interview success

June 18, 2020 0 Comments

7 Tips to Rock Your Remote Job Interview

Whether you already work from home or you’re seeking your first remote job, an online interview is likely part of that process. Believe it or not, many of the interview tips for a traditional office job still apply to work from home jobs. Here is our advice for your interview success!

Dress Appropriately

Treat this interview as if you were meeting face to face in an office. Wear appropriate casual work attire. Not only will you look professional but dressing the part will help you feel more prepared and put you in the right mind set. Take those few extra minutes to prepare to look your best, as it will help your confidence and help you come across as a true professional!

Check Your Background

Make sure there is no clutter, distractions, people walking around behind you, dogs barking or children making loud noises. Plan your interview for a time when you have child care if needed so that you can focus and the interviewer does not have to wonder if that’s the environment you’d be working in if he or she hired you. An employer is going to want someone completely focused on the job. If kids are there, it will lead them to believe you will not be completely focused on their job. Also check the lighting and make sure it’s bright for a clear picture for a video interview.

Be Prepared and On Time

It should go without saying, but be on time. Being punctual is still important in the remote world. If your interview is at 2pm, then sign on at 1:55pm. Don’t wait until the interview start time to download the app or go to the chosen platform to see how it works. Get to know the platform you will be interviewing on. If it’s Zoom, take some time practice and get familiar with it. Same with Skype, GoTo Meeting or whichever platform they are using.

Be prepared — you will impress the employer if you know something about the company you’re interviewing to work for. Take some time before the interview to visit their website, social media and blogs. Look for things you can talk about in the interview to let them know that you’ve done your research. In addition to learning about the company itself, know something about the industry. You don’t need to do an in depth dive, but having some knowledge is key, and allows you to answer questions with more clarity and understanding.

And just like a face-to-face interview, eye contact is important. Be sure to look at the person as if you were speaking directly in person.

Lastly, make sure you read the job description again before the interview. Have a good understanding of what the job entails, as well as the skills, experience and personality needed to succeed.

Ask Questions

In any interview, it’s likely that the employer or hiring person will ask if you have any questions. This is a prime time for you to show interest and gain more insight into the employer. Spend some time coming up with a few questions ahead of time, but here are a few to get you started:

What traits do you most value in someone in this role?
How will we communicate as a team?
How do you measure success for this position?
What are the day-to-day responsibilities for this job position (if not specified in the job posting)?
What are some of the qualities of successful people in this position or company?
What is the timeline for hiring for this position?

Have it Memorized

Make sure you know your resume inside and out! Interviewers will often have your resume in front of them during your interview, and they might pick out older job positions or positions that aren’t super fresh in your mind.

Take some time to review your resume ahead of time, and be ready to discuss every piece on it. For bonus points, do this with an eye for what’s the most “stand out” and applicable about each resume item for the position you’re interviewing for.

Sell Yourself Confidently

This is your time to shine and tell them why you are a great fit for this role. Share the traits, skills and experience that you feel make you a great fit for the job. Along with that, it’s important for a company to know that you really want this job! Express that when you’re talking.

Say Thank You

Common courtesy goes a long way! Before the interview, begin drafting a standard thank you email. After the interview has been completed, fill it in with details about your conversation. There’s no need to make this more than 3-4 sentences, but personalizing it can make a great impression.

Thank the interviewer for their time, mention a point of conversation from the interview, and continue to express your interest. From there, be sure to follow up within a few days to a week – being proactive is key! Unless the interviewer gave you a specific time frame for a decision, there’s no harm in checking in.

For additional help with your resume, cover letter or interview skills, check out our Job Seeker 101 Course and our One-on-One Consulting Services.

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Job Seeker

Written by Jessica Nicklos

March 20, 2017 0 Comments

How to Stand Out in Your Next Interview

When you work from home, or if you’re trying to obtain a home based job, you often still have to go through the interview stage. Hiring for and online job is much like any other job, and brushing up on your interview skills is still necessary.

Read along for some of our best tips and advice to truly shine in your next work from home interview!

Dress well

Even though your interview will take place via the phone, Skype, FaceTime, or some other conferencing device, it’s still important to dress well. When you dress up, you often present your best self, and it’s a great way to improve posture, confidence, and positive feelings about yourself.

Even if your interview is done by phone, it’s still encouraged to dress in regular clothes. You don’t have to go all out and get super fancy, but a nice, normal outfit can really make you feel more on top of your game and ready to go.

Prepare

Being prepared is a key component to any interview – in person or online. It’s crucial to research the company or employer, know your resume, and look into the materials that you previously sent over. With the internet, there’s no excuse to not spend some time learning about your potential company and/or employer(s).

Research and review common interview questions, practice with a friend or family member, and generally know all you can about the company and job position. Additionally, ensure that you know what you said in your cover letter, just in case specific points come up. This will ensure that you’re ready to discuss these items freely, and won’t have to hesitate or spend time searching your materials. Show your preparation with data and statistics if that’s relevant, and be sure to show why you would be best employee for your potential employer, not just the other way around.

Know your strengths

While you’re reviewing your resume and cover letter, make a list of your key strengths and how they apply for this specific job position. This will likely be a question that you’re asked, and it’s also good to go into an interview knowing why you’re the best fit. Take some time to reflect on the positive aspects of your personality, past job experience, and specific skills that would help you to shine in this new position.

Know your why

Why do you want this job and why do you want to work here? This is key and will come across in the tone of your voice and of course, if you have to answer these questions. Be honest about why you want this job, as well as why you’re the best fit. Show the interviewer that you’re passionate about obtaining this job, and present your attitude as such.

Being successful in an interview is all about preparation, attitude, and confidence. Prepare with the above tips and you will be ready to secure your next work from home job position!

Written by Jessica Nicklos

January 16, 2017 0 Comments

4 Keys to a Strong Job Application

It’s the time of year that we reflect and reevaluate our goals, and that often includes our careers. If you’re feeling stuck, or you know it’s time to move on, your job application will be a valuable tool in the upcoming months.

While you may have a solid cover letter and resume complete, read along to ensure that you’re well-prepared and ready to take on the job market.

Reference ready

Do you have references ready to go? You will likely want to note this in your resume and cover letter, as it shows that you are ready and willing for employers to speak to those who will vouch for you.

Be sure to set up your references ahead of time, so that these people have adequate time to prepare their notes and/or a letter of recommendation. It’s a good idea to have 2-3 solid references on file, both in writing and available by phone or email for contact. Ensure that these are people that you’ve worked for or spoken with in the not-so-distant future, so they’re able to speak to your current work and characteristics.

Strong but brief letter

Your cover letter should be thorough – but also brief. This is the challenge of a great cover letter! Begin by conveying your interest in the specific position and company, followed by demonstrating why you’re the best person for the job.

From here, it’s best to include relevant positions and skills that are a match to the position, which is best presented with bullet points. No one likes to be faced with huge walls of text, so bullets are a welcome break, and employers are able to digest your information in bite-sized bits. This is a huge help to them, which helps your chances and makes your information appear more deliberate and efficient.

Resume without errors

Don’t go through all the trouble of writing a cover letter and resume without considering grammatical errors! From spelling to spacing to grammar issues, nothing is worse than discovering that you’ve made an easily-avoided error. It’s better to take the time to fix them before they’re sent in, which can be accomplished with a keen eye and some help from family and friends. Send your job materials to as many people as possible, and be open to feedback and revisions.

In addition to a resume without errors, it should also be concise. Keep your resume to a maximum of two pages, and be sure to only include relevant information. This is more labor-intensive, but it makes a huge difference to employers.

Confidence in your abilities

The number one tool you can bring to your job application is confidence in your abilities – and in yourself. While you can have pages full of experience and accomplishments, if you lack the confidence to back it up, you will look less prepared to take on the job. Job skills are incredibly important, but soft skills like communication and confidence are also key.

When you have confidence in your ability to do the job well, your potential employer will sense this, giving them more confidence in you. Since an employer doesn’t yet know you at this point, it’s a great time to speak to them with authority and expertise with what you know you are capable of accomplishing!

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