The University remains committed to recruitment and will explore all alternatives to ensure fair and transparent selection activity can continue whether we are on or off campus.
We know there is a huge amount of advice available on the best way to prepare for a virtual interview and during these unprecedented times we want to ensure you have the best support available to prepare you for yours.
Below is a summary of things to consider:
1. Be present – remember to switch off your phone and silence any notifications to avoid distractions.
2. Connectivity – if joining from home and relying on Wi-Fi you may want to schedule a time when you are the only person in your household using the connection to limit the risk of slow bandwidth.
3. Trial run – call a friend using the software you will use at your interview and assess the camera angle and height to ensure your head and shoulders are framed in view, and the lighting to ensure you can be seen by the panel.
4. Background visuals – consider using the ‘Blur Your Own Background’ function available on some video software. Irrespective of whether your surroundings are immaculate or cluttered, you don’t want that to be a distraction.
5. Look the part – this is a business meeting and business dress appropriate to the role is essential. You may have to stand up to attend to an interruption and will want to be appropriately dressed at all times.
6. Build rapport – if this is a panel interview, someone will chair the meeting and introduce themselves and each panel member to welcome you. Try to engage with your interviewers just as you would in a face-to-face meeting.
7. Body language – eye contact is important in every interview. Looking your interviewers in the eye and addressing each one individually when responding to questions is critical, just as it is during a face-to-face interview. Looking at the centre of your screen appears to give the best eye contact. Most of the virtual meeting providers offer split screens for separate participants; acknowledge each interviewer with engaging body language.
8. Pause – there is often a delay with virtual meetings, so listen to the questions and discussion and pause rather than trying to answer immediately. It also gives you some thinking time.
9. Technology – sometimes it lets us down. Try to relax and stay calm if something isn’t working quite right. Explain the issue you are experience and explain if you need to turn your device off and then on again.
10. Be yourself – as with face-to-face interviews, potential employers want to see the real you and your personality, so ask those burning questions, explore if the role is right for you and remember to thank your interviewer(s) for their time.