Job interviews are one of the most distressing processes important but in the process of finding a job or change careers or business. Not all of us have people skills and, at times, we can be pressured by having someone in front of us asking us questions for which we do not always have an answer. But there are some guidelines that we can follow and learn how to face a job interview. Especially if it is an online interview, a model is on the rise because it is more comfortable and practical for the interviewer and interviewer. What’s more, it saves time and travel to both parties. Let’s see how to do a good remote interview.
The bases are the same as for a face-to-face interview. This is something that has been done for decades. And although it has become very professional, with the introduction of tests and key questions, there are common principles for most interviews. From there, an online interview incorporates elements of video calls, a resource to which we have become accustomed in recent years due to the pandemic. So, in addition to planning a classic interview, we must take into account certain tricks more typical of television than what a job interview should be.
Technical tips for an online interview
We assume that we have already prepared the classic part of the interview beforehand. How to do a good interview? We know our résumé by heart, we’ve compiled common interview questions and answered them on our own. We have practiced interacting with the interviewer so as not to fall into awkward silences. We know that we must be sure of ourselves, not waver, be honest but eloquent… Something that we can achieve through practice.
So knowing what we have to say to the interviewer and how to face a job interview, now it’s time to prepare the more technical aspects of the online interview. Because while in the face-to-face interview, being late or not showing up means missing a great opportunity, in a distance interview, that the connection fails or does not work as it should is the difference between finding a job or losing a whole day.
The first is obvious. Do you have a good internet connection? If you have fiber optics, it is very likely that you will enjoy more than 100 MB of speed, which is the objective in Spain to reach the entire population. Movistar, for its part, already offers Internet at 300 MB and 600 MB. Make sure that the place you connect from receives good WiFi coverage to take advantage of that bandwidth. Avoid doing tasks that require bandwidth during the interview, such as downloading files or playing online games. The interview will last no more than an hour, tops.
Second. The app for the video call. If you can choose, make sure you have your user profile set up. Good photography, adequate description, you know how to use it and you won’t have any last-minute surprises… If you can’t choose, it doesn’t matter. Whatever it is, before the interview try to set up your profile with a good photograph and a good description. You have to give a good image even in those small details.
Try to test before the online interview if the app and the connection work. Some video calling apps allow you to make a fake video call to do these tests. Take into account what your webcam shows if the microphone picks up your voice and no external noise is leaking …
Image is everything, also online
I said at the beginning that some of the tricks you should know for an online interview have to do with television. And, in part, they are the ones that are most popular on YouTube, Twitch, and other online video platforms.
What your webcam will show is important. And you have an advantage, you play at home. In a face-to-face interview, you can take care of your appearance, but online you can control what the interviewer will see behind. Books? Any diploma? A minimalist background? Depending on the job, you should play with one style or another.