**Mastering the Virtual Interview: 5 Essential Tips**

In today's digital age, virtual interviews have become increasingly common, and it's essential to know how to make a good impression from the comfort of your own home. As technology hiring managers and recruiters will tell you, on which platform the interview is taking place, so making sure you know how to use it if you've never used Zoom, Google Meets, or Microsoft Teams before now is a great time to download it, test it out, and figure out how to use it before the actual interview. This way, you have time to get familiar with it, and there won't be as many unforeseen technical difficulties when the time comes.

Don't forget to check your internet connection while you're at it, especially after you've figured out where you're going to have the interview. You want your upload speed strong enough to make sure that there won't be any lag in the conversation. All of this preparation will really help you start the interview off on a good note because you want the interview to be all about you and not the technical difficulties that are arising before you even get to the interview part. Technology should not be the reason that there's any sort of break in the conversation, especially when you're trying to sell the best version of yourself.

**Expect the Unexpected**

Tip number three is expect the unexpected, even though you'll be interviewing from the comfort and controlled environment of your own home, there's always room for the unexpected to happen. Hiring managers and people on interview panels who are used to the trials and tribulations of working from home are usually used to that and they are quite sympathetic towards it, but it's still best to do everything you can in your power to minimize the risk of unexpected things happening. Turn off the notifications on your phone so there aren't any unexpected rings or dings that break in the conversation or distract you from the interview. Set a reminder for 20 minutes before the interview as well to give you any time to wrap up what you're currently doing, give yourself some headspace before the interview, and prepare your space accordingly if you share your living space, make sure you tell the people you're living with when your interview is and where you'll be doing it so you don't have any unexpected loud noises or guest appearances on camera.

Most importantly, stay calm if something unexpected happens like construction noise outside, a fluke internet blip, or even a question that you weren't prepared for. Staying calm can really show your interview panel that you can work well under pressure and it'll also come off a lot more confident if something happens, don't get flustered, take a breath, and the time you need to respond accordingly, and it'll come off super professional, super confident, and no one will even notice the distraction.

**Practice Makes Perfect**

Tip number four is practice practice practice because the interview is going to happen through a screen. You're going to have to practice your delivery a little bit more than you would if it was happening in person. Monitor how fast you're speaking and make sure that there are clear ends to your answers, with varying internet connections all over the world and some lagging conversation can get really jumbled, so talk slower and clearer to make sure that everything gets across to all channels.

Make notes but don't memorize them to sound rehearsed. Keep them handy either in a one-page printout or on a word document with clear headers and bullet points for you to refer to during your interview. Make sure that your notes are very short and concise, and very easy to look through because the Harvard Business Review said that 42 of unsuccessful candidates were very overwhelmed by their notes and it was very obvious when they were reading them.

**Mastering Your On-Screen Body Language**

Tip number five is mastering your on-screen body language with an online interview. You're a little bit more restricted in your space, trying to stay in frame which means that your body language may not come across as it naturally would. This means you're going to have to get creative in order to make a proper connection and get your unique self across the camera.

If you're struggling for inspiration think of news reporters because they're usually very restricted behind a desk and they have to be able to create that connection with you over the television screen. One of the best things to do this is to look in the camera itself and not at the screen or on your reflection, eye contact is a foundational block to building trust, don't forget to use hand gestures and intonation when speaking and answering questions.

You can connect with interviewers by having a very open body language and building trust, so don't cross your arms or just look very closed off in that sense either. On the other hand, be expressive with things that excite you so you can really get that message across. Adding inflection into your sentences can also help replace the emotion that often gets lost during a virtual interview, and generally just be interested in the conversation, ask questions, find common interests, and engage with the interviewer to build rapport and create a positive impression.

By following these five essential tips, you'll be well on your way to acing your next virtual interview. Remember to stay calm, practice your delivery, master your body language, and show off your unique self. With confidence and preparation, you'll make a great impression from anywhere in the world.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enwelcome back to our ace the data interview series in today's episode we're going to be talking about how you can nail your at-home virtual interview chances are today if you're looking for a job you'll likely be conducting your interviews remotely and while it's not something that you may particularly enjoy there are some really great upsides to it for example you have no chance of being late because of traffic or unforeseen circumstances it's easier for you to also refer to your notes it's less invasive and obvious when you're behind a screen and compared to when you are interviewing in person and remote interviewing usually also means that there are more remote or hybrid working opportunities meaning that there are more job opportunities out there for you to apply to of course there are two sides to every coin and remote interviewing means that you don't get to physically visit the working space to get a vibe for the company culture and what the space might be you won't be able to meet potential colleagues there might be some unexpected technical difficulties or loud noises in your home and more remote opportunities means also that you have higher competition so how can you make a great virtual first impression and stand out in a virtual interview here are five tips to rock that interview and get the job number one is set up your space and yourself interviewing from home means you have complete control over your space and how you present yourself but being behind a screen also means that you're limited with your use of body language and emotion to get your personality across so make sure you're really taking advantage of your space to sell your best self and create a very strong and lasting impression find yourself a clean uncluttered space that is simple smart and free of distraction you want to be the main star of the show not your really busy interesting bookshelf or your very messy kitchen behind you if you can't find an appropriate space try a virtual background like a fake office just maybe don't do the beach view remember we want to keep it professional once you have your background start thinking about your lighting and your position in the camera you want your interviewers to see you in the best light possible both literally and figuratively light yourself from the front not from behind and opt for a cool light instead of a warm one as it comes off a little bit crisper and more professional a lot cleaner in a webcam setting make sure your head and shoulders are both in frame don't be too close or too far now that the stage is set make sure that you yourself are equally prepared think about what you're going to wear dress the part and know your audience for example your wardrobe choice would probably be a lot more formal if you are interviewing for a law firm in comparison to interviewing at a tech company the bright side of being on a screen for an interview is that you're only visible from the waist up meaning you can be as comfortable on the bottom as you want step two test the technology hiring managers and recruiters will usually tell you on which platform the interview is taking place so make sure you know how to use it if you've never used zoom google meets or microsoft teams before now is a great time to download it test it out and figure out how to use it before the actual interview this way you have time to get familiar with it and there won't be as many unforeseen technical difficulties when the time comes and don't forget to check your internet connection while you're at it especially after you've figured out where you're going to have the interview you want your upload speed strong enough to make sure that there won't be any lag in the conversation all of this preparation will really help you start the interview off on a good note because you want the interview to be all about you and not the technical difficulties that are arising before you even get to the interview part technology should not be the reason that there's any sort of break in the conversation especially when you're trying to sell the best version of yourself tip number three is expect the unexpected even though you'll be interviewing from the comfort and controlled environment of your own home there's always room for the unexpected to happen hiring managers and people on interview panels who are used to the trials and tribulations of working from home are usually used to that and they are quite sympathetic towards it but it's still best to do everything you can in your power to minimize the risk of unexpected things happening turn off the notifications on your phone so there aren't any unexpected rings or dings that break in the conversation or distract you from the interview set a reminder for 20 minutes before the interview as well to give you any time to wrap up what you're currently doing give yourself some headspace before the interview and prepare your space accordingly if you share your living space make sure you tell the people you're living with when your interview is and where you'll be doing it so you don't have any unexpected loud noises or guest appearances on camera most importantly stay calm if something unexpected happens like construction noise outside a fluke internet blip or even a question that you weren't prepared for staying calm can really show your interview panel that you can work well under pressure and it'll also come off a lot more confident if something happens don't get flustered take a breath and the time you need to respond accordingly and it'll come off super professional super confident and no one will even notice the distraction tip number four is practice practice practice because the interview is going to happen through a screen you're going to have to practice your delivery a little bit more than you would if it was happening in person monitor how fast you're speaking and make sure that there are clear ends to your answers with varying internet connections all over the world and some lagging conversation can get really jumbled so talk slower and clearer to make sure that everything gets across to all channels make notes but don't memorize them to sound rehearsed keep them handy either in a one-page printout or on a word document with clear headers and bullet points for you to refer to during your interview make sure that your notes are very short and concise and very easy to look through because the harvard business review said that 42 of unsuccessful candidates were very overwhelmed by their notes and it was very obvious when they were reading them and last but not least is step five mastering your on-screen body language with an online interview you're a little bit more restricted in your space with trying to stay in frame which means that your body language may not come across as it naturally would this means you're going to have to get creative in order to make a proper connection and get your unique self across the camera if you're struggling for inspiration think of news reporters because they're usually very again restricted behind a desk and they have to be able to create that connection with you over the television screen one of the best things to do this is to look in the camera itself and not at the screen or on your reflection eye contact is a foundational block to building trust don't forget to use hand gestures and intonation when speaking and answering questions you can connect with interviewers by having a very open body language and building trust so don't cross your arms or just look very closed off in that sense either on the other hand be expressive with things that excite you so you can really get that message across adding inflection into your sentences can also help replace the emotion that often gets lost during a virtual interview and generally just be interested in the conversation ask questions find common interests and connect in a way that'll make you stand out from the rest of the crowd there you have it those are my five tips on how to master the virtual interview as always if you have any questions or other tips put them down in the comments below and be sure to keep your eyes peeled for next week's videowelcome back to our ace the data interview series in today's episode we're going to be talking about how you can nail your at-home virtual interview chances are today if you're looking for a job you'll likely be conducting your interviews remotely and while it's not something that you may particularly enjoy there are some really great upsides to it for example you have no chance of being late because of traffic or unforeseen circumstances it's easier for you to also refer to your notes it's less invasive and obvious when you're behind a screen and compared to when you are interviewing in person and remote interviewing usually also means that there are more remote or hybrid working opportunities meaning that there are more job opportunities out there for you to apply to of course there are two sides to every coin and remote interviewing means that you don't get to physically visit the working space to get a vibe for the company culture and what the space might be you won't be able to meet potential colleagues there might be some unexpected technical difficulties or loud noises in your home and more remote opportunities means also that you have higher competition so how can you make a great virtual first impression and stand out in a virtual interview here are five tips to rock that interview and get the job number one is set up your space and yourself interviewing from home means you have complete control over your space and how you present yourself but being behind a screen also means that you're limited with your use of body language and emotion to get your personality across so make sure you're really taking advantage of your space to sell your best self and create a very strong and lasting impression find yourself a clean uncluttered space that is simple smart and free of distraction you want to be the main star of the show not your really busy interesting bookshelf or your very messy kitchen behind you if you can't find an appropriate space try a virtual background like a fake office just maybe don't do the beach view remember we want to keep it professional once you have your background start thinking about your lighting and your position in the camera you want your interviewers to see you in the best light possible both literally and figuratively light yourself from the front not from behind and opt for a cool light instead of a warm one as it comes off a little bit crisper and more professional a lot cleaner in a webcam setting make sure your head and shoulders are both in frame don't be too close or too far now that the stage is set make sure that you yourself are equally prepared think about what you're going to wear dress the part and know your audience for example your wardrobe choice would probably be a lot more formal if you are interviewing for a law firm in comparison to interviewing at a tech company the bright side of being on a screen for an interview is that you're only visible from the waist up meaning you can be as comfortable on the bottom as you want step two test the technology hiring managers and recruiters will usually tell you on which platform the interview is taking place so make sure you know how to use it if you've never used zoom google meets or microsoft teams before now is a great time to download it test it out and figure out how to use it before the actual interview this way you have time to get familiar with it and there won't be as many unforeseen technical difficulties when the time comes and don't forget to check your internet connection while you're at it especially after you've figured out where you're going to have the interview you want your upload speed strong enough to make sure that there won't be any lag in the conversation all of this preparation will really help you start the interview off on a good note because you want the interview to be all about you and not the technical difficulties that are arising before you even get to the interview part technology should not be the reason that there's any sort of break in the conversation especially when you're trying to sell the best version of yourself tip number three is expect the unexpected even though you'll be interviewing from the comfort and controlled environment of your own home there's always room for the unexpected to happen hiring managers and people on interview panels who are used to the trials and tribulations of working from home are usually used to that and they are quite sympathetic towards it but it's still best to do everything you can in your power to minimize the risk of unexpected things happening turn off the notifications on your phone so there aren't any unexpected rings or dings that break in the conversation or distract you from the interview set a reminder for 20 minutes before the interview as well to give you any time to wrap up what you're currently doing give yourself some headspace before the interview and prepare your space accordingly if you share your living space make sure you tell the people you're living with when your interview is and where you'll be doing it so you don't have any unexpected loud noises or guest appearances on camera most importantly stay calm if something unexpected happens like construction noise outside a fluke internet blip or even a question that you weren't prepared for staying calm can really show your interview panel that you can work well under pressure and it'll also come off a lot more confident if something happens don't get flustered take a breath and the time you need to respond accordingly and it'll come off super professional super confident and no one will even notice the distraction tip number four is practice practice practice because the interview is going to happen through a screen you're going to have to practice your delivery a little bit more than you would if it was happening in person monitor how fast you're speaking and make sure that there are clear ends to your answers with varying internet connections all over the world and some lagging conversation can get really jumbled so talk slower and clearer to make sure that everything gets across to all channels make notes but don't memorize them to sound rehearsed keep them handy either in a one-page printout or on a word document with clear headers and bullet points for you to refer to during your interview make sure that your notes are very short and concise and very easy to look through because the harvard business review said that 42 of unsuccessful candidates were very overwhelmed by their notes and it was very obvious when they were reading them and last but not least is step five mastering your on-screen body language with an online interview you're a little bit more restricted in your space with trying to stay in frame which means that your body language may not come across as it naturally would this means you're going to have to get creative in order to make a proper connection and get your unique self across the camera if you're struggling for inspiration think of news reporters because they're usually very again restricted behind a desk and they have to be able to create that connection with you over the television screen one of the best things to do this is to look in the camera itself and not at the screen or on your reflection eye contact is a foundational block to building trust don't forget to use hand gestures and intonation when speaking and answering questions you can connect with interviewers by having a very open body language and building trust so don't cross your arms or just look very closed off in that sense either on the other hand be expressive with things that excite you so you can really get that message across adding inflection into your sentences can also help replace the emotion that often gets lost during a virtual interview and generally just be interested in the conversation ask questions find common interests and connect in a way that'll make you stand out from the rest of the crowd there you have it those are my five tips on how to master the virtual interview as always if you have any questions or other tips put them down in the comments below and be sure to keep your eyes peeled for next week's video\n"