How to Prepare for a Remote Job Interview

By: Laurel Farrer

For years, psychologists and management trainers have taught job seekers strategies that will help boost success rates during interviews. Firm handshakes and physical presence are sure to impress the interviewer and leave a positive impression, but in a virtual interview, you don’t have the opportunity to do either of these things.

So, how can you communicate confidence and qualification through a computer screen? Here are some suggestions:

 

Look Professional

One of the famous perks of remote work is being able to “go to the office” in your sweats, but that is never acceptable for an interview. Make sure that the view on the interviewer’s screen is nothing but professional. Use a mounted, eye-level webcam (not a hand-held selfie), set up in a quiet environment with a clean background, and dress to impress (at the very least, wear an ironed shirt with buttons.)

Focus on Your Qualifications

If you’re asked why you’re interested in the role, don’t say, “Because it’s remote!” Yes, having a remote job is awesome, but your location is irrelevant to your qualifications. It’s like saying, “I live in this neighborhood, so you should hire me as a partner in your law firm.” Nope. Instead, talk about the relevant experience that you have gained, in addition to the skills that make you a great remote worker.

Learn the Lingo

When your interviewer starts using terms like “scrum,” “asynchronous communication,” or “sprint,” you’ll want to keep up with the conversation. Brush up on your remote work vocabulary, and maybe even drop a word or two into your responses, just to prove that you’re a card-holding member of the remote work club.

Mind Your Manners

The remote workforce is full of job seekers who don’t want to work in an office due to selfish or lazy reasons. (Harsh, but true.) Stand out from the crowd as a responsible, compassionate employee by minding your remote work manners and following the rules of global netiquette. One quick tip: give the impression that you’re making eye contact on a video call by looking directly into the webcam, not at your screen.

Know the Process

Remote work uses different collaboration tools than co-located teams, and you can expect to start using them right away. Be prepared for video calls/recordings, virtual skill tests, and online working interviews by equipping yourself with a great wifi connection, webcam, and microphone. Then, make sure you are fluent in all crucial distributed team tools.

These tips will help you enter any virtual interview with confidence, but what about after the conversation starts? Don’t worry, we’ve got your back there, too. Here are thirteen remote job interview questions that you’ll likely be asked, and how to answer them.

How do you prepare for remote work interviews? Any additional tips to share? Tweet us @yonder_io with your #remotework interview tips!