Useful Tips: Preparing for a Scheduled Interview
If you have agreed on the time of the call, you have the opportunity to prepare.
1. Choose and prepare a place for your communication
Ask the interviewer in advance how much time you will need. If you call from home, warn the family that at a certain time interval you can not be disturbed and you need silence (household background sounds are very distracting and spoil the impression). If you have young children, it’s ideal to make a call at the time of their walk.
When phoning from home is not an option, usually the first idea is to talk from a cafe. But this idea is far from the best. Firstly, a cafe where music would not be included, you still need to try to find. Secondly, take into account the time of the call: if it coincides with a business lunch, then as a sound background you will receive a buzz of voices and conversations at neighboring tables. At the same time, given the confidential nature of the conversation, you will speak in a muffled manner so that others do not hear you, and as a result, the recruiter will not hear you either. Therefore, choosing a place, make sure in advance whether there are a lot of people there at this time and whether it is possible to ask for a while to turn off the music. And, of course, you need to check in advance what is there with the connection.
Other options: a car (yours or a rented one) or just a quiet street (of course, subject to good weather).
2. Take care of your appearance
This applies to video calls and applies not only to your appearance, but also to the background behind your back. What will your interlocutor see? It’s not very cool if you have kitchen utensils or homemade “creative mess” - you still have a business conversation that needs a business spirit. Better let it be just a wall.
The same rule applies to your appearance: since you actually have a business meeting (albeit online), pajamas and other home clothes are not allowed. A shirt, a tie, and underneath only cowards - a long-standing joke among recruiters. What if you suddenly need to get up (for example, to take documents or fix a router)?
And one more thing: the remote interview format is sometimes relaxing. It seems that there is nothing “like” if you drink tea, coffee, smoke, or have a little snack during a conversation. Think: would you do this at a business meeting? It is one thing to take a sip of water if your throat is dry, and it’s quite another to constantly take a sip. By the way, even if it is not a video call, such things are perfectly audible.
3. Configure and verify communication
When money on a mobile or Internet connection ends just before the call, it is in some ways anecdotal, but more often it’s not at all ridiculous. Especially when it comes to the work of your dreams.
Skype or other communication methods that you have agreed on (Zoom, Google Hangouts, etc.) are best tested in advance - on the eve of the call and another 15 minutes before it, in order to be able to fix the problems. Check the recorder and camera. By the way, if you were offered an interview on skype, then this, of course, involves a video. You will not be understood if you prefer not to turn on the camera - it's like coming to an interview, but talking through the door.
If you are not very familiar with Skype or another used program, deal with it in advance. This is better than understanding by typing during a call or calling for help from relatives during the conversation.
If you want to make phone calls, it may be easier to talk through the headset - this will free your hands so that you can record something important. When the phone is pressed to the ear with a shoulder, the sound is distorted.
4. Prepare everything important
At a minimum, you will need your resume and the text of the vacancy, as well as a sheet of paper for the notes. Ideally, if you make a list of questions that interest you in advance, as well as outline a story plan about yourself, collect a “cheat sheet” with information about the company, which can be useful during a conversation.
By the way, remote interviews are convenient just because you can make notes that are important for yourself and peek at blanks less noticeably than in a personal meeting.
If the interview is planned on Skype, and your profession is one of those that involve a portfolio, be prepared to immediately send examples of the work that will be discussed. At least, remember in advance in which folder you have these files, so as not to waste time searching during a conversation.
Recommendations from Ekaterina Troitskaya, a career consultant: “I recently spoke with a client who went to Switzerland for an interview on Google,” says Ekaterina. - Most of the first conversations there are on Skype. The candidate includes a screen demonstration and writes code directly to GoogleDoc, and the expert on that side observes. It seems to me that this is not a new advice for developers, but it’s useful for others to master this function to show presentations and descriptions of their projects right at an online meeting. ”
5. Think over your answers.
This rule applies to any interview format. Surely you will be asked to briefly tell about yourself, about your last place of work, for which you were responsible or answer what you have achieved, the reasons for leaving there and will be asked about salary expectations and other wishes for work. There are typical questions that are most often asked in interviews.
If you take at least a little time to prepare for the meeting, you will feel more confident.
6. Show courtesy and goodwill
Of course, this rule is always important. But with a remote conversation - especially. Even if you use video calling, it does not give the effect of personal communication (not to mention that the image may be delayed compared to sound). You are in a situation where your voice creates an impression of you - the tone in which you communicate with the interlocutor is of great importance. And the choice of expressions.
There are studies that show: the first impression of a person is 55% of non-verbal communication (body language and appearance), 38% of the voice and 7% of the words. But in the case of telephone communication, your voice (70%) and the words you utter (30%) form the impression of you.
According to the unspoken rule, the candidate calls at the appointed time, unless otherwise agreed. And this is the case when even a five-minute delay is critical (regardless of whether you call or call you). It is in your best interest to be punctual.
Try to speak in a friendly tone, clearly and not too quietly. Pause periodically and ask if you can hear well. Or let the interviewer react. There are unpleasant situations - when it seems that the interlocutor has been silent for a long time, because you are delighted with your eloquence, but in fact you have been speaking into the void for several minutes, because the connection has disappeared.
Smile Even if your interlocutor does not see you, a smile is always felt in the voice. And this is one of the easiest ways to attract an interviewer.
After completing the conversation, thank your interviewer in a personal message. This is an elementary rule of good form, but not all adhere to it. Let it distinguish you from a dozen candidates with whom the recruiter communicates.
For some reason, few applicants think about this factor: even if you have not suited each other with this vacancy, this company or this recruiter may have other vacancies that are more suitable for you in the future. Leaving yourself a good impression is a useful trait.
The main advantage of the remote selection stage is time saving. You do not need to spend it on a round trip. If in the process of communication it becomes clear that this work is not suitable for you, then there is nothing to worry about. Saved time can be spent searching for the best deal. Good luck
If you have agreed on the time of the call, you have the opportunity to prepare.
1. Choose and prepare a place for your communication
Ask the interviewer in advance how much time you will need. If you call from home, warn the family that at a certain time interval you can not be disturbed and you need silence (household background sounds are very distracting and spoil the impression). If you have young children, it’s ideal to make a call at the time of their walk.
When phoning from home is not an option, usually the first idea is to talk from a cafe. But this idea is far from the best. Firstly, a cafe where music would not be included, you still need to try to find. Secondly, take into account the time of the call: if it coincides with a business lunch, then as a sound background you will receive a buzz of voices and conversations at neighboring tables. At the same time, given the confidential nature of the conversation, you will speak in a muffled manner so that others do not hear you, and as a result, the recruiter will not hear you either. Therefore, choosing a place, make sure in advance whether there are a lot of people there at this time and whether it is possible to ask for a while to turn off the music. And, of course, you need to check in advance what is there with the connection.
Other options: a car (yours or a rented one) or just a quiet street (of course, subject to good weather).
2. Take care of your appearance
This applies to video calls and applies not only to your appearance, but also to the background behind your back. What will your interlocutor see? It’s not very cool if you have kitchen utensils or homemade “creative mess” - you still have a business conversation that needs a business spirit. Better let it be just a wall.
The same rule applies to your appearance: since you actually have a business meeting (albeit online), pajamas and other home clothes are not allowed. A shirt, a tie, and underneath only cowards - a long-standing joke among recruiters. What if you suddenly need to get up (for example, to take documents or fix a router)?
And one more thing: the remote interview format is sometimes relaxing. It seems that there is nothing “like” if you drink tea, coffee, smoke, or have a little snack during a conversation. Think: would you do this at a business meeting? It is one thing to take a sip of water if your throat is dry, and it’s quite another to constantly take a sip. By the way, even if it is not a video call, such things are perfectly audible.
3. Configure and verify communication
When money on a mobile or Internet connection ends just before the call, it is in some ways anecdotal, but more often it’s not at all ridiculous. Especially when it comes to the work of your dreams.
Skype or other communication methods that you have agreed on (Zoom, Google Hangouts, etc.) are best tested in advance - on the eve of the call and another 15 minutes before it, in order to be able to fix the problems. Check the recorder and camera. By the way, if you were offered an interview on skype, then this, of course, involves a video. You will not be understood if you prefer not to turn on the camera - it's like coming to an interview, but talking through the door.
If you are not very familiar with Skype or another used program, deal with it in advance. This is better than understanding by typing during a call or calling for help from relatives during the conversation.
If you want to make phone calls, it may be easier to talk through the headset - this will free your hands so that you can record something important. When the phone is pressed to the ear with a shoulder, the sound is distorted.
4. Prepare everything important
At a minimum, you will need your resume and the text of the vacancy, as well as a sheet of paper for the notes. Ideally, if you make a list of questions that interest you in advance, as well as outline a story plan about yourself, collect a “cheat sheet” with information about the company, which can be useful during a conversation.
By the way, remote interviews are convenient just because you can make notes that are important for yourself and peek at blanks less noticeably than in a personal meeting.
If the interview is planned on Skype, and your profession is one of those that involve a portfolio, be prepared to immediately send examples of the work that will be discussed. At least, remember in advance in which folder you have these files, so as not to waste time searching during a conversation.
Recommendations from Ekaterina Troitskaya, a career consultant: “I recently spoke with a client who went to Switzerland for an interview on Google,” says Ekaterina. - Most of the first conversations there are on Skype. The candidate includes a screen demonstration and writes code directly to GoogleDoc, and the expert on that side observes. It seems to me that this is not a new advice for developers, but it’s useful for others to master this function to show presentations and descriptions of their projects right at an online meeting. ”
5. Think over your answers.
This rule applies to any interview format. Surely you will be asked to briefly tell about yourself, about your last place of work, for which you were responsible or answer what you have achieved, the reasons for leaving there and will be asked about salary expectations and other wishes for work. There are typical questions that are most often asked in interviews.
If you take at least a little time to prepare for the meeting, you will feel more confident.
6. Show courtesy and goodwill
Of course, this rule is always important. But with a remote conversation - especially. Even if you use video calling, it does not give the effect of personal communication (not to mention that the image may be delayed compared to sound). You are in a situation where your voice creates an impression of you - the tone in which you communicate with the interlocutor is of great importance. And the choice of expressions.
There are studies that show: the first impression of a person is 55% of non-verbal communication (body language and appearance), 38% of the voice and 7% of the words. But in the case of telephone communication, your voice (70%) and the words you utter (30%) form the impression of you.
According to the unspoken rule, the candidate calls at the appointed time, unless otherwise agreed. And this is the case when even a five-minute delay is critical (regardless of whether you call or call you). It is in your best interest to be punctual.
Try to speak in a friendly tone, clearly and not too quietly. Pause periodically and ask if you can hear well. Or let the interviewer react. There are unpleasant situations - when it seems that the interlocutor has been silent for a long time, because you are delighted with your eloquence, but in fact you have been speaking into the void for several minutes, because the connection has disappeared.
Smile Even if your interlocutor does not see you, a smile is always felt in the voice. And this is one of the easiest ways to attract an interviewer.
After completing the conversation, thank your interviewer in a personal message. This is an elementary rule of good form, but not all adhere to it. Let it distinguish you from a dozen candidates with whom the recruiter communicates.
For some reason, few applicants think about this factor: even if you have not suited each other with this vacancy, this company or this recruiter may have other vacancies that are more suitable for you in the future. Leaving yourself a good impression is a useful trait.
The main advantage of the remote selection stage is time saving. You do not need to spend it on a round trip. If in the process of communication it becomes clear that this work is not suitable for you, then there is nothing to worry about. Saved time can be spent searching for the best deal. Good luck
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