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It has become an overused term over the last few weeks but\nwe are certainly in unprecedented times, and we have slowly been adjusting to\nour new norm!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With change comes adaptation, and now we must refocus on how\nwe approach our way of work and of life. and adjust them to fit with this ‘new\nnormal’.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How we communicate and interact with people has moved from\nface to face communication to meeting in this new virtual world where body\nlanguage is framed by what your webcam can pick up and your verbal\ncommunication may be hindered by connectivity issues. We are having to adjust\nto many new ways of behavior, and nowhere is this more true than in preparing\nfor That Big Interview – Online! And if you\u2019re successful – and get that job –\nyou may well find yourself adjusting to a new way of work where you only\ninteract with colleagues on a virtual basis for a not insignificant period of\ntime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here we offer some suggestions and tips for anyone who is\npreparing to do an interview in an online environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As with anything, preparation is key. How we prepare for an\ninterview is extremely important but in these times we need to follow a few\nextra pointers in this new world of work!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBefore anything else, preparation is the key to\nsuccess.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 1. Before the Interview<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Treat the interview as if it were going to be a regular\nface-to-face interview. Whilst you might not be physically in the same room as\nyour interviewer(s), you will still be making a first impression, and that\nshould be a positive one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Practice, Practice, Practice:<\/strong> We can\u2019t emphasize this\nenough. An interview is a slightly artificial situation at the best of times.\nYou\u2019re the world\u2019s best expert on yourself and your experience, and you are\nused to describing your career in a clear and transparent way with friends.\nBut, can you drill down past the high-level descriptions of your previous work\nexperiences when you\u2019re in a high-pressure situation with people you don\u2019t know\n– to articulate current and past roles or handpick situational examples that\nbest represent your skillset? The honest answer is No! Not without practice.\nNow is a good chance to have a look at our Interview Preparation Toolkits (DMI\nMembers Section – Join Now) to get you ahead, or research further online to\nfind sample practice questions and other tips. You can never be too prepared!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Technology:<\/strong> Because you\u2019ll be relying on technology\nto present yourself, discuss the role, and make the best impression, you must ensure\neverything is working beforehand. Test your Wi-Fi\/broadband and ensure that you\nhave a strong internet connection. If your Wi-Fi is not reliable, a tip is to\nhotspot off your mobile phone to ensure a steady connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Have a backup plan if Wi-Fi fails during the interview: make\nsure you have shared your mobile number with your interviewer and have their\nnumber as well in case you need to call them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If a link has been shared to join the interview, make sure\nyou see what might be needed to connect to it. For example, some platforms may\nrequire you to install additional software and\/or an app, or use a particular\nbrowser, so make sure you have this done long before the interview is due to\nhappen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Location:<\/strong> Try to find a quiet space in your home and\nconsider what will be visible in the background. You don\u2019t want any doors open\nor distracting pictures on the wall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lighting:<\/strong> Make sure you have good lighting in the\nroom. Avoid sitting with a window behind you as this could cause some glare on\ncamera, and don\u2019t sit directly under a light source. You can find lots more\ntips on positioning yourself online, like in this New York Times article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Picture and sound:<\/strong> Ensure that your camera and\nmicrophone on your laptop, device, or phone are both working correctly and that\nyour equipment is either plugged in or is fully charged! Carry out a test run\nwith a friend or family member to ensure that you can be seen and heard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Clothes and makeup:<\/strong> Try to dress appropriately for\nthe interview while still being comfortable. It will help you feel more\nprofessional and, remember, first impressions last!<\/p>\n\n\n\n What to say:<\/strong> If this is your first interview with the\ncompany, take the time to research carefully the business and role that you are\ninterviewing for. Having research done will demonstrate your genuine interest\nin the role and help you find interesting questions to ask during the\nconversation. You could also have some questions ready about the company and\nrole, based on the research or even some standard questions that you have ready\nto go, like from this list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Research:<\/strong> Study the company\u2019s About Us page on their\nwebsite as well as all their social media platforms. Also, make sure you study\nthe detailed job description for the role you have applied for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Online Check:<\/strong> You should also have checked your own\nsocial media profile, as many companies now do some research about you before\nan interview. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Presentation and CV:<\/strong> In advance of the interview,\nit\u2019s a good idea to share your CV again with your contact. If you have been\nasked to deliver a presentation, make sure you read the questions\/scenario\ncarefully, and if you are unsure of anything, ask for clarification. (This can\ndemonstrate you are not afraid to ask for help).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Create the best presentation you can. Have a look at our\nuseful webinar on Presentation Skills which is specially designed for anyone\npresenting virtually, and consider using this template to structure your\npresentation. Want to become a DMI Member? Join Us<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you are delivering a presentation that has animations or\nhas required you to demonstrate a live feature, make sure you test this feature\nfirst. As with a CV, it is important that you spell-check your presentation.\nYou might want to share the presentation with your contact in advance of the\ninterview, and you may also be asked to share it from your screen, so make sure\nyou test this in advance with a friend to make sure you know how to work it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. During the Interview<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A note on communicating via video call<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Experts say that speaking on a video call is very different\nand more difficult than natural human communication, and this might affect how\nsuccessfully you think you have managed your interview. Speaking through a\nscreen makes it harder to process non-verbal cues – like facial expressions and\ntone of voice – as well as there being a different flow of natural silences in\nthe conversation. We are also more aware of being watched, as you are looking\nat yourself while you are speaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. After the Interview<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Generally, at the end of an interview, the interview panel\nwill outline next steps and a timeline to the process. Alternatively, this can\nbe a question that you can ask the interviewer(s).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dropping a thank you email is always a nice touch. This is a\nuseful way to keep you in the minds of the interview panel, and also show that\nyou are passionate about this role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Follow up appropriately. In most instances, an interviewer\nwill tell you when they will be in touch. If you are told there is a specific\ndate that they will be contacting you, it is important that you wait until that\ndate has passed before you make contact yourself. At that point a gentle email\nsaying hello will do no harm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have been unsuccessful in being offered a role, it is always important to ask for feedback. This is a great opportunity to find out areas that you can improve on, and will allow you to be better prepared for the next interview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Source: digital marketing institute<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" It has become an overused term over the last few weeks but we are certainly in unprecedented times, and we have slowly been adjusting to our new norm! With change comes adaptation, and now we must refocus on how we approach our way of work and of life. and adjust them to fit with this ‘new normal’. How we communicate and interact with people has moved from face to face communication to meeting in this new virtual world where body language is framed by what your webcam can pick up and your verbal communication may be hindered by connectivity issues. […]<\/p>\n