How to Ace a Remote Interview

While it may have originated following lockdowns and quarantines in the early days of the pandemic, remote work has become part of the daily routine for many businesses and organizations. In fact, there’s a large percentage of workers in the United States that now consider work-life balance and flexibility to be one of the most important factors when considering job offers. However, when you’re preparing for an interview using a completely digital format there are some preparations you’ll want to consider to ensure a smooth and professional first impression. Check out these tips to help you ace your next remote interview.

Prepare Your Location

Most remote interviews will be held via Zoom or a similar video conferencing platform, so it’s important to ensure your space is ready. A location with proper lighting, a good camera angle and no background noise can go a long way toward making the right first impression. After your location is in order and the space behind you is clean, run a test with a friend or family member on a video call. This will allow you the opportunity to get a secondhand view and help you gain a sense of confidence leading into the remote interview.

Check Your Equipment

Needless to say, remote interviews rely on technology much more than a simple face-to-face interview with a potential employer. From your computer, camera and microphone to internet connection and video conferencing platform of choice, everything needs to be running smoothly to ensure success with a remote interview. Depending on the time of your interview, be sure to check all equipment and run a speed test for your internet connection at least an hour beforehand. As long as nothing major has gone awry with the video, this gives ample time to troubleshoot any minor issues and ensure your remote interview runs smoothly. 

Dress the Part

One of the primary benefits of remote work for many people is the ability to dress casually in the comfort of their own homes. Business suits, slacks and skirts have been replaced with sweatpants, pajamas and athletic wear. However, when it comes to the remote interview, it’s best to dress professionally just as you would for an in-person interview. Of course, more often than not your feet aren’t likely to make it within screen view on your video conferencing platform, so you do have some flexibility to dress in more comfortable shoes or go barefoot if you choose. Being comfortable and confident is the key to acing a remote interview, so whether you dress up from head to toe or wear flip flops, go with whichever selection makes you feel your best.

Talk Yourself Up

Whether in-person or in a remote setting, it can be easy to come into an interview with too much humility. In most situations, being humble about your skills or accomplishments is an admirable trait. However, an interview is one of the few settings where it’s appropriate – and even necessary – to brag about yourself and your abilities. When it comes to acing a remote interview, it’s all about proving that you’re the right fit for a remote position, so avoid mentioning your accomplishments with in-person collaboration if possible. Instead, highlight the experiences you’ve had with remote work. Maybe you’ve been a remote employee for a while, or perhaps you were forced into a work-from-home situation with video conferencing during the pandemic and quickly discovered your comfort zone. Whatever the case may be, it’s important to show that you’re experienced with remote work and have a clear expectation about your ability to do it successfully.