Let's begin with a fundamental premise. Job interviews are just one step in the entire candidate recruitment process.
Many companies, if not all, also subject candidates to a series of technical and psychometric tests. Additionally, it's important to note that interviews can vary significantly in format and logistics from one company to another. Many companies, besides the initial hiring interview, conduct a second, more technical interview, and sometimes even a third, demonstrative one.
But don't be alarmed; we will discuss this in detail in this chapter to understand what they entail and how to handle them. In fact, let's start by breaking down interviews into three different modes:
• Automatic Interviews
• In-Person Interviews
• Webcam Interviews
Automatic Interview
Many companies, especially the most sought-after ones, often delegate the challenging task of initially screening candidates to third-party firms. As a result, you might find yourself in a job interview and be surprised to see no recruiter in front of you. Instead, you will encounter a series of questions on your computer screen, to which you respond by recording yourself on a webcam. Typically, there are no more than five questions, and you have up to three minutes to answer each one. If you're not satisfied with your response, you can re-record
it, but only up to a maximum of three times.
After completing the interview, you will receive a confirmation email and then ideally wait for the second interview with a live recruiter. This recruiter may not necessarily be from the company itself but could be from a third-party firm hired for this recruitment phase. One of the most well-known companies facilitating this process is HireVue, which is currently employed by many multinational corporations.
In-Person Interview
In recent years, in-person interviews have been replaced by web-based interviews. However, many companies, before hiring a candidate, prefer to meet them in person at their location, often covering travel expenses. The in-person interview is perhaps the most well-known, as it has been used for over a century. This type of interview involves a face-to-face physical interview, and in addition to preparing for interpersonal and technical questions, it also requires effective emotional management.
Setting Up the Best Version of Yourself
Let's finally dive into our long-awaited job interview, which, from an emotional standpoint, is equivalent to the World Cup final. Yes, because for us, it's one of the most crucial events in our lives. On one hand, we are embarking on a new professional chapter, and on the other, we are giving our self-esteem a generous boost.
When preparing for our job interview, we need to focus on three fundamental aspects:
• Technical Setup
• Self-Presentation
• Recognizing the Recruiter
Technical Setup
In this case, we're talking about all the digital settings that will allow the recruiter to focus solely on you. So, let's start with the location where you decide to conduct the interview. The recommendation is to ensure that there is nothing behind you that could divert the recruiter's attention from you. So, if there happen to be photos of you at the beach or tools on the shelves, avoid displaying them. You should be the sole focus for the recruiter.
Regarding lighting, the ideal position is to have it in front of you or slightly to the side. The use of artificial lighting can also work, but it should be directed towards you to highlight your presence. One of the most common mistakes during job interviews is having a window or ceiling light behind us, creating a shadow on our face and making it difficult for the recruiter, who will eagerly want to end the video call, due to the unpleasant lighting conditions.
Lastly, external webcams and microphones can be useful for improving video and audio quality. However, make sure they are properly installed on your computer and compatible with the platform where the interview will take place to avoid any issues during the call. One common mistake in this case is forgetting that microphones, in addition to enhancing our voice, pick up all sounds. So when it brushes against our hair or our tie while we move, it creates a distracting noise for the listener.
The web-based interview is still one of the most commonly used in the job market. The fact that you may be required to complete an automatic interview first does not mean that you won't need to do a second web-based interview. The web-based interview simply requires a portal and a good Wi-Fi connection, not forgetting, of course, familiarity with the settings of your webcam (whether integrated into the computer or external). Additionally, in this case, it's advisable to test the platform where the video call will take place the day before. The most popular platforms are Zoom, Skype, and Teams.
Recognizing the Recruiter
Recognizing the recruiter is the last but most crucial step. Recognizing the recruiter means understanding their approach and identifying the category of profile to which they belong. Based on this, you can adjust your communication frequency accordingly.
To keep it simple, let's say that most people can be classified as either "Emotional" or "Problem Solving." While there are undoubtedly many more categories in reality, let's stick to these two broad categories for simplicity's sake.
In the first case, you should use a more empathetic communication style, offer more smiles, share anecdotes, and focus your responses on interpersonal aspects rather than technical ones. In the second case, an analytical communication style is ideal, centered around numbers, data, and technical information rather than interpersonal aspects.
Recognizing the type of person in front of you is as simple as observing and listening to them for a few moments. For instance, if you see a recruiter who offers a few smiles and some comforting words to break the ice, they are likely an empathetic person. If, on the other hand, the recruiter hardly looks at their webcam and gets straight to the point with questions and minimal chit-chat, they are probably a problem solver.
Keep in mind that most companies will have you go through more than one interview, with the first one typically conducted by a recruiter, who has a background in human resources and is more likely to be empathetic. The second interview may be with a company manager, who sometimes has a technical background and, as a result, has a personality more in line with a problem solver.
Recognizing the recruiter will give you a significant advantage, as you can adjust the frequency of your responses based on the type of personality you are dealing with. It's something you likely already do regularly when speaking with different people and adjusting your communication style accordingly. I'm sure you don't speak to your grandchildren the same way you speak to your parents, your boss, or your partner, right?
In the realm of persuasive communication, there is a vast array of information on this topic. Still, for now, we will stay on the surface to help you understand its importance and, most importantly, its effectiveness.
You can test this technique with your friends and family. For example, I have my father, who is clearly a problem solver. If I were to invite him to my house using an empathetic communication style, it would never work. If, for instance, I said, "Dad, come over this weekend, and let's have some fun, barbecue, laugh while watching a movie, etc." My father wouldn't come, and the blame would be entirely mine because I am using an inappropriate communication frequency for that type of person. However, if I said, "Dad, my boiler isn't working properly, and the fountain is leaking. Could you come over this weekend to help me fix them? You can also spend some time with your grandkids because it's been a while since you've seen them." In this case, the chances of my father coming over have significantly increased.
Remember, it's your responsibility to find the right communication frequency for your interlocutor.
Now that your virtual office is ready, let's focus on you, how you appear on camera, and, most importantly, the message you're conveying. In this case, there are not many secrets beyond those of proper attire. It's preferable to present yourself in a formal and clean manner. Neatly groomed hair, well-kept facial hair, and the absence of earrings or piercings are recommended. Although tattoos and piercings are slowly gaining acceptance in candidate evaluations, they still represent a negative bias for many.
As for your outfit, the classic jacket, tie, and shirt are preferred, preferably in dark colors or at least coordinated sensibly. In this case, a brief side note is in order. The advice is to research the company before deciding on your outfit, as there may be companies with unique dress code policies. For instance, the Virgin Group is openly against the use of ties, as often stated by its founder, Richard Branson. Therefore, showing up for an interview with Virgin wearing a bright tie would indicate a lack of knowledge about the company and likely result in exclusion.
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