Congratulations, you have landed your first remote job interview! While there are a lot of similarities to a traditional job interview, there are some things that are different that you will want to think through as you prepare. Below are several unique areas you should consider as you prepare for your interview.
Wicked dependable internet. You don’t want to drop the call or have Zoom freeze during your interview.
Controlled environment, ideally a home office. You want a nice clean environment. You want to demonstrate to your potential employer that you’re prepared for remote work and have the right type of space for it. Whatever you do, do not do your interview at home with kids running around, dogs barking, or in a loud coffee shop.
Good audio. You want this to be a good experience for yourself and the person interviewing you. If your computer audio is really good, no need for headphones. If it’s not, you’ll want to improve sound quality by having headphones.
Professional dress. This means different things based on the type of job you are interviewing for. Consider the following when determining how to dress:
1. What type of culture does the company appear to have based on their website and social media platforms?
2. If they have a “staff” or “team” page on their website, what type of clothes are people wearing?
3. Does their social media platform have any pictures of staff meetings or get togethers? These types of clues will help you dress appropriately based on the type of job you are interviewing for.
Come prepared with questions. As someone who hires remote employees all the time at our companies, I always appreciate when I’m not the only one asking questions during the interview process. It always makes the interview much more enjoyable for me (as the employer) when the person I’m interviewing asks questions. Here are a few questions to consider:
1. What is your company's story? How did you get started?
2. How long have you been with the company?
3. What do you most appreciate about working here?
4. What would you say are your strengths as an organization? What would you say are your areas for growth?
5. Where do you see the company in the next 2-3 years?
6. What qualities or characteristics do you look for in a good teammate?
7. I don’t want to be someone who just benefits from the organization's culture. How can I most effectively contribute to the culture?
8. What digital tools does your company utilize for your work?
9. How do you promote communication and connectedness with your remote team?
Confidence. Come to the interview with confidence. It is hard to explain this one, but it's just an “it factor” of every interview. If you have researched this job opportunity, if you have identified what they are asking of the position, and you’re certain you can do the job, then be confident in that. It makes a big impact in the interview.
Follow up. After every interview send a thank you note, a thank you email, or a thank you video to the person you interviewed with. Thank them for their time; share a few things that jumped out to you in the interview that made an impression on you. Share with them how excited you are for the opportunity to be considered and let them know you look forward to hearing from them. On sending a video…one hard thing about interviewing for a job is that you have to stand out from a group of other candidates. In my personal opinion, video is a really effective way to do this. Recording a video with confidence and gratitude and excitement for the future is a great way to leave an impression.
Putting in the time to prepare for your remote interview will pay big dividends as you pursue remote work. If you follow these tips, you will be well on your way to a successful job interview.
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