The job market and the job prospecting landscape has shifted tremendously over the past years.
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Why You Should Bring You’re a Game to A Virtual Interview
TechRepublic indicates that 86% of companies are conducting job interviews via video conference.
Virtual is the pretty much the new normal for many things including conducting job interviews.
According to Simplilearn, only 20% of job applicants get shortlisted for the interview.
The above are reasons why you should aim to bring your A game to a Teams virtual interview.
Tips For How To Ace An Interview On Teams
There are some key tips for how to ace an interview on teams.
The article will cover the essentials for acing your virtual interview. What is covered is:
- The importance of preparing for the interview
- How to ensure you are prepared for certain types of questions
- How to practice your answers prior to the actual interview
- How to avoid interruptions
- Remembering to thank the team for their time
- What to do at the end of the interview
- Ensuring your MS Teams works smoothly and you have a stable internet
Using these tips can make your interview a success. After you’ve done your through, get your hands “dirty” and start with the actual preparation for your interview on teams!
Prepare For A Teams Interview
Before an interview, you must do a lot of preparation and research. This can include familiarizing yourself with the company and its goals. Additionally, you must learn about the different teams and departments that work there and how they contribute to the company’s goals.
A teams interview will also give you the chance to showcase your interpersonal skills. To prepare for a team interview, you must think about what questions you can ask during the interview.
While attending a teams interview, take note of the names of the panelists. You can also find out if they belong to the same organizations as you.
This information will help you prepare for the questions you should ask them. When addressing each team member, you must pay close attention to their responses and read the group dynamic.
If you do this, you will have a much better chance of getting through the interview successfully.
As you prepare for a team interview, keep in mind that it can be stressful. You must pay attention to several people at the same time, and you may receive a lot of questions at once.
It is important to be calm and focused to avoid getting confused. While answering the questions, it is important to be flexible enough to respond appropriately to any questions that the team may ask.
It also helps to think of a few unique questions that will make you stand out among the other candidates.
Before the interview, agree on the process that will be followed.
You should also come up with questions that pertain to the position and company.
This way, you will show that you did your research and want to excel in the role. Often, the company will not notify candidates that they are conducting a team interview.
However, some companies purposely set up these types of interviews to make it more difficult for candidates to get an interview. To avoid any confusion or distress, it is best to be prepared for a group interview in advance.
Avoid Interruptions
There are several strategies you can employ when you’re interviewing for a team. Firstly, do not interrupt others. This is not only rude, but can also lead to resentment.
If you need to interrupt someone, be polite. Let them finish what they’re saying and then ask them to interrupt less in future. By following these tips, you can ensure that your teams interview run smoothly.
However, if you must interrupt, you should know which strategies are best.
Another strategy is to be polite. In an interview, the other person might be irritated at your interruptions. If you are angry or frustrated, stay calm and polite.
This will show them that you’re not angry, and will allow them to finish what they were doing.
The other person may even give you some space to finish your work without causing too much of a disruption.
Avoid raising your voice, as this is highly distracting and will make you appear rude.
If you have a complex question, schedule a time to answer it.
This way, you’ll have the time to prepare and plan for the discussion. Once you’ve set up a meeting time, decide on a way to communicate with the team in a way that doesn’t cause interruptions.
Emails are easier to ignore, while telephone calls are often more effective. Aside from that, it’s important to establish a routine.
Remember, interruptions are a fact of life, and you’ll need to be patient with them. If someone interrupts you face-to-face, ask them if they can talk to you about their question before moving on.
Moreover, you should also set up clear “office hours” for your team, so that everyone knows exactly when to interrupt you.
Oftentimes, an interruption is a result of communication, so don’t get irritated with it.
Practice Your Answers Before The Interview
Before the big day, be sure to prepare for the interview by practicing your answers before going for the real thing.
You might be asked about your weaknesses. But instead of saying that you struggle with Excel, name one weakness and focus on how you are improving it.
Similarly, when answering questions about your work style and how you can improve, name one area that you’d like to improve.
And before the big day, remember that your answers should be focused on the work that you enjoy the most and how it will help the company.
You can also practice your answers by writing out the narratives that you hope to convey to the interviewer.
While rehearsing your answers, make sure that they sound natural and not memorized.
If possible, practice them in front of a mirror, where you can check your posture, eye contact, and body language.
This is an effective way to improve your overall performance and make the interview go smoothly.
It may help to watch a recording of yourself on video. This will give you an idea of how you sound when you’re nervous.
Also, you’ll be able to see if there are any awkward or embarrassing habits you have. For example, you might have a tendency to overexaggerate hand gestures, over-use of “ums,” and stuttering. Watching your recordings will help you fix these before the big day.
Lastly, try to find a quiet place to conduct the interview. Make sure to remove any distracting jewelry or clothing from your face. Using a laptop is a good way to avoid distractions.
If you are applying for a job position, you should try to dress appropriately for the interview. Remember to take a deep breath and remain calm.
It will make the interview go more smoothly. After all, you’ll want to get the job and you’ve worked hard for it.
Thank The Team For Their Time
If you’ve been selected for an interview with a team, make sure you thank the hiring team for their time and attention.
Many companies use standard email formats to communicate with employees.
It is a good idea to include your name and title in your thank-you note. If you are interviewing on a team, you will probably already be acquainted with the person you’re writing to.
You should also include your contact information in the signature. Including your contact information in your thank-you note will demonstrate professionalism and make it easier for the hiring manager to contact you.
The way to thank a team is slightly different than a traditional letter.
A handwritten note will make you stand out from other applicants. It’s polite to thank the team for their time, but be sure to include the value that you will bring to the team.
It is also polite to mention your interest in the company and why they should hire you.
This will show that you understand the challenges facing remote workers and are aware of the current state of affairs.
A thank-you note should be sent within 24 hours after the interview. Using the same email to thank everyone looks unprofessional.
Also, putting multiple people’s email addresses in the “To” field may lessen the impact of your thank-you note. It’s best to address your thank-you note to just one person.
That way, you’ll be sure to get a reply that matches the tone of the interview.
Signal The End Of The Interview
The best way to signal the end of the interview on teams is to use a spec. A spec is a fully fleshed-out description of a candidate’s skills and experience.
It should make sense for the problem the company is trying to solve, and it will give the interviewer an idea of how well the candidate is communicating with others.
It’s also a great signal when an interviewer’s response is unclear.
Final Thoughts
There you go. Landing a good job is the ultimate economic goal of career development. A virtual interview can be as intimidating as a physical interview.
To avoid being overwhelmed, ensure that you are fully prepared mentally and technically for the interview.
Ensure to test if your Microsoft Teams functions smoothly and that you have stable internet connection.
Ask a friend to connect form another side just for a test or dry run. This way you will ensure that you have no glitches and gremlins in the actual virtual interview.
Read widely about the company and the job and be realistic about your skills set and capabilities. All the best.