Virtual Interview Tips For Your Job Search

How to Do a Virtual Interview:

With many companies employing remote work policies, candidates actively interviewing for new roles might not know what impact that has on the hiring process – or if hiring is continuing at all. The good news is that IT job openings in the internet and tech industry are up 41% this month, according to Glassdoor, and employers are modifying processes to do virtual interviews with candidates.

Is it a good time to job search? Here's our tips for the best time to find a new job.

Hiring managers are leveraging video as an alternative to all in-person interviews, including the final round, to complete the entire hiring process online. In the past few years, 60% of hiring managers and recruiters have started using video interviewing technology, and 47% of companies use video interviewing to shorten the hiring time frame to begin with.

Given the current remote work culture, candidates should prepare to virtually interview for the entire hiring process as employers and employees adapt to the current national climate. The better prepared you are now, the higher the competitive advantage you'll have when doing a video job interview – whether you are actively on the job search or just open to new opportunities.

Here's what you need to know to successfully represent yourself virtually and leave a good impression on the hiring manager.

Virtual Interviewing Advice for Candidates

Test Your Technology. Companies are conducting job interviews via a variety of Internet video calling tools including Skype, FaceTime, and Google Hangouts. Research the video tools and run through a practice call to test out the audio, video, lighting and background. Be seated and prepared for the call at least 10 minutes prior to the start time to allow room for last-minute technical difficulties.

Dress to Impress. Generally a video interview lasts no longer than an hour, but survey results of 2,000 hiring managers found that 33% knew whether they would hire someone in the first 90 seconds. Look presentable on screen by doing your hair and/or makeup and by wearing business attire like a suit and tie or blouse and blazer. Choose a neutral, solid backdrop for the setting behind you and avoid bright colors or flashing lights. This eliminates all possible distractions for the interviewer so they can focus on you.

Practice Open Body Language. Body language is a huge element of an in-person interview that often gets taken for granted over video. Test how you look on camera before the interview. Sit up straight, maintain eye contact, and actively smile throughout the call. 40% of interviewers thought a lack of a smile is a good enough reason eliminate a candidate, and 65% said that candidates who failed to make eye contact didn’t get the role that they were applying for. Avoid closed body language that demonstrates a lack of confidence such as crossing your arms or looking away from the screen.

Prepare for the Interview Questions. Depending on the position, the interviewer could ask you technical or experiential questions. Either way, prepare to answer these questions and avoid reading from prepared notes. Interviewers can tell what sounds genuine and what is scripted. 40% of interviewers state that the quality of a candidate’s voice and their overall confidence was a reason for not taking their candidacy further.

Remember to Follow Up. Amid the current work climate, hiring managers may have a heavy workload. Follow up after the video interview to reiterate your interest in the position and leave a lasting impression. They may need your help now more than ever as a proactive employee on their team.

Read: Virtual Interview Tips You Can Implement Now As an Employer

Companies are helping their candidates prep for video interviews by empowering job searchers with information about the process. See what a few are providing: Nestle Tech Careers; Preparing For the Virtual Interview, NASDAQ How to Prepare for the Virtual Interview, A Yelp Recruiter's Guide to Virtual Interviews, Interviewing at TI, PPD Top 5 Tips for a Virtual Interview, PNC Virtual Interview. Talk to us about your job search or apply below.