Do's and Don'ts: Virtual Interviewing

Do! Find a private space and make sure the lighting is good (not too dim or overly glaring). There are tools in some platforms to blue your background, but generally it should be clean and presentable.

Carefully decide where you will conduct the interview

Do! Dressing neatly from the waist up is not a great idea. Who knows what could happen that may cause you to stand up? It could happen! Better to fully dress appropriately - plus it can help with confidence. It's also good to sound the part - avoid um's and uh's as best you can. Let your personality come through your communication by smiling and being amiable.

Dress and sound professionally

Don't! Sure you could secretly Google for answers on the spot, but that's not a great impression and could add some stress. It's best to do your research beforehand - it demonstrates that you are interested in the company and have informed thoughts.

Go in unprepared

Don't! It's easy to get comfortable in a virtual interview; you're in your comfort zone. But don't let that you lose sight that this is a job interview. Avoid slumping in your chair or appearing too relaxed - it can make it seem like you don't really care about the job.

Keep things casual

Do! There are multiple video platforms that could be used - Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Skype, WebEx. Do a quick test to familiarize yourself with the software and test your audio and video to make sure they are working.

Test out the video platform before the interview

Don't! It's not a great look to read out answers to potential questions. Even if interviewers can't see you do it, they can hear you and it may not sound very natural. That said, consider using bulleted notes or cue cards that keep points short in a small section of your screen to act as a reminder of what you need to cover - like drawing from past career experiences.

Type up notes and read them off your screen

Do! Practice is important for any interview - virtual or in-person. Some virtual interviews are real-time conversations and others are recording answers to questions on the screen. When you have to do this, many interview services give you (at least) one practice round, so take advantage of it to work out any kinks before the recording begins.

Utilize practice rounds