Navigating a Virtual Interview Successfully

While virtual meetings are no longer novel in the industry, many candidates are now living in a time where on-site interviews are on pause, and virtual interviews are the only option. For the time being, Appian has gone fully virtual, but our hiring has continued.

To help those who are learning to adjust to virtual interviewing, Appian Recruiting has put together 10 useful tips to help with preparing you for a day of virtual interviews:

Tip 1: Dress for success

Remember, this is still an interview. Some say, “Business on the top, party on the bottom.” We say, wear whatever you feel most confident and comfortable in for the role you’re applying for.

Tip 2: Check your surroundings

Make sure your background is tidied up, well lit, and has limited background noise to avoid any disruptions throughout the interview.

Tip 3: Avoid distractions

Just as you would in a face-to-face interview, turn your phone on ‘do not disturb’ to avoid interruptions. If you are doing a screen-share or video interview, we suggest turning-off all computer notifications, and closing out all windows that are not required during your interview. Noise-cancelling headphones are also a great resource to use!

Tip 4: Charge your laptop

There is nothing worse than being in the middle of a conversation, and all of a sudden your computer conks out. Charge your laptop beforehand, and it doesn’t hurt to keep it plugged in throughout the interview just in case.

Tip 5: Check your Wi-Fi connection

“Can you hear me? Good.” We suggest you test your Wi-Fi connection with a tool such as SpeedTest. If your Wi-Fi speed is below 5Mbps, you might encounter some quality issues. If that is the case, it would be wise to consider doing the video interview via your wireless device if possible.

Tip 6: Fuel up

It’s important to stay hydrated throughout your interviews, and who doesn’t like a good snack during interview breaks? Make sure you grab yourself a bottle of water and brain-food snacks such as almonds, whole-grain crackers, and fresh fruit.

Tip 7: Webcam check one two, one two

If you have not utilized your computer’s webcam before, we suggest you give it a quick test beforehand. Make sure you adjust the camera so it’s positioned at a normal level for where you are sitting or standing during the interview . Oftentimes, the tool you are using (such as Google Hangouts or Zoom), will require you to adjust the Settings to select the input/output of your microphone, video camera, and sound.

Tip 8: Always have a backup plan

If your Wi-Fi fails, and/or your webcam/ sound stop working, be sure to have the call-in number on hand. It also doesn’t hurt to call-in to the interview via your cell phone and put it on mute in the event that you need to hop over mid-interview.

Tip 9: Test any new tools

It’s likely that you will be asked to use tools you’ve never heard of before. For example, if your role requires a white-boarding coding exercise, you may be asked to use a virtual white-boarding platform. Do not hesitate to ask your Recruiter or Coordinator beforehand if you can get access to the tool to test and work out any kinks.

Tip 10: Be yourself

Avoid writing and rehearsing responses during the interview process, as it will be noticeable to your interviewer. Preparing questions for your interviewers, on the other hand, we certainly welcome! Interviewing is a two-way street, and both parties should be doing their research before the interview takes place.

Good luck, and if you’re interested in testing out the tips above, head to www.appian.com/careers to see our latest openings in all things Sales, Engineering, and Marketing! You can also head here to learn more about what #AppianLIFE is all about.

-Appian Recruiting