Virtually everything has changed in the Covid-19 era.
Working remotely, connecting with clients through video conferencing, networking through virtual coffee chats and now video interviewing – who would have thought! Everything has gone virtual. What used to be common has now become out of reach and what was unusual has now become our virtual reality. Have you adjusted yet? Are you resisting change? Are you willing to climb a new learning curve, show your resilience and become competent in this new reality? Here are some ways you can prepare to interview successfully in our current climate of social distancing.
- Recorded Video Interviews
For some companies and firms, they prefer to conduct their initial interview screening through recorded video interviews. For most companies, they prefer the live version of online interviews, but some companies persist in using recorded video interviewing to identify candidates and reduce their work load when screening at the first stages of shortlisting candidates.
If you are requested to participate in this activity, there are a few things you can do to prepare. Firstly, inquire about the type of questions you will be asked and the time limit you will have to answer them. Even if they choose not to disclose all the details, any information you gather will give you an advantage when preparing.
Then plan your answers, time your answers and do some role playing to prepare for when the recorded session takes place. If you do not have the opportunity to gather information prior to the interview, do your best to prepare for any eventual question by preparing on the spot during the window of time allotted to you prior to the camera running. Then, deliver the answer with as much excellence that you can muster. You can do this! - Online Assessments
These preliminary activities are employed when a company wants to do more than interview and is looking for a way to assess the reasoning powers, professional judgment, personal preferences and personality type of candidates.
To prepare for these assessments you can use your search engine to determine what kind of assessment your targeted employer uses and do some research about the assessment itself. Although you will not be able to study the answers you can discover the kind of assessment and possibly even find some similar practice assessments to try prior to taking the real assessment. Glassdoor.com which is a job search and company research tool is a resource where prospective candidates can learn about other people’s experiences when interviewing and working at a company. - Phone Interviews
As much as many companies are using virtual interviewing to vet candidates during a time when social distancing is required, some companies have chosen to continue with the phone interview screening avenue as their vetting tool of choice.
If this is what you are required to do, here are a few tips to help prepare for when the call comes.
– Ask for interview details
– Be well prepared
– Know your interviewer (if they will tell you)
– Arrange a suitable time
– Go to a quiet place
– Dress the part
– Speak slowly and clearly
– Practice answers (don’t read them)
– Display enthusiasm
– Prepare questions
– Ask about next steps
– SMILE! - Video Conferencing
A. Technical Preparation
– Download and test software
– Clean and test camera
– Pick audio option and test
– Ensure stable WIFI or use Ethernet and test it
– Try a meeting and test it
* Notice anything common from this list?!
B. Consider the Environment
– Select background (virtual or actual)
– Choose environment
– Consider what is in the background
– Adjust lighting
– Inform family and friends you will be online
C. Personal Preparation
– Dress professionally
– Be ready/online early
– Maintain eye contact (look at camera)
– Use voice inflections
– Smile
– Display emotional intelligence (technical empathy may be needed) - Follow Up
Although follow up does not guarantee success, when it is left undone can likely lessen your career success. Follow up is a way of protecting the investment you have made to do research, target a company, network, prepare an application and perform well during your interview. If you consider follow up in this light, you will see follow up as an act of continued due diligence.
Be sure to respond quickly. Sooner is always the better. Quick, quality follow up can be a significant piece of why you move on in the interview process or receive an offer. Word it specifically with both professional and personal content from your discussions and you will be remembered when it matters.
All in all, with our reality becoming more virtual with no end in sight, it only makes sense to prepare accordingly.
Best of luck!
Russell
Russell Garrett is your DAP Career Coach, a Certified Career Consultant and the Owner of Protocol Business Solutions and has been delivering coaching support to DAP students for over 15 years. Russell will be delivering a Fall Career Series for DAP students through online workshops. Also, you can meet with Russell for 30 minute online coaching appointments twice each term. You can register through COOL for designated days or if the dates do not work for you, you can make an email request to meet by emailing Russell at dapcareersupport@sauder.ubc.ca.