best practices for remote interviews

2021/05/21

And look genuinely interested and engaging.

You may be the one being interviewed, but its also an opportunity for you to ask questions of the interviewer. I always take notes in a Google doc in a separate tab during interviews. Sign in to the video meeting early to get a clear testrun. This is especially important if you are looking to hire for remote positions or a position that is not in your home office.

I have pretty bad habits of fidgeting with my hair, like a nervous habit, and with my hair set in a do, I dont touch it at all when interviewing on video. Give the candidate your undivided attention and make direct eye contact by looking at your computers camera instead of the screen.

I did this once with Dan, from the bedroom to the living room. Stay patient. Scott says this is totally acceptable and indicates your eagerness: You can't go wrong with a follow up email to thank someone for their time.

If you like wearing your hair down, reconsider if this will mean youll be fidgeting with your hair a lot. This is important for you as a candidate to get a feel for whether its a good culture fit. Make notes for yourself on how well you align with their values and things you think you can add to the team.. Specifically, with virtual interviews being held via Google Meet, you can change your settings and change your bandwidth settings.

To account for this lag, provide the candidate with plenty of time to respond. I recommend drawing the curtains closed and working with a lighting setup over which you have control, or sitting in front of a window that illuminates your body. Photobooth isnt just for stretching your face with the funny filters: its a way of seeing how you look without using Zoom or making a test video call over Google Meet.

I also made sure I could do a screen share, as some final presentation interview rounds require presenting a slide deck or Powerpoint.

Anastasia Pshegodskaya, senior recruiting manager at Remote, explains why candidates sometimes falter, as remote interviewing can sometimes be a more stressful experience: When interviewing over Zoom, youre not only worried about your responses to the questions but potentially instability when it comes to technology. Windows will create back-lit scenarios, making your face dark.

Continue the practice run of your virtual interview by testing for background noise and how to get rid of it.

Gaby is a huge advocate for trying to build a connection with your communication skills: From my experience, soft skills and body language can be assessed pretty much the same way as in a traditional interview.. Carefully toggle into a separate screen if you haveto.

Practice with the tech the interviewer uses. This is the same for if you have small children: arrange for a parent or caretaker to be engaging small children so that they can leave you with some quiet. successfully engage manage workers hire remote

Benefits of holding virtual interviews over in-person interviews, How to Conduct a Successful Virtual Interview on Indeed, 10 Recruiting Strategies for Hiring Great Employees, 7 Interview Techniques to Conduct an Effective Interview, Guide to Interview Scoring Sheets (With Template and Sample), Interviewing Strategies and Best Practices for New Hires, Strategic Interview Questions to Ask Job Candidates.

(I wear leggings, shorts or whatever I want, on the bottom!). You can also seek out quiet public places with good Wi-Fi, like a library, cafe, or a hotel lobby. The day before, run a speed test to determine the volume on yournetwork.

If you run into issues, offer to continue with your video off and to save bandwidth. Remember that you want to impress the interviewer and give him or her your full attention.

Virtual interviews can allow you to speak with candidates all over the world. Giving candidates the opportunity to prepare ensures they are confident and at their best when you do hold the interview.

The bright side of an interview is that youll realize when you touch your face and hair or adjust your glasses, because youll be looking at yourself. Once youre done with the interview, whats next? Use our work from home tips to brush up on how dressing up can make you feel professional even if youre in your house.

Weve all been there: you get past the phone screen step of the interview process (great job so far, by the way) and now you need to find out how to ace a remote job interview.

Prepare questions and take notes as you go. I once had a video interview where one of the interviewers had a lag in audio and video and it was not fun for anyone. The benefit is twofold.

A smile is something that can shine through the computer screen like a bright light if you choose to act confident, grateful and happy to be speaking with your interviewer(s).

Remember that your interviewer is expecting professionalism even though you are not in a physical office. For each question, make a note of the candidates answer so you can review them later. Before the interview, test your connection several times.

You also may experience first, second and final round video interviews for a remote job, or a job that is hybrid in an office in your city.

On your end, you can pause things like Dropbox or Adobe Creative Cloud from syncing. Try to remember that interrupting can be worse. Are you working from home for the first time?

How Indeed Can Support a Digital Hiring Process, A Business Owner's Guide for Keeping Customers and Clients Safe During the COVID-19 Outbreak, How to Conduct a Successful Video Interview.

No one said taking a remote interview is easy, especially when there are so many factors to navigate. Present yourself well through your attire and background.

My video interviews recently have gone well thanks to a few solid tips and best practices!

Whether to use headphones or computer audio for a video interview is up to everyones preference.

Make sure youre connected to the 5G version of yourrouter. An in-person interview gives you time to shine. talkspirit

Zoom and Google Meet will show you a preview of how you look before you join the call, but require you to actually click on the meeting URL. It took my college campus by storm between 2006-2007.

Please note that we are not your career or legal advisor, and none of the information provided herein guarantees a job offer. And be mindful about the questions you ask the easier the answer is to find online, the more time you waste and the less prepared you look..

Make sure that your camera and microphone work to avoid further stress on call..

I slide these windows to the top of my screen, closest to my laptop camera, so that Im looking at the interviewer as closely as possible in the camera. Some individuals may be hesitant to attend an in-person interview and pass on or postpone the interview.

As a safe bet, I usually always wear a blouse, and I add jewelry for a visual pop.

Use this rating system to keep track of how each candidate performs during the virtual interview process.

Consider that what to wear to a remote interview depends on the industry. A remote video interview sure does put more of a face to a name than a simple phone call. However, there are other benefits that come with conducting interviews virtually.

In case you need to resort to a phone interview (if there are technical difficulties with video), keep your phone fully charged (and on silent) close to your laptop.

In order to stand out during this video interview as a candidate who has prepared well, what can you do to perfect your setup?

You need to connect on time, you might be worried that your internet bandwidth wont be enough, and sometimes you may need to use tools that you may not have used before.. how to stay connected while working remotely, background noise-blocking service like Krisp, Best Productivity Tips for Working fromHome, 23 Cheapest Places for Traveling on a Budget in2022, 43 Best Photography YouTube Channels ToFollow, How to Set Up a Home Office in a SmallApartment, How to Create a Shared Home Office Space forTwo, The Best Cities For Working Remotely andTraveling, How to go into a video interview with a positive attitude, How to nail a video interview location, environment, background and setup, Use the blur background feature in Zoom and Google Meet (this one is continually my favorite), Try one of the Zoom virtual backgrounds like a clean office space or wall of books.

For example, if the candidate will need an access code to log in to the interview, list this information in a prominent place in the email.

You also shouldnt neglect your background. We've traveled the world working from our laptops, and now we're so excited to share our remote work tips and tricks, along with hacks for working from home, with you, here on ourblog.

All you have to do is go to your WiFi settings and verify which network you are connecting to. It provides a nice way to let your personality shine.

Your answers (and the questions you pose) will seem more relevant, demonstrating your understanding. A big tip is that you can use a background noise-blocking service like Krisp to block out unwanted noise during your calls.

If youre concerned about your internet connection, do a trial video call with a friend or family member in the exact room where you will be taking the interview.

Use a clean, neat, professional and natural video interviewbackground. At times, there may be a lag when using a computer or phone to conduct an interview. You should also let candidates know how your company plans on addressing the coronavirus situation going forward and what candidates can expect throughout the hiring process.

If your video interviewer denotes that the virtual interview will take place over a program thats new to you, do your research and download it for a test run.

Test your remote video setup for backgroundnoise. If youre looking for a remote, hybrid, or flexible job, Remote can help. Related: 10 Recruiting Strategies for Hiring Great Employees.

Heres how to prepare for a video interview, with Zoom interview tips, including what to wear to a remoteinterview.

The following are steps you can take to effectively prepare for a virtual interview: Its important to give your candidates time to prepare for the virtual interview rather than scheduling a meeting for the same day. Read the interview instructions carefully and ask questions if needed so you can practice and be ready for whatever is required technically. Use the list of questions you prepared to stay on track.

If using a Mac, you can use Photobooth to see how youlook.

Ive had a lot of luck with using virtual backgrounds for online video meetings, and meetings are quite similar to video interviews, technically speaking.

Essentially, having a notebook at your fingertips and your notes and questions written there allows you to continue giving your interviewer attention while you reference the remarks youd like to bring up. You can also download one of our free Zoom backgrounds! Its personal and friendly.

As a result, many employers are turning to virtual interviews to complete their hiring processes virtually. We have some virtual backgrounds that you can have, for free!

You do this all the time!

I set up a Google Meet invitation called Test, and then we both attended, seeing how it sounded and looked. You might want to try to begin the conversation by talking about personal things like where you live, hobbies, or interests, and even ask the interviewer about their day, their weekend, or their remote work journey.

Scott Entwistle, a recruiter at Remote, suggests you work through a dry run at least ten minutes before your call to make sure you have time to sort through any tech hiccups: I always recommend doing a test before an interview.

Find relevant content from their careers page or handbook if its public. Yasmine advises this for any candidate to help deal with the mental stresses of the interview experience. Virtual interviewing also allows you to accommodate a variety of schedules.

Holding virtual interviews can help candidates feel more comfortable, allowing them to offer more natural answers. Youre going to want to know what to wear to a remote interview, what to know about online interview tips and what to expect in the remote job interview process.

For example, if a candidate currently has a full-time job, they may be unable to travel to your workplace for an interview during normal working hours.

Remotes internal recruitment team has prepared five practical tactics to give you the best odds and help you land your dream remote job. If you have a puppy, try to put him or her in a closed room where barking or yelping wont be a distraction.

Even if you are, a remote job interview is still an experience very few candidates will have mastered. Yasmine encourages candidates to bring notes to the interview and sees this as a sign of good preparation and an indication of solid organizational skills: Dont read off your lap, but glancing at notes is noticed and loved by recruiters, she shares. You can also look the company up on sites like Crunchbase, Glassdoor, Comparably, and similar review sites to get more insights into how the company works and what the employee experience is like.

Make sure any service or usage within your WiFi network thats using bandwidth in the background is disabled during the interview. 3. This can make a bigger impression on the hiring manager than many candidates realize. No matter what, stay calm and composed remember, youll need to manage these types of instances on a semi-regular basis in a fully remote role anyway. Practice avoiding touching your face and yourhair.

Tell your interviewer that youll continue the interview with video so that the audio is as seamless as possible. This may help a candidate feel more confident about your business.

Conducting virtual interviews ensures your hiring efforts dont suffer as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Well get into this shortly! You get to show your future (hopefully) employer how you hold a conversation, how you shake hands and how you hold eye contact confidently. If internet speed is problematic, you can start with the video-enabled mode. Remember also that having a window as a background can create some problems when it comes to a video interview backdrop.

See how you look and if your video interview location is appropriate. Remember Photobooth?

You can also perform a practice interview with a colleague to ensure your technology works. Do your research on the company and its culture. The goal of limiting in-person contact with others is to flatten the curve, or slow the rate of infections so that health care facilities can adequately provide for those who are ill. By holding virtual interviews, you can contribute to the reduction of the spreading of COVID-19 and keep you, your employees, and the candidate safe. Conducting virtual interviews follows social distancing policies, which are recommended for preventing the spread of COVID-19. Ultimately, remember that job searching and interviewing is a numbers game.

With a good connection, you ensure that you dont miss any part of the interview and that your video is clear. Your interviewer might ask you to use other things, like whiteboarding tools for assignments or sharing a presentation youve prepared for the role.

To combat this, get comfortable with all the tools youll need for the interview ahead of time.

Also check that no one on your network is playing games, uploading files or using a lot of bandwidth. Among other programs, @halfhalftravel is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Enjoy! These links are always disclosed, and help us run our site.

This can result in you missing out on an ideal candidate. I now have a pair of the Bowers & Wilkins On-Ear Headphones and I must say, Im pretty pleased! Do have your questions about the role handy on paper or in a Googledoc.

You can also Google this person to find out more about their professional accomplishments, specialties, former places of work, and so on. The video interview dress code will vary, whether youre interviewing at a chilled-out tech startup or an international bank. One major difference between in-person interviews and virtual interviews is that virtual interviews are dependent on your and the candidates internet connection.

If youre more digital, having the questions in a Google doc are completely fine, as long as you read them naturally. Start your prep with setting up a proper home office.

Smile. If you enjoyed this article, give it ashare! Most routers nowadays have a regular network and a 5G version of the network.

If youre not sure how far you need to go with your attire, it wont hurt to ask. So the thing that makes me really excited about a candidate is seeing someone who loves our mission, has the right skill sets to do well in the role, and is ultimately a kind and open person..

We created this blog to share some of the knowledge and experience that we have around travel, remote work, photography and beyond! Gaby Suarez, a senior technical recruiter at Remote, recommends candidates look for everything they can find about the company, both on its website and on external sources.

The invitation should include the day and time that the interview will be held and all the information needed to access the software youll use for the interview.

If youre feeling nervous, remember thats normal, especially if youre not used to interviewing remotely.

If itll help you mentally feel ready, dress up from head to toe. You can have an introduction, and say ahead of time that you may be experiencing connectivity issues, but you wanted to be able to meet face-to-face first. Then, in a bottom window that I stretch to fill the rest of the screen, I open a fresh Google doc, where I take notes about the role, and also write down the questions Im asked so that I dont forget what Im talking about while answering.

The primary benefit of holding a virtual interview during this time is to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to keep yourself, your employees and potential candidates safe.

Virtual interviews are a convenient interview method because they require much less preparation for both the interviewee and the interviewer.

Before your interview, put some thought into your attire and setting. But youll also stand out in the process by demonstrating your dedication and foresight. Check out our Choose Remote Toolkit now for a list of remote job boards, companies hiring remotely, and tips to advocate for yourself to stay remote in your current job.

Build a rapport with your interviewer.

Let them know when you plan to choose a candidate for the position, how you will inform candidates on whether or not they got the job and if you require additional information from the candidate for consideration.

This is also a professional courtesy and demonstrates your professionalism and thoughtfulness in terms of the interview process. Consider how you look to your interviewer based on camera location on your laptop or webcam.

Dont just check your connection. Your video interview background could be a wall, or if your space does not allow it, then having more depth is okay if you can guarantee that no family members, roommates or pets will walk by.

So, I suggest having some alternate over-ear headphones like these sitting right nearby for backup use. If you live in a city like NYC, youre probably pretty accustomed to loud airplanes flying overhead, and very frequent ambulances and firetrucks with alarms sounding (the noise can reverberate off buildings like a big echo).

Make sure that you test Krisp out multiple times with a test call like the one we mention above.

If you want a creative idea for a video interview background, take a photo of your home office when its super clean and neat, and then upload it as your virtual Zoom background. Remote interviews have become the norm, even in situations where the job itself is on-site or hybrid. Im excited to share some video interview tips here in regard to how to look your best and be low-stress during an online interview.

When picking out what to wear to a remote interview, give yourself that test run and see how youll look to the interviewer.

Allow yourself to have a genuine conversation. We heard about Krisp through a professional connection, and as it turns out, Krisp.ai is an app that cancels background noise with the click of a button and a free trial.

Check out our free virtual backgrounds here. Wear shoes, too, if this helps you!

You can also start a tether connection from your phone, and use your cellular connection as a backup plan. Your space should have a neutral background so the candidate is not distracted by your environment.

Or, bring your charger with you and stay plugged in during the interview, which is the optimal route.

A button-up shirt can send a message that you mean business.

We're an NYC-based couple who work remotely. Jobs in more traditional industries like finance or law might require more thoughtful planning. These days, its more and more common to be offered a remote video interview as a first-round interview for a job in your city.

Check your surroundings if they're not quite desirable, you can always use an artificial background to make things easier!. This has worked for me when Ive counted on my Airpods working and then they decide to act up. You should be able to reschedule the interview for a different time without too much hassle if the tech just wont cooperate. Now that youre aware of the professional advice that comprises online interview tips, lets see how to get ready for a video interview. Pause and listen closely, as to not interrupt theinterviewer.

Consider that on the bright side, a video interview is a great way to stay connected if youre already working remotely. Make sure youre connected to the 5G version for your video interview call.

It can be distracting to the interviewer, who gets a clear view of you on a screen. Just as you would do in a regular interview, remember to immediately thank your interviewer for his/her/their time as you begin.

See more about Zoom and meeting apps in our guide to staying connected as a remote worker or while working from home.

Put your interview into the minimized thumbnail format (unless its in a full-screen software) while its in progress, to avoid total distraction.

If youre still waiting for the meeting URL or dont want to join quite yet, Photobook can help you out.

Interesting questions that are specifically related to the company will help candidates stand out from the crowd.. Read our Affiliate disclosure. work effectively with your remote team members. Determine what to wear to dress up (even if its only ontop).

In doing this, you can make the other end of the video lower-quality to help save and be smart about bandwidth. Use professional language, including body language, and remain focused.

When I feel like the AirPods case must be done, I plug my iPhone back in, and its a charging cycle like this. Try to keep the environment as professional as possible to mimic the setting of an in-person interview.

There are a few unspoken rules to setting up your video interview location and making sure your environment is as top-notch as it can be for this remote interview. Its good to prepare your questions in advance. In addition to charging headphones, make sure your laptop is charged, if youve brought it into another room and away from your charger. Lets be thankful this is no longer the norm!

Its more important than ever to know how to ace a remote interview.

Smile.

Your interviewer will be able to tell that youve put in the time to research.

I think it even looked real! Turn off your phone and computer notifications to avoid distractions. If you or your interviewer are hard to hear, its easier and easier to interrupt each other, and thats especially possible if theres a delay. In preparing for a virtual interview, it pays to have your video setup ready at your laptop or home desktop computer.

Make sure your wireless headphones get charged the day before or the morning before the video call.

Grab a coffee, crack out your favorite video game, go for a stroll in the park, take a hot bath, anything for some post-interview self-care. We're currently working remotely inBrooklyn. In case youre having a messy day, no one will know!

Its therefore important to head confidently into an interview to show your worth and value.

**When it comes to video interview setup, sign in early for a few reasons:**. On-ear headphones are new for me, so I use my AirPods as a first choice, and these for when Im in the mood (good for music).

How can you be the memorable candidate of the day? While many aspects of the interview process are the same whether in-person or virtual, there are some key differences to keep in mind as you prepare. Make sure your microphone and webcam function correctly. Have a list of several job-related questions that you ask every candidate as part of your standardized rating system. Well cover this again in the rest of this guide, but take note: its okay to have things written down on your trusty notepad or notebook.