A job interview is something we all experience at some point. Although, due to objective reasons, the interview format has changed recently, moving to virtual space, the participants remain the same. No matter online or offline human interaction is always under the control of the particular rules and limitations called etiquette.
Perceived as an intimidating act of communication with unfamiliar people posing strange questions with no correct answers, a job interview can bring nothing but stress. However, a bit of politeness and respectful behavior can make the procedure quite pleasurable.
Due to the wide application of virtual interview procedures, interview etiquette has made some modifications and improvements. Whether you are a seasonal employee, a recent graduate, or an experienced professional, it is always a plus to demonstrate excellent manners and adherence to etiquette rules during the interview.
Here are some top tips to keep in mind both for in-house and remote interviews.
Prepare
If you managed to make a favorable impression with your resume and the interview is scheduled, there remains nothing but to prepare. Taking time to prepare before the actual interview is the most effective time investment.
A relevant job opening means a company needs a specialist and spares no time and effort to find one. The best way to show respect to investment is to be well prepared for interview procedures, and any possible aptitude assessment and skills evaluation. Thus, set aside some time to do the following:
- Research the company you are applying to
- Practice the answers to standard interview questions
- Read the job description carefully
- Be ready to provide real-life examples based on your job experience
- Prepare a list of smart questions for your interviewers.
Having this information at the tip of your fingers will save time and help to avoid awkward pauses in conversation. It would be a smart and effective use of the limited time you have to make an impression. Besides, it is only polite to be well-prepared and show your attitude towards your interviewers.
Test
This tip concerns more virtual interviews that require applying a wide range of online communication tools, interview software, or platforms. Don`t leave the downloading, installation, or connection for the last 5 minutes before the interview. These processes are unpredictable there. So you`d better make sure everything works well in advance.
Besides, it would also be nice to test the hardware as well. For example, headphones and microphones often refuse to work when you don’t expect that at all. Furthermore, the last thing you want to happen is to lose the internet connection during the interview. Of course, the connection is not within your scope of power. However, you can be ready to connect to some additional internet source to save the situation.
In the case of live interviews, there often appears a need to demonstrate some of your previous works, play video, show presentations, or even execute tasks. Therefore a smooth operation of your supporting tech elements is essential in any case.
Mind your body language
Everybody knows that posture and gesture can help to demonstrate confidence and professionalism at the interview. The matter is, our brains perceive non-verbal cues subconsciously and have no control over this process. Thus, the interviewers make an impression of you based not only on your words but also on your body language.
Of course, practicing confident body gestures is irrelevant for the interviews conducted via phone or with no video input. However, a proper tone of voice requires preparation as well. Remember, there is always a way to demonstrate your good manners at the interview.
Dress the part
Dressing up for the interview is essential both in the case of in-house and remote sessions. An extended period of self-isolation and quarantine restrictions made us feel so comfortable wearing the pajamas all day long. Indeed, there is nothing terrible in working from your couch wearing clothes you feel comfortable in. However, wearing it to an interview is not a good choice.
Untidy, shabby, and inappropriate closing will make you look lazy and irresponsible. On the other hand, office dress etiquette has changed in recent years towards business casual format. Therefore, the balance rule is simple – wear clothes that make you feel confident and comfortable at the same time.
Market yourself
A job interview is your time to shine and prove you are the best-fitting candidate for the position. However, you do not want to look pushy or aggressive unless the very job description requires these skills.
Thus, you want to make an impression of a reliable and dependable person ready to take the position and complete the tasks. Furthermore, in a world where the online presence and your social media persona often mean more than a true you, your social media accounts available for the interviewer should also support an impression of a reliable and responsible person.
This tip mainly concerns the profiles on professional networks. However, your profiles’ overall impression and social media interaction can sometimes be decisive for winning the job.
Eliminate the distractions
Whether it is a phone or video interview, choose your spot wisely. First of all, try to find a place for yourself that is distraction-free. Otherwise, try to eliminate all the possible objects or devices that can catch your attention. Next, turn off your phone and mute all the messaging apps on your computer. A turned-off mobile phone works excellent for in-house interviews, despite cases when it is to perform some function during your presentation.
Furthermore, try to eliminate interruptions caused by your family or roommates. During a virtual interview, the last thing you want is somebody to walk into the room and speak loudly. Find a quiet place and try to make it good-looking or at least neutral for the interviewers. Having a home office is great, but a comfortable piece of space would be enough to ace the interview.
Maintain eye contact
In-house and remote video interviews presuppose direct eye contact between an interviewer and the interviewee. This is relatively easy when you sit right in front of the interviewer. However, a video interview often appears tricky, as naturally, a person wants to know what is happening on the screen, not watching into the camera.
The eyes directed anywhere but directly into the cam sometimes create an impression of an insincere or distracted speaker. There two tricks that can help to focus your attention on the camera:
- put an eye-catching sticky note right under the cam so that your eye would stick to it as well.
If this trick doesn`t work, consider doing visa versa:
- put a blank sticky note on the screen or at least at the most distracting parts of it.
Once the interview is finished, make sure to send the interviewer a polite thank you note by email. By this note, you will show nothing but an appreciation of the interviewer`s time and effort. Furthermore, it is always a sign of your genuine interest and motivation to get the position. Therefore, even after the interview, you still have a chance to showcase yourself.
If you had several interviews on the same day with different interviewers, it would be better to personalize the follow-ups. Even if eventually you will not get the position, a thank-you follow-up is an elegant way to continue professional relationships in the future.
Practice makes perfect in any situation. For interviews, practice and preparation sometimes mean even more than the answers provided to the questions.
The interview etiquette is pretty much the same for both in-house and remote job interviews. The only difference is that for a remote interview you need to prepare not only yourself but your home office as well.
Whether it is your first interview or not, review the etiquette tips to brush up your knowledge and find confidence before your big day. All these tips are fairly common sense. Thus the adherence to them will do nothing but good.
