Most companies now rely on remote interviews, if not for the whole process, then at least for the first round of their hiring.
You are expected to be as prepared as you would with a face to face interview – but most fail to do so. It’s too easy to mess up a remote interview. It’s also easy to impress.
Having prepared well, here are 10 golden rules for how to impress in a remote interview. Some of these may seem obvious but even seasoned interviewees can slip up when moving to telephone or online environments:
1. RESIST THE URGE TO MULTITASK
It might be tempting to cross something off your to-do list while on a phone interview, but recruiters and hiring managers can easily tell if your attention is elsewhere. Thankfully, this is harder to do on a video call, but some still try it!
2. NEVER PUT YOUR INTERVIEWER ON HOLD
Remote interviews don’t take that long, there isn’t anything else so urgent that you need to pause your interview.
3. AVOID LONG-WINDED ANSWERS
The key to success during a remote interview is clear and concise answers. People’s attention spans tend to be shorter. You don’t want your future employer to lose interest in the conversation. Practice answers to questions you know will be asked ahead of time so you’re clear on what you’re going to say. That way, you can prevent rambling before it starts.
4. NEVER TALK OVER THE INTERVIEWER
You might be eager to get your point across or talk about your experience, but interrupting the interviewer is awkward and rude – even more so than in face-to-face interviews.
5. ANSWER THE QUESTION
The number one complaint from interviewers is candidates not answering the question. This is usually because candidates are trying to avoid saying they don’t have the answer or the experience. Be honest. Honesty creates trust and like-ability
6. SKIP FILLER WORDS
It’s tough not to say things like “um,” “uh,” and “like” in everyday speech, but these verbal habits become much more pronounced when speaking on the phone and on a video call.
7. DON’T TALK ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL LIFE
The point of a phone interview is to know your professional experience and goals. They are trying to qualify you to see if you are the best fit for a role. Learning about your personal life doesn’t help.
8. NEVER SKIP THE Q&A
After wrapping up an interview, it is typical that the interviewer will ask if you have any questions. ALWAYS ask questions! It shows you are interested in the role. The 5 best questions to ask
9. WAIT FOR THE MONEY CONVERSATION
If this is the first interview, it’s simply too early in the process for you to be the one who brings up salary expectations.
10. FOLLOW UP
You have the interviewers email address. Thank them for their time and make their job easier, follow up with your feedback and let them know what you think about the opportunity.
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