Don’t Make These Virtual Interview Mistakes

“Tim, I think I blew that Zoom interview….”

Let’s revisit some important points for virtual interviewing, shall we?

First, prep in advance. Find a good, clean background that won’t showcase housekeeping efforts (or lack thereof) or your chaotic roommate situation. Alternatively, you could use one of the canned backgrounds available on Zoom or Teams.

If you’re at home, make sure your pets and/or children are well attended during your scheduled interview time. We’ve all seen the videos by now of cats walking across keyboards, crying children barging into unlocked offices and dogs barking or jumping into laps during meetings or interviews.

Start with a blank slate — meaning, a clean computer screen. You never know when you might be asked to share your screen during an interview.

Practice eye contact — not with your own image on the screen, but with your computer’s camera.

And, of course, test your internet connection shortly before you get on the call.

These might all seem like “no duhs,” but you’d be surprised how often even the most experienced professional fails to check the boxes and flubs an interview. Many of these can be labeled as “self inflicted wounds”. With a little forethought, they are avoidable and will allow you to focus and shine on your interview.

If you need more tips, advice or help in interview prep, don’t hesitate to reach out.

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