In the past, job interviews would have been held in offices or, if the office space was not suitable, perhaps a cafe or coffee shop. Wherever they were held, they would have been face-to-face. However, today this is not necessarily the case, and it’s actually quite likely that you will be asked to attend a virtual job interview rather than an in-person one. Since employees often offer remote working, they don’t need to worry about where you are located, and it is easier for everyone to simply arrange for a virtual interview, even if you live close by. 

The great thing about virtual job interviews is that they take up much less time than a traditional one, and you might not have to take any time away from your current job at all. However, there are some things you’ll need to bear in mind to ensure you are prepared if you have a virtual interview to attend. Read on to find out more. 

Photo by Anna Shvets

Test Your Technology 

Something that you won’t have had to do when it came to traditional, face-to-face interviews was to check your technology – mainly because there wouldn’t have been any involved for the most part. However, if you have a video job interview scheduled, it’s a wise idea to check you have everything set up correctly and to test your technology before your scheduled start time. 

You’ll need to make sure you have the video conferencing link to click so you can get to the interview to start with, and you’ll also need to make sure that the technology itself works. Test it out to ensure that your camera and microphone are using the right settings. Do this at least a few hours before the interview so you have time to put things right if anything is wrong. 

Dress Professionally 

You might have the idea that because this is a video interview it is less formal than a traditional interview would be. You might, therefore, wear more casual clothes and perhaps not take as much care over your appearance as you would if you were actively leaving the house to meet someone to talk about a potential job. 

The truth is that you need to have the same level of professionalism for a virtual interview as you would for any other kind, so you should certainly wear professional clothes. You might not have to wear a suit and tie – this will depend on the job you are applying for – but you’ll still need to look smart and professional. 

Research The Company 

If you have an interview with a company, you’ll need to do as much research as possible. You can find out all about the job itself from the ad when you choose to find your next job with Lensa, and this will certainly help you get an idea about what the company is like. You’ll then need to dig as deep as you can to get a much better understanding of who you might be working for. The more knowledge you can offer in the interview, the more impressed the interviewer will be. 

Why is this important when you are doing a virtual interview? To begin with, it’s important for all interviews. However, when it comes to a virtual one, it can be difficult to get a gauge of the company, and you won’t be able to look around their premises and meet other workers. It’s therefore best to know as much about them as possible so you can make the right choice for you.