Articles From the Team
How do I tackle my interview virtual interview
I was recently discussing a candidate’s forthcoming interview I was asked a question as to whether I use the same techniques in helping all of my candidates to prepare for interview, and the answer of course is nope. We have to and are happy to tailor our approaches to the individual to ensure that no matter who you are and with who you’re interviewing with you’re going in fully prepared to discuss the right topics.
So, bringing this together, here are my top tips for remote interviews (during the pandemic!):
Log in early. Whether you’re meeting a potential employer or a date, punctuality is a positive statement. Test your equipment and make sure you’re ready to log in without the panic of being late! f you are going to be late for whatever reason, give as much notice as possible, it’s nothing if not polite.
Know your audience. As your recruiter I will help you prepare for interviews. I will help you research the firm, the role, the clients, the work on offer, the people you’re meeting etc. I will make sure you’re not going into that meeting blind and that you can handle whatever they throw at you. Do appreciate that it may seem difficult to build rapport as it’s video rather than be face to face but be yourself.
Be appropriately dressed. You would be forgiven for thinking that a person (almost regardless of their profession) shouldn’t have to be told to wear a suit or to dress smartly for an interview. You would then also be surprised at the amount of people who do sometimes forget this. At the very least make sure your shirt is ironed, your shoes are clean and your suit doesn’t have stains on it – even if it is via Zoom!
Confidence and composure. If the interviewer asks you a question and you don’t know the answer, it is perfectly acceptable to take a moment and think about it or to say that you don’t know; but, follow up with how you would go about finding out the answer, the process you would follow and the people/colleagues you might turn to for advice on the matter.
There is an incredibly fine line between what can be perceived to be arrogance and what is indeed confidence. In an interview you must be prepared and able to talk through your CV, to explain your experience and the work you have undertaken, to answer technical questions and to display your qualities for the job as well as the right work ethic and personality to make them want to give you the job. On a date it is sometimes hard to draw the line between appearing to be the interesting person or to be interested in the other person. We all like to talk about ourselves, but a little humility never did anyone any harm.