Posted 11:40 AM, Fri., March 27, 2020
Over the past several years, career services across the nation have seen an increase in virtual interviews for students. Given recent events and the ever-changing circumstances surrounding COVID-19, more and more employers are substituting in-person interviews with virtual interviews. Prepare yourself with these helpful tips below, and you’ll be able to log into your next interview, brimming with confidence!
1. Be prepared. Every interview should be treated with the same seriousness. Prepare for each interview like it is the final interview because if you don’t, it will be. How do you prepare? Start by researching the company and reviewing the position on the company website, and check out company reviews on Vault. Next, review your resume and practice behavioral-based interview questions, using the STAR format.
2. Get Dressed. Always dress like you are interviewing in person. This helps with your confidence and gives a signal to the interviewer that you are prepared. It may be tempting to only dress the part from the waist up, but it’s not worth the risk. You may have to stand up during the interview, so dress professionally from head to toe.
3. Eliminate Distractions. Now that your choice of interview locations may be limited, you need to make a plan to eliminate distractions. If you have roommates or are at home with your family, make sure everyone is aware of your important interview. Create signs to hang on your door stating, “Do Not Disturb: Interview in Progress.” Also, turn off sounds for cell phones, computers, alarm clocks, and anything else that might make noises and distract you during your interview.
4. Look Out Behind You! Seriously, along with eliminating distractions, take the time to create a professional scene behind you. This could be a blank wall, but it would be better if it had a picture, or a nicely organized bookcase or shelf. A professional looking backdrop is just one more way to signal to the recruiter that you have it altogether!
5. Lights, Camera, Action! Lighting and camera position are very important. It is difficult for recruiters to separate the overall interview experience from the candidate. You may say all the right things, and have a great resume to back it up, but the creepy shadow on your face or the close up view of your nostrils may leave you in second place to a candidate who prepared. You don’t have to purchase expensive equipment. Instead, consider elevating your laptop on a stack of books to avoid an awkward camera angle, or place a lamp in front of you and make sure there are no bright lights behind you. You can also try facing an open window, so the natural light hits your face.
6. Can you hear me now? Good sound is critical for interviews. You may want to use a headset to minimize background noise. Make sure you are in a place where you know your cell phone signal is reliable. It is important for you and the recruiter to hear each other clearly, so be sure to test this ahead of time with a friend.
7. Use Notes. Remember that research you did before your interview? Have a few notes handy for when you get stumped. Don’t read from the notes like a script, but have them ready to help you stay on track if you get nervous.
8. Eye Contact. Try to focus on the camera and not the screen. Even in face to face interviews, eye contact is not meant to be a staring contest, but it should be natural and consistent. Looking at your notes and looking at the interviewer on your screen periodically is fine, but be aware that you need to regularly look into the camera itself while you are telling your story.
9. Check Your Tech! Make sure everything works ahead of time. Log into the video call platform and do a test run. Remember to close out extra programs and check your internet connection. Also ask yourself: Laptop battery powered up? Cell phone all charged for a phone interview?
10. Engineering Career Services! That’s right! We are still here for you in this stressful time. We have opened more time for advising, and the video advising appointments are perfect for practicing your video interview skills and testing your set up. If you have a video interview coming up, log into Handshake and schedule an ECS: Mock Interview appointment right away. Don’t forget that we also offer free access to Big Interview where you can watch video lessons, browse interview play books, and practice answering sample questions using your web cam.