential job seekers and employers with open vacancies. It is regularly held on a digital platform that allows job seekers to communicate with businesses and find out about available positions in a different location.

Job searchers can search various employers and job openings, upload resumes, and communicate with recruiters or hiring managers at a virtual activity fair. Several online job fairs provide webinars or speaker sessions on career-related subjects like– advice for preparing resumes or conducting interviews.

Compared to conventional in-person process festivals, virtual job fairs can provide few more benefits advantages, including:

• More accessibility: Job seekers can engage with companies apart from their local area and get jobs internationally.
• Cost-effectiveness: As there is no travel cost involved, virtual job fairs can be more affordable for both employers and job seekers.
• Time-saving: Virtual job fairs offer job seekers to attend irrespective of the location, rather than spending hours searching the physical venue.

What should you Avoid in a virtual interview?

These days, virtual interviews are becoming more relevant than ever. So, there are a few things you should not do at all in a virtual interview, even if they are similar to in-person interviews in many ways:

• Not testing your equipment in advance

  Before the interview, test your equipment and an internet connection to ensure everything functions properly. Technological issues during the interview can be disruptive and may impact how well you perform in general.

• Dress for the job you want

  As this is still a formal setting, you should still dress as if it is an in-person interview. This is because you are still visible to the interviewer. Making an effort to dress formally will show how serious you are for the interview.

• Not paying attention to your surroundings

  Ensure your background is tidy and professional and that you are seated in a peaceful, distraction-free area. Avoid background distractions like personal goods or other persons who can interfere with the interview.

• Avoiding eye contact

  When speaking, focus on the camera rather than your screen or any other off-camera distractions. This can help you build a stronger rapport with the interviewer and demonstrate your level of engagement.

• Do your Homework

  Just as you prepare for an in-person interview, research the company and the role you are applying for in a virtual interview as well. This will help you answer the questions in a well prepared structure.

• Be attentive and give a thoughtfully answer

  Pay close attention to the interviewer’s words and hold back from interrupting or talking over them. This will present you as unprofessional or impolite, reflecting on your chances of getting hired.

You can guarantee that you leave a good impression during your virtual interview and raise your chances of getting the job by avoiding these frequent blunders.

How to give examples in virtual interview tips for candidates?

In a virtual interview, you can provide examples in several ways –

• Implement the STAR method:

  Use the Situation, Task, Action, and Result method also means as the STAR method. You can arrange your response to behavioral interview questions using this technique. Begin with describing the circumstance or issue you encountered, after that go on to the task or difficulty you had to overcome, then you take steps to address these issues, and lastly the successful outcome you could attain. Provide concrete instances to support your arguments.



• A screen share:

  Share your screen during the interview if you have a presentation or paper illustrating your expertise or skills. You can then guide the interviewer through the scenarios and offer visual evidence to support your statements.

• Use paper or a whiteboard:

  Use a whiteboard or paper to create diagrams, flowcharts, or mind maps to show your examples if you don’t have a presentation or document to deliver. For queries that are complex or technical, this is extremely useful.

Which type of background can you use in an interview?

It is typically advisable to choose a simple, professional background that won’t detract from your presentation or dialogue when taking part in an interview. Here are some ideas for backgrounds you might utilize when conducting interviews:

Conclusion

The goal of in-person and virtual interviews for candidates is to establish your suitability for the position.It’s important to stay focused on the essence of the core purpose of the interview. This will truly result in minimizing your focus on the visual aspect of the interview. The relationship you can establish with an interviewer is what matters.

Read More: What You Must Know About Virtual Job Fairs in 2023 – A Complete Guide