8 Virtual Interview Mistakes to Avoid

At its core, a virtual interview is the same as an in-person interview, but there are a few unique aspects that must be considered.

Of course, you should still do your research, rehearse responses to expected questions and dress appropriately. There are also a few mistakes to avoid. Consider the following eight missteps that you’ll want to avoid on your next virtual interview.

1) Not Having a Good Background

With a remote interview, your backdrop matters a lot. Dirty laundry or a dog running back and forth in the background will probably deliver the wrong message when it comes to how serious you are taking your candidacy.

2) Having an Untested Set-up

If you start your interview and your interviewer isn’t able to hear or see you, you’ll be forced to spend some time fixing it, wasting everyone’s time and creating an awkward situation. There is also a possibility the interviewer will stop the interview.

Prior to the interview, contact a friend or acquaintance and stage a practice-run interview. In addition to helping you sort out any technical issues, a practice run can help you, and your interviewer picks out any silly errors, like moving out of shot or slouching.

3) Not Smiling Naturally

During any talk, it’s crucial to show passion, and an essential part of doing that is to smile. Although, you should not default to wearing a big goofy grin on your face. Use your webcam to practice a smile that looks warm and natural.

4) Too Much Fidgeting

Whether you’re listening or talking, you have to be attentive. Indicate that you’re paying attention to your mannerisms: nod when appropriate, don’t slouch, and avoid fidgeting.

5) Not Looking into the Camera

Due to the fact you’ll be mostly looking at the screen, not the webcam, it can be difficult to replicate one of the most important parts of an in-person interview – natural eye contact.

While practicing a natural smile for the camera, get used to looking into the lens like it’s someone’s eyes. Or, change your screen layout, so your interviewer appears as close as possible to the camera.

6) Not Being Engaging

It is difficult to be engaging with another person through a webcam, but your candidacy will benefit greatly if you can pull it off.

Before the interview, come up with one or two engaging, work-appropriate stories that you can reel off to engage your interviewer.

7) Not Having an Appropriate Screen Name

If you changed your Zoom or Microsoft Teams screen name to play virtual Dungeons & Dragons or have a bit of fun during a virtual happy hour, you’ll want to change it back, obviously.

8) Logging on Late

Just as you don’t want to be late for an in-person interview, you definitely don’t want to log on late for a virtual interview. Plan to log on about 5 minutes before the meeting is scheduled.

We Can Help You Prepare for Your Next Virtual Interview

At Career Concepts, we help job seekers present themselves to potential employers in the best light possible. Please contact us today to find out how we can help you.