How to Handle a Digital Interview

Thanks to recent events like the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the ever-evolving state of modern technology, more and more business is being done digitally nowadays. Businesses are marketing online, making sales online, and even carrying out interviews online, via video call apps and services, in order to save time and make the whole process more convenient and simple for both parties.

Interviews have always been a key part of the hiring process, and many people struggle with pre-interview stress and nerves, worrying about how to make a good impression and what sorts of answers they should provide in order to sell themselves to recruiters. When it comes to doing a digital interview, more stresses and worries can emerge.

You might worry, for example, about your own technological equipment like your camera and microphone let you down during the meeting, or you may be concerned about the correct digital interview etiquette in order to make the best possible impression.

4 Digital Interviewing Tips

If you’re building up to a big video interview, here are some digital interviewing tips to get you through it.

Test Your Tech and Upgrade if Needed

Digital interviews aren’t going away any time soon. Statistics show that 86% of companies are currently conducting these kinds of interviews on a regular basis, and experts expect this to continue in the years ahead. So it makes sense to “future-proof” yourself and invest in some top quality technology for making and receiving video calls.

Most modern laptops have built-in microphones and webcams, or you can use a smartphone or tablet to conduct a video call if needed, but it’s important to test your gear beforehand and check on the quality levels. Ideally, you want to make yourself as clear to see and hear as possible, and if your current equipment isn’t good enough, consider an upgrade or borrow some better tech from a friend. You can upload large files to cloud storage with a file-sharing program to keep them secure.

Check the Lighting and Background

One thing to think about before getting into a digital interview is where you plan to sit, and believe it or not, this can make a big impact on what sort of impression you give to a recruiter, so it really does matter. If the recruiter opens up the interview and sees you sitting on the sofa or covered in shadow, they might think that you aren’t taking the matter too seriously.

So, it makes sense to look around your home and pick a good spot to conduct the interview. Ideally, you should sit at a desk, giving you a flat surface on which to position your device. Check the camera beforehand to ensure that the lighting is adequate and make any adjustments, as needed. Make sure that there aren’t any odd items in the background too and aim for a clean, clear background if possible.

Keep Eye Contact with the Screen

If you share your home with other people, it’s important to let them know when your interview is scheduled and make sure that they don’t disturb you or make any unnecessary noise. You should also do your best to avoid any other kinds of distractions on the day, so try to sit in a place that allows you to keep 100% of your focus on the screen.

Speaking of the screen, experts also recommend that you keep your eyes on it at all times during the interview. In a physical interview, you should usually keep eye contact with the interviewer, and the same logic applies here. It shows that you’re engaged, interested, and focused on the task at hand, and you can alternate between looking at the screen and directly into the camera to give a good vibe.

Dress Smartly

A good way to approach a digital interview is to treat it the same way you would a real-world, physical interview. And if you had a real-world interview, you probably wouldn’t turn up in casual clothes or home wear, so there’s no need to do that for a video interview either. In other words, you should make sure to choose smart, professional outfits for these interviews.

Obviously, the specific clothes you choose to wear will depend on the situation. If you’re interviewing for a retail store job, you don’t necessarily need to wear a fancy suit, but a shirt, blouse, or other smart attire will help to show that you’re professional and that you take the interview seriously.

Final Word

Digital interviews are set to become a big part of future job hiring processes, so it’s important to get used to them now and understand the etiquette, technology, and techniques needed to succeed.