8 Ways to Make Sure Your Interview Goes Smoothly
Most of us don’t wake up feeling excited to share our five-year plan and give a punchy, convincing, but not overly vulnerable appraisal of our weaknesses in a Google Meet conference room with four strangers. A little preparation, however, can go a long way in making the experience slightly less awful.1. Test your tech and connection
Don’t assume that your connection, webcam, and microphone will be flawless just because you used them two days ago to catch up with your college friend. Remember that it’s always during official moments that your online setup decides to give you trouble. Log in at least 15 minutes early to make sure your internet is working, your camera and microphone settings are correct, and whichever video conferencing app you’ll be using is already downloaded and updated accordingly.2. Dress professionally
To those conducting the interview, you usually appear as nothing more than a torso. But dressing well from head to toe can help you feel the part as much as look the part. While it may be tempting to dress your top half formally and skip the pants (since they can’t see your legs anyway!), don’t. You never know if you will need to stand up to adjust something.3. Prepare
Research the company thoroughly, think about common interview questions, and rehearse your delivery ahead of time. Pro tip: practice speaking at a steady pace and avoid filler words.4. Choose your space wisely
Pick a clean, uncluttered, comfortable, and well-lit space to set up your computer, camera, and yourself. If you don’t have a dedicated working space, improvise to the best of your ability. The most important thing is to avoid places with obvious mess, such as a pile of laundry or unclaimed dirty plates.5. Be professional
Just because you’re at home doesn’t mean the interview should be casual. Conduct yourself as if the interviewer is in the room. Not only will it help with the potential awkwardness of being virtual, but it will also help avoid embarrassing moments.6. Find ways to connect and build rapport
Building rapport over video can be harder than in person since eye contact and certain features of body language don’t translate as easily when you’re not in person. Focus on things you have in common and go from there. Try to look at the webcam (not at yourself, however tempting it may be), and try to hold conversations with the other interview members, not just speak in monologues.7. Don’t let your past haunt you
Whether the interview is live or virtual, one thing stays online forever: your digital footprint. Employers sometimes Google candidates, and the last thing you want is for an old Facebook post or a heated comment thread to do the talking for you. A quick cleanup can save you from awkward questions. If digging through years of posts sounds like a nightmare, you can outsource the job. Data removal services do the heavy lifting for you, and plenty of people compare options like Incogni vs. Onerep on Reddit before picking a subscription.8. Always follow up
Just because you’re not having the interview in person doesn’t mean you should skip the typical formalities. When the interview is over, send a quick thank-you email.Virtual Interview Safety and Scam Alerts
Virtual interviews are generally a completely legitimate way to screen candidates in post-COVID, remote-friendly industries. That said, scammers—forever honing their craft—have also found ways to take advantage of online job seekers. Red flags for potentially fake interviews include:- Receiving a job offer before the interview happens
- Being asked for personal information almost straight away
- Questionable or overreaching test tasks
