Scitex has been helping candidates get into exciting roles in New Zealand for 36 years. Over time, we’ve gathered rich insights into how job seekers can perform well when interviewing and what it takes to succeed. This series is designed to help candidates preparing for interviews, with the aim of supporting you to perform at your optimum so you give yourself the best chance of a job offer!

If you’ve been selected for an interview, congratulations! This is a fantastic achievement and a testament to your skills and qualifications. No doubt the Managers meeting you are excited to learn more about you and how you can contribute to their team. To help you prepare and perform as well as possible, here are some tips from our Talent team, focused on Virtual (online) interviews.

Before the Interview:

• Research the company: Thoroughly investigate the company’s website (plus their LinkedIn profile & feed), mission, values, recent news and any other relevant information to demonstrate your interest and knowledge during the interview.
• Familiarise yourself with the position: Understand the job description, responsibilities and requirements to tailor your responses to the specific role.
• Test your tech: Ensure your computer, internet connection, and video conferencing platform are working properly. Test the audio and video.
• Choose a professional background: Set up a clutter-free and neutral background that looks professional and avoids distractions.
• Check lighting and camera angle: Position your webcam at eye level and ensure there is sufficient lighting on your face so the interviewer can see you clearly.
• Dress professionally: Wear appropriate attire as you would for an in-person interview. Dressing professionally helps to create a positive impression.

During the Interview:

• Be punctual: Log into the virtual meeting a few minutes early to avoid any last-minute technical problems and to demonstrate your punctuality.
• Speak clearly and concisely: Articulate your answers clearly and avoid speaking too fast or using jargon that may not be familiar to the interviewer.
• Listen actively: Pay attention to the interviewer’s questions and make sure you fully understand them before responding. Active listening demonstrates your attentiveness.
• Showcase your skills with examples: Use specific examples from your experiences to highlight your skills and accomplishments relevant to the position.
• Be enthusiastic and engaged: Show genuine enthusiasm for the opportunity and engage with the interviewer throughout the conversation.
• Prepare questions: Have some thoughtful questions ready to ask the interviewer about the company, team, or specific aspects of the role.
• Be prepared for technical issues: Have a backup plan in case of technical difficulties, such as keeping the interviewer’s contact information handy in case you need to switch to a phone call.

Good luck for your meeting!

To learn more, here are some more articles in the series:

💡Staying on Track and Answering Questions Effectively in an Interview

💡How to Improve your Confidence at Interviews

💡Tips for In-Person Interviews

Or, if you’re at an earlier stage in the process, here are a couple of articles helping you improve your CV: level one here and level two here. Once you’re happy with your CV, if you’re seeking a new role and you’d like our teams help, we suggest joining our talent pool, here.

-Scitex