Due to the vast spread of the COVID-19 virus all across the globe, everything has become remote. Students are learning from their home, the teachers are also teaching from the comfort of their houses. Jobs, classes, and even court hearings have become online! This has done more good than bad for the employees.
The increase in online work and employment has given rise to remote or online interviews. There seems to be a mass panic about the details of a remote interview, as some people are still flabbergasted by its concept. If you are reading this then you may be readying up for an online interview, this article has got you covered on the basics and etiquettes of online interviews.
What is a Remote Interview?
Initially, the remote interview may sound like a complex concept, but in reality, a remote interview is an interview conducted online or through the phone. This helps the interviewer or recruiter located in a different place to interact and question a potential hire, who is also located somewhere else. This has proven to be a lifesaver, especially during the pandemic.
Remote interviews are generally used in the initial stages of the hiring process, this not only saves the time spent commuting but also gives some leverage to the interviewee to relax and prepare accordingly. This also proves helpful to the employer to screen and judge the candidate.
Types of Remote Jobs
The pandemic has made most jobs online, but it has also given birth to full-time remote work even post-pandemic. Many startups and even established companies have managed to cut down costs drastically by hiring remote employees. This saves up the office space and thus reduces the financial load. Below are some of the most sought-after remote jobs.
Freelance Writing
A freelance writer gets approached by companies or individuals for their services, there is no set time duration or contract in place, making it flexible for you, so you can concentrate on other work as well. This counts as part-time, as you can opt or refuse to work depending on your expectations. You are in control of the quality of your work.
This is great for students who want to earn extra money on the side. Typically, a Freelance writer earns anywhere from $25 to $500 per month, depending on the quality and size of the work. This can amount to up to $5,600 in part-time annual income.
Social Media Manager
The Social Media Manager primarily works on engaging and growing the businesses’ social media handles and increasing their presence online. Social media managers also have to create budgets for the social media advertisements along with engaging the audience and creating a report of the statistics. (Ex. Number of likes and comments on the posts)
The average monthly salary of a social media manager working remotely can range anywhere from $800 to $5,000, based on experience.
Virtual Assistant
A virtual assistant may be employed privately or by an organization to carry out their tasks daily. These tasks may include scheduling meetings, appointments, answering phone calls, reporting data in the database, proofreading the documents of the company/individual, and much more.
On average, virtual assistants can make anywhere from $500 to $3500 per month, depending on the employer or the number of hours worked.
Requirements for Remote Work
Below are some of the most common requirements for online jobs.
- Stable Internet connection
- Stable laptop/computer device to work on
- Flexibility to work whenever needed
- Basic knowledge of technology and software
- Great communication skills
- Minimal disturbance
Some jobs may have their own set of basic requirements, depending on the position and role of the individual.
Remote Interview Checklist
Interviewers often pay attention to your non-verbal cues, this includes but is not limited to body language, posture, facial expressions, and even appropriate voice tone. But other boxes need to be checked before beginning the remote interview. Below are some of the important factors that play a vital role in ensuring your hiring.
Decent Internet Connection
This is the most vital part of an online interview, as it is self-explanatory. Your internet connection must have enough bandwidth required for the interview, as video calls require more bandwidth. Make sure to troubleshoot any errors before the interview. Having a slow and laggy connection can shatter your hopes of getting the job, as you may have errors in the future if you work full-time from home.
Find a spot
The foreground is as important as the background when it comes to an online interview. You have to pick a clean and isolated spot, devoid of any clutter or distraction. Experts advise against sitting next to the window due to the increase in disturbance and shift of the light towards the background rather than your face. Or in a room with people talking and disturbing the flow of the interview.
The background has to be clutter-free, clean, and not too loud. (Ex. Neon lights or posters) If you have kids or pets, it is ideal to keep them in a different room to eliminate disturbance.
Dress Formally
Contrary to popular belief, most companies expect you to wear formal and business attire during online interviews and meetings. This includes full and half-sleeved shirts and trousers. You have to be covered in formal attire from top to bottom. You must make sure that the colors or the clothes themselves aren’t tacky or loud in terms of color or design. Wearing casual clothes creates a perception of laziness and demotivated individuals in the minds of the interviewers. Though the dress code may entirely depend on the company or the position.
Miscellaneous technical aspects
Make sure your device is charged and it works properly before the interview. It won’t be ideal to have pop-ups or system errors in the middle of the interview. If you have any persisting problems then try to troubleshoot them. It is recommended to have a secondary device ready in case of any issues on your primary device. Ex. you can switch from your laptop to your phone in case of any technical issues.
Checking and cleaning your peripherals like mouse, keyboard or external webcam and mic can also prove to be useful, not only does it ensure they work properly, cleaning will make them look neat and shift the focus on you. Make sure your phone is on vibrate or silent mode to ensure little to zero disturbance. Also, make sure to have the proper conferencing software installed, up and running before the interview.
Conclusion
People have similar levels of anxiety when it comes to both offline and remote/online interviews. The remote interview is nothing but an interview conducted over teleconferencing. More than right or appropriate answers, the interviewers will examine your body language and communication skills.
Be prepared and go through all the appropriate questions and formalities beforehand.
