The good news is that you’ve applied for your dream job and received an invitation to an online job interview. There are many advantages to doing a video job interview from home, although there are also pitfalls lurking. This article will reveal what these are and what applicants should watch out for.
Online job interview: Home is where many are more relaxed and authentic
Many candidates are more relaxed when they can introduce themselves online from home in familiar surroundings – and thus appear more natural and authentic. Traditional job interviews at the company’s headquarters, by contrast, make many applicants feel nervous and tense. In addition, an online interview eliminates the need for travel and any delays caused by traffic jams or public transportation. The job interview from home is especially convenient if you live far away from the potential new employer.
Disadvantages of a video job interview: the first-hand impression is missing
A video job interview also has disadvantages for applicants for all its advantages: a personal first-hand impression is missing. Only on-site can you get a first impression of the working atmosphere and the premises. It is difficult to judge from home whether one would feel comfortable there.
If you’re lucky, you could catch the first glimpse of your potential colleagues on site and maybe even get to know them and see how they work among themselves. That, too, is decisive for the question of whether one would like to work at a particular company – and that aspect is completely omitted in the digital job interview.
Candidates should also be prepared for the possibility that the technology may not work properly and eliminate potential sources of error in advance. Can you open the link that was sent to you by e-mail? If nothing, have you installed the right software? Do the microphone and camera work properly? Shortly before the interview date, you should also check again to ensure that the Internet connection is stable.
In addition, applicants should not forget that the background also plays an important role in the interview. A football scarf or the nude drawing on the wall are real eye-catchers, but they also distract. Suppose you want to show a little more personality of yourself. In that case, you can put neutral objects or something that fits the company’s philosophy next to or behind you.