How to prepare for an online job interview

Even a decade ago, conducting a job interview over the internet would have been considered strange, unless the job was fully remote and in the creative industries.

Today, even the civil service thinks nothing of recruiting staff entirely online, from application questionnaires and psychometric tests through to panel interviews.

As such, candidates and applicants need to prepare for the possibility of online interviews and the myriad challenges they bring…

Surely an interview is an interview?

The differences between in-person and online job interviews are profound when you compare them.

In person, it’s natural to wear formal attire, bring a portfolio of work and ensure you’re at the appointed location ten minutes early.

You have the opportunity to shake hands with people, maintain eye contact and exhibit non-verbal cues which demonstrate attentiveness – sitting upright, explanatory hand gestures, etc.

Things are very different when you’re at home, staring into a laptop screen.

It’s harder to demonstrate enthusiasm when you can’t arrive early (usually the meeting host has to let you in at the appointed time) or look people in the eye.

Blurred backgrounds and muted microphones suggest a lack of self-confidence, and there’s more risk of people talking over one another due to latency, causing momentary embarrassment.

Technical issues will compound matters, from your connection being too slow to multiple interviewers sharing a microphone and being difficult to hear.

How to ace an online job interview

Start by checking the interview invitation to see which platform is being used – usually either Zoom, Teams or Meet.

If you don’t already have this software installed on the device you’ll be using, download it and register an account. If you do, check it doesn’t need updating.

Advanced preparation minimises the risk of struggling to join the meeting at the appointed hour – the virtual equivalent of arriving late for an in-person interview.

Open the software on the morning of your interview and check the link you’ve been sent works.

One advantage of an online job interview is being able to glance at notes or prompts from your prior research without it being obvious.

Draft up bullet-points or crib sheets in a large font to position on your desk (or stick to the wall behind your webcam) for at-a-glance referencing.

Conversely, demonstrating a portfolio is harder online. Interviewers might ask you to share your screen, so ensure you don’t have any confidential documents or compromising browser tabs open.

The only applications open during an interview should be the software platform or web browser being used. Email notifications can be especially distracting.

Ensure your broadband won’t be taxed by any other applications during the interview; ask family members to avoid gaming or other activities which might lead to latency or buffering.

Set the scene

At an in-person interview, you’d probably turn off your phone or set it to Airplane mode. Do the same at an online assessment, since distractions could derail your train of thought.

Dress formally, even if you’re just back from the school run. Put as much thought into your appearance as you would if you had the opportunity to meet your interviewers.

Choose a neutral but pleasant background which won’t distract your interviewers – no windows, piles of unironed clothes or free-range pets.

Cats and dogs might be adored family members, but their sudden appearance will seem unprofessional even to pet lovers – and may people aren’t.

Close the door; turn off all electrical appliances; unplug or mute the house phone if you have one; ask everyone else in the house to stay quiet for the duration of your call.

Have a glass of water handy, admit to being nervous if your heart starts pounding, and speak confidently to the camera as if it were a person.

Always regard an online interview as equal to a face-to-face one, in terms of preparation and professionalism – right down to having a question you can ask at the end to show enthusiasm.

Thank the interviewers for their time, smile and say goodbye – ensuring you’ve ended the call before sighing/swearing/slumping in your chair…