What is a Digital Interview?

Technology has brought up advancement in the business and industrial sectors. It has also cut short the hiring process and made work easy for the managers. Technology is used during the hiring process. The interviews are these days conducted on an online basis with the help of digital tools. These digital interviews have made the selection procedure convenient. Also, it has open portals for candidates to connect with various companies. Let’s look at what is a digital interview?

What is Digital Interview?

A modern way of interviewing candidates is through the use of modern technology. In a digital interview, the candidate chats with the employer through a webcam. Also, some digital interview has their candidate record the answered questions and send it to the hiring manager. This method is opted for by various companies. The interview happens virtually.

Types of Digital Interview

Although digital interviews are conducted virtually, there are various ways. A digital interview can be held in many ways. Here are the types:

Video Interview: In a video interview, the candidate gets a list of questions from the employer. The candidate has to record the answers to that questions in a video format. Video interviews are conducted professionally. So the candidate has to record the video the same way they do a face-to-face interview.
Pre-recorded Interview: In this kind of interview the questions will pop up on the screen. The candidate has to hit the record button while answering. Sometimes the employer may send recorded questions. It will give the candidate a feel of having a face-to-face interview and make them comfortable.
Live-Video Interview: In this type of interview, a candidate has a one-on-one conversation with the employer. An interview through the help of digital tools is conducted where a candidate answers the questions asked by the manager. It is almost like a face-to-face interview just this has a screen.

Benefits of Digital Interview

Conducting interviews through digital mode has its perks. A digital interview is beneficial to both employer and candidate. The benefits of the digital interview are:

Efficiency: Digital interviews are efficient for hiring candidates. The employer can review many interviews through digital mode at the same time. Digital interview saves time of conducting 30 minutes face-to-face interviews. A digital interview helps the hiring team make appropriate decisions by collecting information from the candidates. Digital interview improves the efficiency of the hiring process. It benefits both company and candidates.
Flexibility: A pre-recorded form of digital interview provides flexibility to managers as well as candidates. A candidate can record the answers from any place at any time. There is no requirement of scheduling a meeting place and time. Also, the hiring manager can review the recording at any time. He would save his time in conducting a face-to-face interview.
Diversity: Technology is spread across the globe. It reaches a large number of people. Digital means of interview helps the company to reach out to a diverse pool of candidates. The digital interview also eliminates the traveling expenses faced by the candidate. It increases the number of applications.
Quality: Digital interview creates quality and consistent environment for candidates. This kind of interview has a structured format that helps to have better outcomes while hiring. Also, digital interview removes biases, since the candidates are selected through same criteria. The candidates are compared, fairly and equally.
Innovation: Companies attract their candidates through digital interviews. It showcases their innovation and extracts talented people from the globe. Just like a candidate’s video makes the hiring process more advance. The company also feature their elements that include: culture and product through video format.

Tips to prepare for Digital interview

Having an interview physically or virtually preparation is needed. The preparation is similar to a personal interview. So the candidate must follow the tips given below while preparing for their digital interview:

Research about the company’s history: Whenever you prepare for any kind of interview, the big step is to learn about the company and its history. Know your employer so you can ask introspective questions. It will let your chances increase from other candidates. For research, you could visit the company’s website. Also, look for big news that is printed in newspapers or magazines about the company.
Know about the company’s culture: While searching for the company’s history, also look into the culture. Know whether this is a good choice for you. Learning about the company’s culture may help, you to figure out, in what way it may benefit you. Also, learn how you can benefit the company. Be sure the company will lead you on the path of success and development. It can be possible, by going through the company’s social media. You can check the employer’s profile to get more details.
Understand the product and services of the company: If you are going to work for a specific company, know about their products and services. While the interview, an employer may ask questions related to their products or services. Knowing this might show your interest to the employer. Understand the product thoroughly, so during crises, you may help by providing a great solution. For that to happen, you will have to look for the product on various sites. Go through the consumer’s reviews.
Practice the interview: Before recording the final interview, practice the answers. The common questions asked by the employer are available on Google. You can take help of that and have a pre-interview practice section. It will boost your confidence during the actual interview.
Check connection: Digital interview requires a proper internet connection. If your network is poor, then the interview might not be successful. So before the interview, have a better internet connection.
Have proper background setting: Whether it is a digital interview, it still matters. So have a good background. Check the lighting. Select a better room. Because just like your appearance, the background also plays a vital role in a virtual interview.
Wear proper attire: Be it an in-person interview or digital interview wearing, suitable attire is necessary. The interview has a formal dress code. So following that is important, to successfully complete the interview.

Question asked in a digital interview

Just like in-person interviews, there are some common questions asked during digital interviews. Below are some questions that are expected during a digital interview:

Tell us about yourself:

This is a common question mostly asked at the beginning of the interview. This answer to this question gives the employer glimpse of the candidate. While answering this question, highlight the work-related elements.

Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

This question is asked to know how you could benefit the organization. While hiring, the employer invests in their employees. So while answering this question, use your research knowledge. Also, highlight your values that are similar to the company’s culture.

Why did you apply for this position?

Now this question will test your answering skills. The employer wants to know your actual reason for choosing this specific position. So for answering this, you will need to convince the employer what this position means to you. Also, don’t forget to speak about how you can benefit the company through this position.

Why are you a better option for hiring?

Here the employer is looking for how you pitch your ideas. The question is to know why you are a perfect choice. So while answering, you should explain your skills that are the best fit for the job. The trick here is you don’t know anything about other candidates, so keeping yourself on the top is necessary.

Conclusion

Hiring employees for the company is a long process. Conducting an in-person interview could be time-consuming and make the selection procedure difficult. Also, the candidate might not be able to travel for many reasons. But conducting interviews through virtual format may ease the problem of the employer as well as the candidate. The digital interview helps the company to connect to a global number of candidates. The virtual form of the interview also gives the company various options of candidates and choose a perfect fit. The digital interview has made the technological world an important part of a company’s life.

Frequently asked questions

How much time does a digital interview take?

Answer: The time of the interview depends on the number of questions. Also, it depends on the length of the answers given by the candidate. Usually, it takes about 15-20 minutes to complete a digital interview.

Does the candidate need to be early for a digital interview?

Answer: Yes, a candidate should join in 15 minutes before the virtual meet begins. It would give an idea of the situation and verify and problem. If the connection is poor, the candidate would have time to fix it. Set the background. Check the sound and camera. For managing all this, the candidate needs to join early.

Which color is best to wear for a digital interview?

Answer: If you have a video interview, then wearing bright colors might not work. Also, don’t go for dark clothes or prints. The safest option to go with is light colors like white, light blue, grey, or any other. One important thing to look out for, while choosing the color is the background. Don’t wear a color similar to your background.