If you are looking for a job, you may need to interview over the phone. This has several great advantages. You won’t be late as there are no traffic jams, you can review your notes without being too noticeable and if you live in a rural area, you can save money because you have the same choices as city dwellers.
There are also disadvantages. Virtual interviews can lead to unfortunate mistakes, for example, forgetting the sound is not muted, or by putting a cat filter on your face.
Given the upsides and downsides, we’re asking, can competitors truly stand apart during the virtual hiring process?
We’ve compiled four practices you can use to transform your next virtual meeting into a bid for employment.
1) Prepare Your Surroundings
Have a spotless, orderly background: Our recommendation here isn’t for you to begin revising your whole room. Simply find an area that is tidy and free of disruptions. You can even pick a basic virtual template to use as a background as opposed to being in front of a messy bookcase. In opposition to past research, we discovered that unconscious prejudices were less likely to filter into the decision-making process when interviewees had a spotless background. 97% of job recruiters that we questioned, favored virtual backgrounds of office surroundings over seashores, mountains or space.
2) Plan For The Unanticipated
Keep notes nearby, however don’t look at them too much. When conducting an interview, it’s normal for hiring representatives to request instances of your most important work. Don’t allow this to throw you off. Make notes that details a few of the projects you wish to discuss. Sort your projects under a few categories: achievements, research, charitable efforts, etc.
We recommend only using one page of notes. The objective is to use them sparingly.
3) Practice
Use hand motions: In our research, 89% of interviewees utilized wide hand motions for exciting points, while drawing their hands nearer to their heart when disclosing personal information. Your non-verbal communication can affect what you’re saying and how your message is received. We also found that you can connect with your evaluator by maintaining an open stance and keeping your arms unfolded. Make sure you look directly into your recorder, not at your image. We suggest keeping yourself close to the camera (we recommend about two feet). Ensure your head and top of your shoulders fill the screen, and as you’ve heard previously, look at the webcam when you talk.
4) Don’t Just Speak, Create Discussions
While interviews always provide an opportunity to ask questions about the office and culture, remote interviews raise more questions than usual. Ask everything you want to know. Don’t be afraid to look foolish. Recruiters appreciate your curiosity. When working remotely, it’s a good idea to explore what types of technology you’ll have access to, if you’ll be part of a team, or how the company measures success. 85% of successful interviewees ask these questions to reveal important facts about their personality while highlighting their values and priorities. For example, you might ask, “Do you encourage flexible work practices?” Then, follow that up with “Once a week, I donate my time as an English teacher, and I hope this can continue.”
Whether you like it or not, the online hiring process is here to stay. While there are numerous advantages, we must do everything we can to make this relatively new process a reality. Keep in mind, pants are optional, masterful conveyance is not.
This article was written by Grace Bailey with HelpVet.net.
