As we start the spring semester, the hiring season comes quickly upon those looking for their next opportunity. Whether it be a full time job or a summer internship, interviewing for a job can be extremely stressful. As if interviewing for your dream job wasn’t nerve-wracking enough already, now most interviews are conducted virtually, making it harder to leave a great impression on prospective employers. Today, we’re going to give you five ways to successfully prepare for your next virtual interview.
1. Test your internet – For me, it always seems that technology fails during the most important moment. Trying to get participation points over Zoom? Good luck, your internet might fail. Trying to connect with family members over FaceTime? Good luck, your internet might fail. Trying to get your dream job? Good luck, your internet might fail. This is why it’s so important to check your connection well before your virtual interview is set to begin. If your internet is as spotty as mine, I suggest getting an ethernet cord, or some way to hard wire your connection. WIFI is often unreliable, so getting an ethernet cord could save you from being randomly booted from that interview. If you don’t have a stable internet connection where you live, the student center or any of the libraries here on campus are great options too.
2. Look the part – You’ve surely heard the phrase, “Dress for Success.” This most certainly applies to a virtual interview too! At the very least, dress professionally from the waist up, as this is all that the interviewer should see. Preferably, dress professionally from head to toe. This will help simulate the feel of an in-person interview, and should put you in a mindset to succeed. Not only should you be dressed in a professional manner, but your background should be plain and simple. I’m sure prospective employers would love to see your Taylor Swift themed bedroom, but keep it boring. A plain wall behind you, as well as a light source in front of you, will draw all of the attention to you as a candidate.
3. Get rid of any distractions – Turn off that TV, silence your phone, and truly focus on the interview at hand. There is nothing worse than your dog barking nonstop in the background while you are trying to land that awesome summer internship, so go somewhere quiet when you are interviewing. Also make sure that anyone you live with knows when you start your interview and where you will be so that they don’t accidentally walk in your background in their pajamas. If you can’t find the perfect spot in your house or apartment, a study room on campus is a perfect alternative.
4. Always follow up – Part of every good interview is the follow up email. Thank the people that you interviewed with for their time and sell yourself as the best candidate for the job one last time. If you thought of something super important after the fact that you forgot to mention during your interview, this is a good place to do so. At the same time, this email should be like the Andes mint following your fettuccine at the Olive Garden — short and sweet. Don’t make the email so long that the employer doesn’t want to read it.
5. Just be you! – While preparing yourself to answer the tough questions prior to your interview is important, you don’t want to sound like a robot. Being yourself will give you the best chance of landing that job you have been so desperately wanting. You should be truthful and honest with the employer, so they know exactly what they are getting when they hire you. Ten times out of ten, an employer will take the candidate with personality than the one without it, with all else being equal. Have the mindset that you are the absolute perfect candidate for that dream job or internship. If you do your best, no matter the outcome, you will know that you gave all that you had!
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