HOW TO ACE AN ONLINE INTERVIEW

If you have changed jobs at any time since March 2020, there’s a good chance that at least one of your interviews will have taken place online using the likes of Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or Google Meets. Indeed, the whole interview process pretty much changed overnight when Covid first hit.

However, less than two months after the initial UK lockdown, the housing market was re-opened, and estate agents were able to return to their places of work. As a result, there were still roles to fill in this sector, meaning employers had to quickly find a new way of interviewing people, one that didn’t involve non-essential travel or unnecessary contact with other people. Prior to the pandemic, we had already witnessed an increase in telephone and skype meetings, but 2020 was the year that online interviews really took off.

Although the world has now returned to near normal, online / video interviews are still very much used as part of the selection process. As this is still a relatively new occurrence, you might struggle to find much guidance on how to present yourself whilst on such an interview. This is especially true for the younger generation who are new to the world of work. Experienced individuals know how to dress and conduct themselves in an interview setting and are more naturally able to replicate this when being interviewed online. However, we have found this to be challenging for job seekers who have never had a professional interview before.

So, if you are one of these people, please read on for our top tips on how to ace an online interview. We will also be discussing the pros and cons of an online interview that have come to light in the last few years.

How to dress:

It may feel strange dressing professionally for an interview in your own home, but this is what our clients will expect. It is still a serious, professional interview and it should be treated as such.

This may seem obvious to some, but we have had numerous reports of candidates wearing inappropriate interview clothing, such as hoodies, gym gear, loungewear etc., and no matter how well these candidates performed, they rarely got invited for a second interview. Presentation, particularly within estate agency, is extremely important. It is also a mark of respect to your interviewer.

We recommend a suit for males and a trouser/skirt suit or formal dress for females. You should also ensure that you are well groomed and tidy.

Preparation & your surroundings:

Before your interview, find a clean, clear, quiet, and well-lit space. You don’t want any distractions for yourself or your interviewer. Your interviewer doesn’t want to see your floordrobe, clothes drying on radiators, or the TV on in the background!

If you share a house with other people, ensure they are out or told not to make any noise or disturb you. If you have pets, it might be a good idea to have somebody look after them until your interview is finished.

As you will probably be using your laptop/computer for your interview, please ensure that it is fully charged and plugged in, and that you have the relevant app (Teams, Zoom, etc.) downloaded. Make sure you also have accepted any previous invites to this meeting and that you have the relevant link and log in data to hand so that you are ready to start the meeting ON TIME.

In addition to the above, make sure that you have all social media notifications turned off so that you aren’t distracted by pop ups in the corner of your screen. This is also a good time to make sure your phone is put away and on silent (it should not be in front of you even if the interviewer can’t see it).

Research:

It may be tempting to not spend time researching the company fully, and instead simply making notes to read from if you need to. Unfortunately, it is very obvious on a video call if you are reading from something. You are much better off doing the work and learning about the company and employers properly. You will get much further if you show that you have taken the time to research properly as it shows you are serious about them as a company. We have written a blog about ‘how to do your research for an interview’ that you should find useful.

Interview stages:

In many cases, it is only the initial interview that is online. Our clients will usually expect you to meet them face to face at least once as there is only so much you can learn about someone over a video call. It is also a chance for you to see their offices, meet their team, and get a general feel for the environment and culture.

Now for the pros and cons of video interviews:

Pros: 

• Flexibility: Arranging a face-to-face interview can be tricky and can take time. The candidate may have to wait until their day off, book holiday, or wait until they can get cover for their shift, for example. This is where a video interview can come in very handy, especially for the first interview where both the client and candidate can quickly gauge if they are even interested. It is easy to work around schedules and can even be done on a lunch break.
• No travel required: The interviewer doesn’t have to arrange their week around meeting candidates at different offices/locations. The candidate doesn’t have to commute or worry that they are going to be seen by someone they currently work with if the offices are close by.
• Easier for clients to interview for confidential vacancies: There are times where a client may be interviewing to replace an employee, or someone is leaving but it isn’t common knowledge. There may be a situation where an employer is recruiting for a new job role for a new department that the rest of the team don’t know about yet. All of these situations can be tricky when trying to arrange interviews, so an online meeting is often preferred.

Cons: 

• The pros for an initial online interview far outweigh the cons, however, if all interviews were conducted online, you wouldn’t get to meet the people who you are potentially going to be working with, get a feel for the environment or even see the offices that you are going to be working in.
• As a job seeker, requesting a video interview isn’t necessary the best way to go. It can sometimes create the impression that you are lazy and don’t want to make any effort. It could also make the hiring manager question how interested you are in their company and the role. We would always advise you to have at least one face to face meeting, this is as much for your benefit as theirs.

We hope this blog has given you the necessary advice to ace your next online interview, but, if you have any more questions, we have a team of experts at your disposal who would love to help you. Please do not hesitate to contact us on: 020 7792 9779 for a friendly, informal chat, or email at: enquiries@propertypersonnel.co.uk.