Through a survey of recruiters and hiring managers, the TopResume platform was able to find the 5 most common mistakes during a virtual job interview
Despite the fact that the vast majority of work activities in the United States have already been restored to their normal dynamics, almost as they were before the pandemic, there are tools that are here to stay, such as virtual job interviews. Because this type of professional talk is relatively new to many, 5 very common mistakes continue to be made by applicants.
Between August and September, TopResume asked 330 US hiring managers, recruiters, and human resources professionals to rank the worst offenses a candidate can commit during a virtual interview.
“Although virtual interviews have become a ubiquitous part of the hiring process, even as more companies require employees to return to the office, our data shows that many candidates have yet to master the art of the virtual interview, and it is sabotaging your candidacy,” said Amanda Augustine, careers expert at TopResume.
Among the top 5 virtual interview deciding factors that could cost you your job, according to TopResume:
1. Avoid eye contact or stare into space
2. Sitting in a messy room
3. Leaving inappropriate tabs or apps open when screen sharing
4. Using an unprofessional background
5. Being interrupted by family members
Many of these conclusions sound logical, especially those that have to do with better control of the home environment during a job interview, such as a messy room or being interrupted by family members. However, the perspective of points, such as what is the best way to make eye contact with someone on screen, remains ambiguous.
Surprisingly, technical difficulties did not feature on the list of deciding factors in the virtual interview. Recruiters may have become more empathetic to the workplace challenges that have emerged in the last two years or more.
1. Avoid eye contact
When you have a face-to-face job interview, it is known that seeing your recruiter directly is essential, it establishes trust and professionalism. But in a virtual interview, what does it look like in the eyes? The majority consensus indicates that the interview should be carried out looking at the camera and not at the interlocutor. That is why it is essential that you practice.
2. Being in a messy room
The best place to conduct a virtual interview is a clean, quiet room with good acoustics. The important thing is that the interviewer concentrates on you and not on noises or external environments.
3. Leaving inappropriate tabs or apps open when screen sharing
Showing seriousness in a job interview also implies prior preparation. If at the time of screen sharing to present your CV or some important file, we also notice that you have thousands of tabs for entertainment, games, YouTube, among others, it will not leave you very well standing in front of your recruiter.
4. Using an unprofessional background
When you don’t have a suitable office or room at home for your job interview, many turn to funds from proposed virtual platforms like Zoom. From choosing an inappropriate background to standing in front of a white wall, it is better to opt for the latter.
5. Being interrupted by family members
It’s so much fun to watch thousands of viral videos of family interruptions at meetings and job interviews. But the fun lies in not being the protagonist. It’s embarrassing. If the environment in your home may not be adequate, perhaps because you have minor children, we recommend leaving them in the care of someone and going to a cafeteria with few people, even these establishments already have their meeting rooms, which you could request for your interview of work.