How to gain an edge in the virtual interview space!
March 11, 2021
Let's be honest, virtual career fairs and interviews are really weird. You got 10-minute one on ones with various companies, which is like speed dating for a career, and I miss walking around the booths of interesting companies getting free stuff. However, it is what it is, and I'm here to give you my virtual interviewing tips. I interviewed with Imants Jaunarajs, who is the Assistant Vice President and Executive Director of the CLDC. He has more than 16 years of experience in university career centers, and gave me a wide variety of tips and fundamentals you can do to stand out during your next virtual interview.
First, you should study up on your resume to make sure it is up to date. Having knowledge of organization accomplishments/projects/academic career can help you in not having to constantly switch screens to it.
Next, doing a quick search on the position, as well as the company, can save you a lot of precious minutes during these rapid one-on-ones since you can already have questions and information about the company. Plus, it looks like you're interested in the position and it only takes a few minutes of your time.
There can be a TON of employers that you are interested in, which can feel overwhelming; organization is vital when it comes to this. What you need to do is organize them in your own way. Personally, I used a notepad document with sections that included their company name, position, values, who I interviewed with, when I applied, remote/office location and why I care about it. That way, I can have a little information for each company I interviewed for so when I have an interview coming up, I'll have the facts ready. Excel can work just as well for this. Another section you can add right under this is are your questions you have for companies. I usually have 10 at the ready, and you can go here to see some that you like.
Dress code is...odd to say the least, with plenty of photos of people wearing button-ups with blazers as their tops and sweat pants as their bottoms. I recommend to not do the "business casual on the top, casual on the bottom". Wearing the dress pants and even the shoes can help immerse you more in the interview, because personally every time I looked down wearing sweatpants and a button-up shirt I couldn't resist laughing a little over the ridiculousness of it all.
Webcam-wise, make sure you either blur or set a background, especially if you're in your room. If you have an office space that should be fine, but if you are in your room with no blur/background, remember that the objects behind you can be a distraction. For example, if I remove the blur from my webcam, I have a random poster of an octopus on top of Jupiter, my bike, two TVs, a shoe rack, and painting of a buffalo; all of these things can all be a distraction for an employer. In addition, when it comes to "eye contact" I usually stare at my screen. You can stare at the webcam for a sort of "eye contact", but remember that staring at someone for too long can be uncomfortable, so there is no need to constantly stare into the employer.
The biggest hurdle for me is "feeling out" the interview. When you're in person, you can read the room, the employers, and sort of feel the energy of the interview. With the lack of nonverbal cues, not entering their office space, and the awkward medium can be odd when the interview starts. A way to alleviate this is get used to using your webcam, and preparing before the interview. This can be done by checking your mic, webcam, having your interview questions ready, and have the information about the company. The more structured you are, the more you can talk about your interest in the company/position and that can lead to having a more personable interview.
The biggest hurdle for me is "feeling out" the interview. When you're in person, you can read the room, the employers, and sort of feel the energy of the interview. With the lack of nonverbal cues, not entering their office space, and the awkward medium can be odd when the interview starts. A way to alleviate this is get used to using your webcam, and preparing before the interview. This can be done by checking your mic, webcam, having your interview questions ready, and have the information about the company. The more structured you are, the more you can talk about your interest in the company/position and that can lead to having a more personable interview.
In summary, preparation is the biggest factor to your success during interviews. Practicing interviews through the CLDC can do wonders for your preparation; you can go to this link https://www.ohio.edu/student-affairs/career-and-leadership/schedule to set it up a meeting. In addition, Ohio University also has biginterview, a service that can help you get familiar with the virtual interview process; you can get some training here! Doing your research, remembering everything you accomplished during your time at OU, and being passionate about the company will put you ahead of the game, and you'll be with a position in no time!