With the rise of technology, most job interviews now take place online. In remote and hybrid work environments, this gives employers valuable insight into your video conferencing skills.
The Rise of Online Job Interviews
Online job interviews have been around for a long time. However, regardless of whether it is an office job or a remote job, the job interview process is being conducted online. But why? Why don’t people go to certain locations for face-to-face interviews with human resources no more?
The biggest reason for this is the time savings! Moreover, everyone is now using online platforms. According to a study, 82% of employees prefer online job interviews, and 92% of employers state that they will continue holding online job interviews.
In other words, online job interviews will inevitably become part of your career at some point, even if not during job interviews. Now, we’re sharing an 8-item checklist to help you prepare for online job interviews.
We recommend reviewing this checklist before every interview to ensure you navigate the online interview process with great success.
Your Ultimate Online Interview Checklist
When it’s time for an online job interview, the first step is to ensure you’re fully prepared. You should feel confident discussing your professionalism and work experience. Meanwhile, technical issues should be the last thing on your mind.
Your online meeting management skills may be strong, but it’s important for everyone to review this checklist to ensure a smooth process.
1. Ensure Your Internet Connection is Fast
If there’s one thing that can ruin an online job interview, it’s a slow internet connection. A freezing video stream during an interview can disrupt communication and create a poor experience.
That’s why it’s crucial to run a quick test beforehand to ensure your connection is fast enough to support HD video quality.
Additionally, some video conferencing software optimizes video quality even on slower connections. Choosing such software can help eliminate technical issues automatically.
OctaMeet increases online job interview efficiency and improves recruitment processes by providing HD video quality. It creates an uninterrupted job interview experience with its performance settings feature.
2. Make Sure Your Microphone and Camera Are On
Ensure that your computer’s microphone and camera settings are accessible by the video conferencing software you’re using.
Microphone issues are a common nightmare in online job meetings. You might be speaking confidently, only to see signs that no one can hear you.
It’s also important that your voice comes through clearly and sharply. Always double-check that your microphone and camera are enabled in your system settings before the meeting.
3. Set Up Your Background
One of the key aspects of a video conference for a job interview is your background. It should be as clean and well-lit as possible. Ideally, choose a room with natural lighting and position yourself where there are no distractions in the background.
For instance, if you have pets, make sure they’re in a separate area during the meeting. Similarly, ensure that other household members stay clear of your meeting space.
If you’re unable to create an ideal background, check out OctaMeet’s virtual backgrounds. With just a click, you can choose anything from a professional office setting to a cozy home atmosphere. You can also use the blur feature to make your background disappear, keeping all the focus on you.
4. Organize Your Meeting Space
It’s essential to have everything you might need for the job interview ready on your desk. For instance, keep a notebook and pen handy for taking notes during the online meeting.
You may receive important job details or critical information, but avoid trying to write down everything word for word. Focus on capturing only key points using effective note-taking techniques, such as abbreviations and symbols, to ensure your attention remains on the interviewer.
It’s also a good idea to have a drink nearby, so you don’t have to leave the meeting if you experience a cough or dry mouth.
Lastly, keep a copy of your resume within reach. The employer may ask specific questions about your resume or request more details on certain points. In such cases, you can quickly refer to it as needed.
5. Dress Professionally
Even though you’re attending from home, it’s still an online job interview, so professionalism is key. Think of it this way: What would you wear if you were going to an in-person interview?
The same standards apply here. While remote work culture may have introduced more flexibility, professionalism is still essential. Dress clean, avoid heavy makeup, and focus on presenting a professional appearance.
7. Prepare Your Questions
During the interview, you’ll listen to the employer’s expectations, introduce yourself, and discuss how you can contribute to the team.
However, you’re also expected to have questions about the role. Asking thoughtful questions shows that you’ve done your research on the company and are considering how this position fits into your career goals.
Take time to think about and note down the questions you’d like to ask in advance. This way, even if you forget at the moment, you can easily refer to your notes and ensure you don’t miss anything important.
8. Practice
Everything may seem in order, but you might still be unsure how to handle your nerves or conduct yourself during the interview. A few practice sessions can make all the difference.
Consider enlisting the help of friends or family to simulate an online job interview. Practicing with them will help you feel more comfortable and prepared.
Additionally, familiarize yourself with the video conferencing software you’ll be using. Practice handling basic functions like changing the background, turning your camera on and off, and managing audio settings with ease.
If you’re looking for a video conferencing platform that offers background change features, HD video and audio quality, minimizes technical issues, and is user-friendly, check out OctaMeet!
And if you sign up now, you can use a 30-day trial completely free of charge! Also, you can book a demo meeting for licensed products and product information.
Register OctaMeet For Free!
We are almost done with our checklist! We have made sure that there are no technical issues, the background looks clean, and we have the necessary items that we can use during the meeting like a notebook, pen, and our resume.
So, now it is time to give tips about how we can show our skills for the role.
Online Job Interview Tips for Remote Roles
According to research, 16% of companies worldwide work completely remotely. According to another study, 98% of employees want to work remotely at least part of the time. The rates given are quite high, aren’t they?
That’s exactly why we will look at how you can prepare for remote roles in this part of our article.
The most popular industries for remote workers in 2024 are:
- Computer & IT
- Accounting & Finance
- Marketing
- Medical & Health
- Project Management
- Customer Service
- Sales
- Administrative
- HR & Recruiting
- Operations
We can outline the requirements for a remote job based on the industries mentioned above. Additionally, you can adapt your work style for remote roles by taking online courses on the most in-demand professions of the future.
Prove Your Reliability
In remote teams, it’s crucial to demonstrate that you’ll be punctual for online meetings and consistently meet deadlines. The best way to show this during the interview is, of course, by being on time.
Additionally, share examples from your past experiences that highlight your adaptability and teamwork. The more effectively you showcase your time management skills for remote roles, the more you’ll appeal to potential employers.
Highlight Your Communication Skills
If you ask what the strongest feature sought in a remote work environment is, we would say communication. Because all teams, including managers, are tested by the lack of face-to-face communication in remote work models.
For this reason, they demand teammates who are problem-free in communication. Many teams regularly hold online meetings via video conferencing platforms like OctaMeet, which promote seamless collaboration.
To stand out, emphasize your ability to collaborate remotely. During the interview, you can showcase your virtual communication skills by sharing insights into how comfortable and effective you are with video conferencing tools.
Promote Collaboration
Remote teams rely on project management tools to ensure collaboration and keep processes running smoothly. Highlight your experience with commonly used project management tools. (If you haven’t used these tools before, consider taking online courses to familiarize yourself.)
Share examples from your past collaboration experiences with the employer, and emphasize how much you value teamwork in ensuring smooth remote operations.
Finally, we would like to share with you the most frequently asked questions about remote roles in a survey conducted:
- Have you worked remotely in the past?
- What types of remote/distributed team tools and software have you used and how did you use them?
- What is your approach to maintaining effective communication and collaboration with a distributed team?
- How do you manage your time and stay organized?
- How do you keep yourself motivated and engaged when working from home?
- What’s the key to making sure a project is successful when working remotely?
Looking at frequently asked questions, it becomes clear that for remote job roles, you need to be proficient with communication tools like video conferencing, gain knowledge of project management software, and improve your task tracking and time management skills.
OctaMeet, which brings together all the communication features remote teams need, can help you with this.
To explore all the features OctaMeet offers and get personalized video conferencing solutions, book a demo. For more information, feel free to contact us!
