In the past, interview preparation mainly involved dusting off your best corporate attire, planning how you\u2019d get there on time, and practicing a firm handshake. Nowadays, you\u2019re more likely to be logging in to a videoconferencing tool, ensuring you have a reliable internet connection, and pondering over which background makes you look your best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First, let\u2019s look at the upsides of virtual interviewing. There are no dramas of getting stuck in traffic and arriving late, you can refer to reference notes without being too obvious, you\u2019re likely to be in the comfort of your own home, and you only need to dress the part from the waist up. Also, if an interstate role has caught your eye, you don\u2019t have to cross the country to convince the boss you\u2019re the best candidate for the job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now the downsides. Combine technical problems, like talking while your mic is dropping in and out, with unforeseen distractions, like having your cat\u2019s butt making a guest appearance, and things don\u2019t always go to plan in the world of virtual interviewing. You also don\u2019t get to visit the office to get a feel for the company vibe and meet potential colleagues. You may even be up against greater competition now that more people have access to more jobs using virtual platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to LinkedIn<\/a>, 65% of professionals agree that the impression you make online is just as important as the one you make in person. While the thought of doing a virtual interview may leave your palms feeling sweaty \u2013 at least you\u2019re not shaking anyone\u2019s hand \u2013 there are several steps you can take to ensure you\u2019re as prepared as you can be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Have a clean, uncluttered background that is free of distractions, or choose a simple virtual background. You want recruiters to see you in the best light, both literally and figuratively, so ensure your picture is bright enough that you can be seen clearly. Try to use cool rather than warm light. According to Harvard Business Review<\/a>, cool light emits a modern, clean, and brighter look, which was favoured by 95% of recruiters they spoke to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As with any interview, you\u2019ll optimise your results if you take the time to prepare in advance. This means researching the company and learning as much as you can about their values, mission and culture. It also means preparing answers in advance to anticipated questions such as, \u2018Why would you like to work with us?\u2019 and \u2018Tell us about yourself\u2019. A note of caution \u2013 just because you\u2019re behind a computer screen, don\u2019t rely on pre-written answers. Prepare so you\u2019re able to have a natural conversation rather looking rehearsed or worse, reading directly from a script.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Be sure you have access to whatever videoconferencing tool you\u2019ll be using for the interview and familiarise yourself with how it works. Also test your camera and microphone, ideally live, perhaps with a friend who\u2019s willing to hop online with you. A day before your virtual interview, check your technology to ensure it works effectively and the connection is strong enough to sustain streaming video. If you encounter issues, be sure to have a \u2018Plan B\u2019 location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sit up straight and ensure your camera is placed so your face is in the centre of the screen. Find ways to exude enthusiasm, like smiling, nodding your head and maintaining eye contact. You can build rapport through small talk, such as asking your interviewer how their experience has been using virtual interviewing. They\u2019re sure to have a story or two to tell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Did you know you can practice your interview techniques through UniHub<\/strong><\/a>? You can select from a range of recommended interviews<\/strong><\/a> or choose particular questions to combine and create your own practice interview<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This article was written by\u00a0Career Development Consultant,\u00a0Kelly Kendall-Jones.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" While the thought of doing a virtual interview may leave your palms feeling sweaty, there are several steps you can take to ensure you\u2019re as prepared as you can be.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4408,"featured_media":21407,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_oasis_is_in_workflow":0,"_oasis_original":0,"_oasis_task_priority":"","_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","wds_primary_oasis-categories":0,"footnotes":""},"oasis-categories":[131],"class_list":["post-21406","oasis-news","type-oasis-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","oasis-categories-careers"],"acf":{"post_options":{"":null,"banner":{"image":false}},"post_components":false},"featured_image":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/LoggingInterviews-OASISNews-1588x500.jpg","author_meta":{"first_name":"Nikita","last_name":"Osckar","display_name":"Nikita Osckar"},"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-13 01:09:33","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"oasis-categories","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oasis-news\/21406","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oasis-news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/oasis-news"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4408"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oasis-news\/21406\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21407"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21406"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"oasis-categories","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curtin.edu.au\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oasis-categories?post=21406"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Set up your space<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Prepare like you normally would<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Test your technology ahead of time<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Use professional body language<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n