The rise of the remote interview
With the increased ease of use of technology, today’s business environment is so much more mobile than it ever used to be. It is becoming more commonplace that people live and work in totally different locations – often a long drive and sometimes even a flight away from their main office. The use of mobiles, laptops and tablets, and applications such as Skype and Facetime for video and telephone conferencing, all make it so much easier to stay connected.
With working and meetings now regularly happening remotely, it’s unsurprising that interviews are heading in the same direction. It is not unheard of for first, second or even final interviews to be held via a video conferencing platform such as Skype, particularly when the interviewer is based abroad or is very busy.
However, just because you are not sat directly in front of your interviewer, it does not mean you can approach your interview with any less planning. Here are a few things to bear in mind prior to your remote interview:
· Set up and check the platform you are using for your video conference – you need to make sure the technology is in place and working correctly
· Choose where you are going to sit for the interview – make sure its quiet and away from any distractions. Also think about what the interviewer will be able to see in the background. A plain wall or an office environment portrays a more professional image
· Think about what to wear – despite the remote nature of the interview, you still need to make the right impression. Dress as you would if you were meeting in person and that includes your lower half – there might be a reason why you have to get up from your desk so don’t forget your shoes!
· Preparation is still key – it is important that you consider the different types of questions you might be asked and prepare appropriate answers for them. The more thought you give this, the clearer your responses will be on the day.
Good advice, Sue. Having, in the recent past, been involved in both sides of remote interviews, I think it is important to consider the overall dynamics & outcomes that you want to achieve. For example, I really find it hard to believe that an organisation would offer a role (esp perm) to anyone without actually meeting them (& I would be very reluctant to accept a job that way either). Real body language is not transmitted well electronically (even via VC) - I have just been recruiting several roles and there have been numerous occasions where a candidate has come across well on the phone but been "hopeless" face to face (the same is probably true the other way round, but I will never find out!). Also, a couple of years ago I was asked to help a recruitment firm to "design" an on-line recruiting tool. It was going to be used for some quite technical roles. Their idea was to get candidates to post a 2-5 mins video CV; my argument to them was they / their clients would then be judging candidates on how well they come over in a very dry / unrealistic setting (how many technical design engineers really need to be good at "presenting the news") and not using a dynamic that was relevant to the role.
Sound advice Sue - having somebodies Dog getting involved in the interview is funny once!