Covid-19 has made businesses rethink many of their current ways of operating and are adjusting to a remote world for the foreseeable future. While it is unclear yet as to the long-term ramifications this will have, in the short-term one thing may actually be to your advantage, the remote interview process. That’s right! It can be an advantage, see our top 5 tips below to find out how to leverage being behind your computer during your next interview.
Test your camera and background BEFORE the interview. Make sure the camera / mic works, and make sure your background puts you in a good light, and make sure whatever is in your house / home office that it is clean and organized! You do not want your interview to be derailed from the beginning because of a weird picture or messy room. You can go one step further and create a background that aligns with the type of company you are applying to and the vibe you want to give off through the screen.
Have a cheat sheet above or to the side! Make some notes for yourself in BIG FONT so you don’t need to look away for long but have some key indicators for yourself about the company, about your successes that you can weave into questions, and anything else that may be relevant.
Dress the part! Yes there are many jokes made about wearing a blazer and shirt up top and sweatpants down below but make sure to dress for the job, if you accidentally stand up or shift around you don’t want them to see anything that would make them doubt you are the best candidate.
Turn off any other notifications on your computer / phone. It is not a good look to have Whatsapp or email notifications pinging every few minutes while you are on the call. The less distractions the better!
Keep a pen and paper nearby as well! Take notes, especially if you are interviewing for a role where you would need to present ideas on a whiteboard or something if you have a notepad near you you can use that instead and show the hiring manager on screen.