The Virtual Interview

2020 has brought so many changes to all aspects of our lives.

Recruitment and how businesses are doing this is no different. One of the big changes is how we interview. The use of virtual interviewing has hugely increased, and of course, will only continue to do so in order to keep us all safe. But can we really get the real us across over a screen? Does the company really get to know the real you? It is difficult, that is for sure! But I truly believe with a bit of hard work and coaching, we can be as good virtually as it is in real life. And this is a skill we are all going to need to learn if we’re ever looking for a new job.

The most difficult of these virtual interviews are the robotic written questions where we then have to record ourselves answering the question. There is no person to build any rapport with. It is completely unnatural so difficult to answer the questions with any emotion or engagement. But it is absolutely something we have to try and do.

Try practising before the interview. Use your phone as a selfie and record your answers and play it back. Or have someone you know sit behind your screen so at least you feel in some way that you are dealing with a person. Try to remember that there will be interviewers/recruiters watching it back and you want to try and make it as engaging as possible. Speaking from experience as a recruiter, it is difficult to sit and watch those answers back. It is a little “boring” because we don’t need to engage with the person and naturally we are creatures who want to build a connection!

You really want to be as much like you would be in a “normal” interview as possible. Although it’s tough, I know!