Job hunting during pandemic includes virtual interviews

Tips for landing a job through a virtual interview

The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing several employers to interview candidates using video conferencing platforms.

HOUSTON - While pandemic-induced business slowdowns have left unemployment stubbornly high, there are still millions of job openings across the country. Landing one of those jobs may require you get ready for your 'close-up'.

In recent years, an initial interview often meant a phone or video conversation to determine whether a candidate was good enough to warrant a face-to-face interview. It saves time and money for employers. Now, the pandemic has made it a necessity, and job seekers need to get their sales pitch camera-ready.

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Before logging on to an interview, there are some extra steps to take for a successful conversation:

Just because you're home, casual attire will not get you noticed for the right things. Instead, dress to impress; more formal is better than less.

Check your surroundings. Choose something that is well-lit, quiet, and not too busy, in the background.

While hiring managers would, much rather, have a face-to-face interview to get a good gauge of whether someone's right for a position, job-seekers may have an advantage, interviewing from home. With comfortable surroundings, you can keep resources like your resume, the job description, and a pad of paper for quick notes, that might not be available in a traditional interview.

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But don't get 'too' comfortable. Executive interview coach Barry Drexler says applicants have got to work to stay engaged in the conversation. "They know if you're listening and if you're not listening," says Drexler, "You have to listen with empathy. Meaning: really absorb what they're saying and be interested in what they're saying." He says 'staying engaged' also means maintaining eye-contact with the interviewer, even if it's a video screen.

One final piece of advice: Try all this out, before the interview, to ensure everything works as expected.

Though employers will return to face-to-face interviews, when they can, this is how it'll be done until that time comes.