The COVID-19 pandemic changed all of our lives in one way or another over the past year. For businesses, it created a newly digital landscape for all operations to take place in. Companies are relying on online tools to outsource work and acquire talent from anywhere in the world. Being well-versed in the online space isn’t a skill that’s nice to have anymore, it’s a skill you need. Before the virus, you could leave an impression with a handshake, but now you’re stuck behind a screen. How do you master it?
Today, we’re covering three ways you can step up your online interview game.
1. Familiarize yourself with the technology
There are multiple different platforms that businesses use to conduct online interviews such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Hangout, Cisco WebEx, and more. To avoid technical difficulties, make sure that you familiarize yourself with the technology that you will be using during your interview. Some helpful things to check for in the week leading up to your interview:
- Do I have the video chat software installed on my computer?
- Do I require a webcam?
- Are my audio and video controls turned on?
- Is my Wi-Fi connection strong enough to support the video call?
- Do I know how to use the software?
Make sure you’re well-versed with the technology you’ll be using to avoid showing up late. Additionally, feeling comfortable with the technology you will be using for the interview will help you feel more at ease so you can relax and crush those interview questions with confidence.
2. Utilize your space
Utilizing your space refers to two specific things. Lighting, and resources. To set the tone for your interview, make sure that you’re well-lit in your camera frame. Facing a window or white-toned light source will illuminate your call as desired. Avoid having a light source behind you, since this can make your lighting worse and actually darken your frame.
A perk about an online interview is that you can use the space around you to keep your resources. Before your interview, prepare your area by putting out your resume and some key points you want to cover on paper. Since your interviewer can only see you in the frame, use the space around you that they can’t see to your advantage.
3. Polish your online persona
Before entering the Zoom waiting room, make sure that you’ve double checked your online persona. Is your profile picture appropriate? Are your usernames professional? To stay on the safe side, even double check your screensaver if you don’t want anything personal to be shown. You never know what you might need to show during a screenshare depending on the type of job you are interviewing for.
Polish your physical persona as well by making sure you look presentable in the frame. Even though your legs won’t be on the screen, putting something other than sweatpants on can trick your brain into being more prepared for a work environment. Suit up and crush it.
What do online interviews look like at Jombone?
Using Jombone you can call and be called directly through our staffing platform. Instead of using third party extensions for your interviews, you can complete the entire job hunt process, application to after hire, all from our downloadable apps available on iOS and Androids.
Simply populate your digital profile and start mass-applying to jobs in just a few simple clicks. No resume or cover letter tweaking is required next time you apply for a job with Jombone.
