The Best Environment for a Successful Virtual Job Interview
The aftermath of covid-19 has changed the way traditional worklife operates. Work forces across the globe have completely shifted from conducting business in-person, to almost entirely virtual. Every position in a business model has had to make this shift, including Human Resources and prospective employees.
Searching for a job or prospective candidate is stressful enough, but interviewing virtually for a position takes stress to the next level. Without interviewing in person, you are not able to fully showcase your personality, read body language or communicate as well. You also have the added worry of faulty internet connections and finding a quiet space to conduct your meeting.
Interviewing virtually can be a challenge when your side of the interview takes place in your home. If you can’t find a clean, quiet space or are worried about family members making an unwanted appearance, a great alternative is purchasing a day pass to prepare at a coworking facility like CommonGrounds Workplace. This will grant you a controlled, professional environment where you are guaranteed privacy and full amentities at your fingertips.
Even though you aren’t going to be physically handing your interviewer a copy of your resume, references, and cover letter, it is still a wise idea to have those materials nearby. Additionally, printing out a list of questions you’d like to ask your interviewer about themselves, the company, and the position is also a good idea. Every CommonGrounds has printing stations where you can print, fax, or make copies of your needed materials. Oh, and did we mention it’s all complementary?
Limiting distractions and interruptions is another key to a successful interview. The people you love and your personal belongings are all within your home, making limiting their distractive nature very difficult. You are not guaranteed that family members won’t accidentally walk into frame or a neighbor won’t choose that moment to ring your doorbell. Even if you live alone, there are so many internal distractions that could happen just as you start to answer an important question during your interview.
At CommonGrounds, we offer many sizes of meeting/conference rooms and have quiet communal areas for members to work in. To ensure maximum privacy with no interruptions, you have the option to reserve a conference room so that your focus can solely be on your conversation with your interviewer.
Another challenge you might face at home is faulty internet connection. It has happened to all of us that the minute you need to do something important online, the power goes out or you have a glitch with your server. CommonGrounds offers not only high speed Wi-Fi, but secured networks as well.
Regardless where you conduct your interview, you still might want to do a practice run. If you have a friend or family member that is willing to participate in a test run with you, make sure you test the ability of your microphone, camera, and internet connection so that any issues can be resolved before your interview. Navigating these initial challenges will take some weight off the interview and let you focus solely on the way you conduct yourself.
If you aren’t familiar with the platforms virtual meetings take place on, do a bit of research ahead of time and ask a friend to practice with you. Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype and Google Hangouts are the four most popular and they essentially function the same way. Carve out some time in your schedule to get familiar with these platforms and set up your space to appear well on camera.
As you are connecting to the meeting, take a deep breath. When people get nervous, they tend to hold their breath which stops oxygen flow to their brain and tenses the muscles in their bodies. As the interview takes place remember the following tips:
- Do make eye contact
- Don’t let your eyes wander around your space distractedly
- Do wait for your turn to speak
- Don’t try to interrupt your interviewer as they ask you a question
- Do remove distractions
- Don’t keep your phone’s sound turned on and silence other background noise
- Do come prepared to speak
- Ask questions, and think about possible answers to questions your interviewer may ask you
The good news is, the more you interview (virtually or in-person) the more comfortable you will be. The phrase “practice makes perfect” applies to many scenarios, virtual job interviews included! It is important to set yourself up for success and a big part of that is choosing the right environment. At CommonGrounds Workplace, we have what you need to be successful in every situation, especially when you are looking to ace your interview!
