How do you rock a remote job interview? Many people have honed their in-person interview routine, but remote interviewing is still new territory. How do you look and sound professional through a camera? How do you make eye contact with the interviewer through the screen? As interview pros, we’re ahead of the curve on remote interviews and can give you the insights you need to rock this interview and impress your future employers with both professional confidence and tech-savviness.

You can ace a remote job interview in eight easy steps.

Preparing for a Remote Job Interview
  1. Brush Up on Video Interview Etiquette
  2. Set The Scene and Camera Angle
  3. Research the Position
  4. Test Your Call Software
  5. Smile and Show Your Passion
  6. Ask the Questions You Want to Ask
  7. Pitch Your Unique Qualities for the Role
  8. End on a Warm Note
Brush Up on Video Interview Etiquette

Video interviews are a lot like normal interviews, but the interviewer can’t see your body from the chest down. They can see your expression and above-desk gestures. The goal is to look professional and converse smoothly. Good etiquette in today’s Zoom environment is about making the meeting as easy and pleasant as possible.

Try to conduct the interview normally, while aware that you are two (or more) people all working with similar software and camera angles.

Tip: Look at the camera when listening or answering questions to help “look them in the eye”. Position your window as close to your camera as possible to improve your ‘eye contact’ quotient when looking at the screen.

Set the Scene and Camera Angle

Get your camera angle ready. Your interviewers will see the room behind you, so pick a plain or well-organized view. If there just isn’t a good backdrop, you can hang a curtain or use one of the nondescript virtual backgrounds.

Choose an interview outfit that looks good based on where you can place your camera on top of the monitor or a stand behind. Then, place a light behind your monitor and the camera facing you to eliminate weird shadows from overhead lighting.

It’s OK to actually set the scene and create a more organized or artful arrangement of furniture and items behind you.

Research the Position

Take 30-90 minutes before the interview to research and/or review what you know about the employer and position. Read who the company is and what they do. Re-read the job description and take notes on the details that are most important: what’s interesting, what you’ll be doing, what skills you exemplify, and the skills you hope to build.

Be able to outline all information that’s been available to you through the job listing and company website. You can absolutely have a notes page open while you interview. In fact, it’s one of the benefits of interviewing remotely.

Test Your Call Software

Make sure you and your software are ready for a bug-free interview. Technical difficulties are normal, but you’ll come across as more professional if you can connect, interview, and disconnect without any errors.

So test first. Open your video software and call yourself (or have a friend call you) to test camera angle, sound quality, and connection strength. Explore the features and be confident with the interface before the interview begins.

Tip: Turn on automatic captions to minimize misunderstandings and let you “check” the last thing that was said.

Smile and Show Your Passion

Tune in about 5 minutes before the interview begins and, if possible, wait in the “lobby” until your interviewer arrives for the call. Use this time to make sure your settings are right. When your interviewer arrives, tune in with a smile and be ready to talk about your work, the job, and what you bring to the table. Focus on your passion; what you love about the work, what interested you specifically in the role, and what you can do that will rock the job.

Be attentive, answer questions candidly, and focus on how you and the role can benefit each other.

Ask the Questions You Want to Ask

When the interviewer invites you to ask questions, ask. Remote interviews have an increased emphasis on finding the right fit. So ask about the type of project you’ll be working on, the schedule to expect, the clients you’ll be working with, or any other detail that you are genuinely curious about. If you noticed an interesting comment or factor of the job, ask about it. Many interviewers love that you’re paying close attention and enjoy answering the questions.

Pitch Your Unique Qualities for the Role During Your Remote Job Interview

When asked, pitch what you have to bring to the table. Hiring today is focusing more on “culture add”, or what each new employee can bring in terms of skills, passions, specialties, and working style to enhance the overall group. Talk about how your skills are what the job needs and how you expect to grow in the role through new experiences or working with new technology. Pitch how something you care about deeply like data precision, soundproofing, or marketing empathy might enhance your performance in the role.

End on a Warm Note

When the interview is done, end warmly and hang up with confidence – or let your interviewer complete their closing routine and say goodbye with warmth. Leave your interviewer feeling that you are promising and confident from the first camera frame to the last.

Rock Your Next Remote Job Interview

Ready to rock your next remote interview? We’re ready to help. Contact us today for more great job search and interview tips for the modern hiring market.