Nailing the Virtual Interview

Job seekers should expect this trend to continue, if for no other reason that employers value the chance to see applicants multidimensionally. Candidates can take some basic steps to distinguish themselves from the pack. First, have a great background — which usually does not mean a window with bright light flooding in to make you nearly invisible. A plain wall is in fact even better, and perhaps the best is a simple Shoji screen to create a nice backdrop. Second, place a silent timer next to your computer, and make sure you wrap up most answers after two minutes at most. The lack of physical cues often causes many candidates to ramble on and on. Finally, make an effort to show an employer that you've prepared for this moment. The clothes you wear, the headset you use, the quiet surrounding you create, the documents you print out in advance — all these intentional efforts will show an employer that you are treating this as seriously as an in-person interview, and not just casually hopping on yet one more online meeting in between surfing the web.