Get Prepared for Your Remote Job Interview during COVID-19 Pandemic

The Novel Coronavirus, which has been declared a “Global Pandemic” by WHO has affected economies across the globe, many industries are forced to look for alternate ways to keep their businesses running. It is having huge implications for the workforce and the recruitment process. Some businesses have moved to freeze hiring until the situation becomes clear. Nevertheless, many businesses have seen it as an opportunity to hire remote workers to stop the business slowdown.

The preventive health measures to contain the virus, such as work from home and social distancing, have required businesses to think of innovative ways to recruit new employees, and they are turning towards telecommunication applications and software such as Skype for conducting interviews through video conferencing.

Tech giants such as Facebook, Amazon, Google, along with recruiters PageGroup, have announced to conduct online interviews until the pandemic is contained. Video conferencing apps, such as Skype, WeChat Work, Slack, and Zoom, have seen a large number of users recently.

Jo Creswell (Glassdoor’s community manager) says, “To reduce the long-term impacts that COVID-19 is going to have on businesses, companies across the world are turning towards technology to aid them in these uncertain times and enable them to continue their businesses smoothly”. A spike in remote hiring has been observed globally as more companies are hiring recruits to work remotely from their homes. 

COVID-19 marks a new era for interviewees and interviewers; although remote interviews are not new, it can be overwhelming, especially if you are being interviewed virtually for the first time. In this article, we have compiled some pro tips which will help you ace your remote job interview.

Set up a proper place for your interview

Having an interview in a messy place with your items or children’s toys around makes you appear unprofessional. When you set up a place for an interview in your house, look at the background, which will be visible to the interviewer. Keep your background minimalistic, clean, and businesslike. Also, if your desk is showing, organize it neatly and get rid of clutter. 

Dress professionally

Always dress professionally for your interview. The point here is to blend with the culture of the company you are applying to. Stay away from flashy clothes with patterns and logos because they are distracting. The hiring manager would want to concentrate on whether you are a good fit for the company or not and what you have to say, rather than what you are wearing. You have to realize that your entire ensemble reflects your attitude and behavior. Make sure your clothing is pressed, dry, cleaned, and presentable. Additionally, make your hair neat and nice; they give off a polished look.

Show Enthusiasm

Recruiters are always looking for employees who show enthusiasm and energy to do the job. Those who act restless, or dull during the interview do not impress the recruiter. Show your interviewer that you are a leader and can lead your team to success, and you have what they are looking for. Recruiters ideally look for employees who show confidence about doing their best at the job and are happy to work for them.

Do Prior Research

It can be difficult having an interview with a company you know very little about. So, do your research first, know about the company, its goals, and aspirations and what it wants in an ideal candidate for the job you are applying. Checking out a company’s background, the person who will be interviewing you, and major news before having an interview gives you an edge as you can impress your recruiter with your knowledge and how you can add value to their company. Hence, increasing your chances of getting hired.

Isolate yourself during the interview

It is crucial to have a noise-free zone when you are giving your interview. You can ask your family to keep the noise level down, turn off the TV, or watch your children for the duration of your interview as they all can be distracting. Additionally, turn off your house phone ringer and cell phone until the interview is over. 

Use a good quality microphone and webcam

As your laptop/computer is your chance of getting employed in an organization, make sure that you have a good quality microphone and webcam so that the interviewer can hear and see you. You cannot communicate effectively if your webcam or microphone is not working properly, and as they will be the tools to communicate during your job, it may affect your chances of getting the job.

Test your software

Before beginning the interview, find out which software the company uses to conduct remote interviews and test it out. Make sure it works perfectly, and everything is ready. Conduct test calls with your webcam and microphone to ensure everything is running smoothly.

Be ready

Half an hour before the interview, ensure everything is in place. Relax and go over your documents and points for the interview. Prepare yourself mentally and take a deep breath. You are all set to go!

Also read: Remote Working During Coronavirus: Top 10 Tools and Apps Can Help You

Comparison between normal remote jobs and COVID-19 remote jobs

In times of the pandemic, working from home has become the new norm. As remote jobs have been around for a while now as more companies realize the potential of giving employees freedom of working from the luxury of their home, the remote jobs in COVID-19 is a way for organizations to keep their businesses running. Below is a comparison of normal remote jobs vs. COVID-19 remote jobs: