How to prepare for an online interview?

Preparing for an online interview goes far beyond putting on the famous dress shirt over your pajamas.

And, although it goes without saying, in reality this “preparation” is more like a tremendous lack of preparation, isn’t it?

But, far beyond the clothes, it is important to pay attention to the environment, the equipment used and many other items, which can make a big difference in winning the position.

Today we will look at some interesting tips to ensure excellent preparation, and thus give that positive impression to recruiters!

Online interview: preparation is essential 

You may have already seen someone, or even been in the situation of being grateful for the fact that the job interview is online.

Such relief is due to the fact that the virtual process gives us the idea of greater comfort and safety.

But, although being in a familiar environment can bring more tranquility and push nervousness aside, it is still necessary to invest in preparation.

This is because, while on the one hand we have comfort, on the other hand a lack of attention can make us appear less professional, or even sloppy to the recruiter.

Furthermore, all it takes is one bad connection for your call to drop, and the interview to go down the drain, along with your professional opportunity.

Therefore, thinking about all the details is the real key to success so that the online interview has only advantages.

Tips for preparing for an online interview

As we have seen previously, an online interview is far from being simpler than a face-to-face conversation.

This is because the simple fact of judging something as less important can make us commit several gaffes (or mistakes, for those born after 2005).

A good example of this is that classic situation where a person puts on a dress shirt and continues to wear shorts underneath, after all, who will see?

It's a shame that you had to get up to get a pen and the recruiter saw it on camera. Where to stick your face? I don't know…

Or, you chose to do the interview in the bedroom, on the bed, since your headboard is discreet (but your nightgown under the pillow certainly isn't).

So, it's clear that you can't be too careful, right? 

We will now look at some tips to help you prepare for an online interview, and, in addition to avoiding those situations that make us want to stick our heads underground just thinking about it, you will also have a greater chance of success!

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1. Evaluate your equipment

A broken headset could be enough to make your conversation with the recruiter very complicated.

The same goes for the internet going down all the time, or even a keyboard that doesn't work, which can prevent you from presenting your work.

Therefore, keep an eye on your equipment in order to check and correct any faults, if any.

If your internet is fluctuating, for example, you might want to put credit on your cell phone, because if your Wi-Fi goes down, your mobile data will solve the problem.

Do this at least 2 days in advance, as this will allow any problems to be resolved.

2. Take care of your appearance 

We've already talked a lot about this, but clothes aren't the only concerns when preparing for an online interview.

A good haircut, a trimmed beard, properly cut nails and a neat collar are very important to make a good impression.

Do you know a situation that causes a lot of embarrassment and is very evident on a webcam? The wrong tone foundation!

That darker base, forming almost a mask on your face, can be very visible, thanks to the development of cameras (yes, technology doesn't always help).

So, set aside a few hours to get ready, and show the interviewer that you really care about delivering excellence and dedication.

3. Position yourself in a suitable place

A window blowing light in your face is not cool, as is that opposite light that makes it look like you haven't slept in 3 days.

The same goes for ambient sound, there's no point in a clean environment, it gives a huge echo (and that slight impression that you're in a bathroom).

Therefore, check the environment you are in, evaluating acoustics, lighting, objects in the background and anything else that is important.

4. Be careful not to overuse the “glue”

There are those who think that preparing for an online interview is easier, after all, if you don't know what to say, that little tip always helps, right?

Not always, after all, it's not that difficult for the recruiter to realize that you're reading something while talking to him.

Therefore, if you want to use supporting information, place it in a disguised form next to it, and avoid long texts, including only specific phrases.

The idea of this aid is to help you remember and not give you the information from scratch.

This way, you will certainly demonstrate more authority to the interviewer, regarding your career and profile.

5. Browser open? Be careful with that!

Google is a calmer browser, which doesn't keep putting “news” on the home page, like Microsoft Edge and the famous Microsoft Start page.

The big problem with this news is that it is often embarrassing, as it includes gossip and even false information.

Therefore, a good tip is to keep the browser closed, and install an option in advance that is free from these random indications.

So, if you really need to use it, you won't have any problems.

But, in addition to the home page, the search field and history can also give you surprises, so delete this data before the interview.

And, don't forget your documents and downloads, as titles may disclose unwanted and/or personal information.

Therefore, map out everything you will need to show in the interview, and “clean up” any item you do not want to be seen.

Finally, these were today's tips, you will probably agree that they are much more useful than generic advice, such as “be punctual” or “demonstrate skills with technology”.

So, if you liked it, follow the other content on our website, as it will certainly be very useful for your career!

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