By now, you’re probably familiar with the basics of setting up for a video interview: Find a quiet, clean place to have it, make sure your mic is turned on, and—seriously—put on some pants. But with more and more employers using Google Hangout, Zoom, or Skype interviews—and more and more job seekers knowing the basics—it’s a good idea to take your digital interviewing skills to the next level. As with in-person interviews, the key to video interviews is to “be confident and show them your true self,” says says Muse career coach Adrean Turner, who hosts the career podcast Coach Adrean’s FIT Tips and has coached hundreds of job seekers through video interviews. But while your goals are the same as in a traditional interview, there are a few differences in how you achieve them, and you want to make sure that your interviewer can focus on your best qualities and not whether they can hear you.

1. Prepare Like You Would for an In-Person Interview

Just because your interview is happening over Skype (or some other platform), doesn’t mean it’s not a real interview. Other than preparations to travel to the interview, you still need to prepare the same way you would if you were going into the office. That means researching the company and role, preparing to answer common interview questions, and coming up with questions to ask your interviewer in return. Your interviewer is still looking for someone they can see themselves working with and who is passionate and knowledgeable about the role they’re applying to—be ready to show them why that’s you.

2. Dress to Impress

When you get dressed for a video interview, you want to be just as formal as you would be for an in-person interview at the same company. (And yes, that means from head to toe.) The urge to be less formal because you’re in your own home is understandable, but it might send the wrong message about how interested you are in the role. “It doesn’t hurt to get dressed for one hour,” Tucker says, but not getting dressed definitely can. You also want to make sure your outfit looks good on camera. Try it on in front of the same platform you’ll be using for the interview. For example, a slightly lower-cut top that might be completely appropriate in person could look weird if your entire shirt is outside of the video frame.

3. Test Your Tech

Cut down on technical difficulties by testing out your setup ahead of time using the same platform, internet connection, and hardware you’ll be using for your interview. Have a friend video chat with you to make sure you can hear and be heard and see and be seen. Take the time to familiarize yourself with the program and make sure you know the basics—especially how to mute and unmute your microphone.

4. Set Up Your Shot

When you go into an office, the company and your interviewer are in charge of the physical setting, but for a video interview, you are. Make sure you create a good impression with your physical shot. Choose a quiet area and set up in front of the most neutral background you can—either a blank wall or a room without a lot of distracting clutter or decoration. Make sure you’re well lit (natural light is best) with your light source behind your computer or phone, not behind you. (And if you have to use a phone, prop it up rather than holding it in your hand.) If it’s hard for you to find a space with good natural lighting in your home, you might consider investing in a selfie ring light that sits around the camera on your laptop or phone.

5. Don’t Sit Too Far or Too Close

Just like you wouldn’t sit three inches or eight feet from your interviewer in a conference room, you don’t want to sit an uncomfortable distance from your computer. When you’re setting up your chair, you’ll want to make sure you don’t end up looking too tiny or too huge. To be well proportioned, make sure there’s a bit of empty space on the screen above your head and check that your shoulders and upper chest are visible.

6. Prep for Optimal Eye Contact

Have you ever had a conversation with someone where they seemed to be looking over your shoulder or away from you entirely? Did you feel like you connected with that person? Probably not. So while actual eye contact isn’t possible in a video interview, you’ll want to get as close as possible. Looking at someone’s face is usually enough to show that you’re listening and engaged with what they’re saying. To that end, make sure you’ve found a comfortable distance that allows you to look straight ahead rather than down at the camera. And place the window where your interviewer will appear on the same monitor as your camera and move it as close to the camera as possible—centered is best. That way, when you look at them, as you naturally will during your conversation, you’re also looking at the camera.

7. Check for Glare

Before you’ve finalized your outfit and location, see if anything in your shot is reflecting or giving off a glare that might be distracting to your interviewer. The main culprits are usually watches, jewelry, and eyeglasses, and solving the issue might be as easy as removing one accessory. Of course, not everyone can take off their glasses for an interview. Try a few of these tricks to reduce the glare as much as you can: Hint: You should do this around the same time of day as your interview will be held (or right before) especially if you’re using natural light.

8. Practice Your Video Interview Skills Ahead of Time

If you’re not used to video chat, you might find carrying on a conversation to be a bit awkward at first—especially if you can see yourself as well. Setting up a mock video interview with a friend or career coach can help you zero in on anything you need to watch out for, Turner says. Maybe you have a tendency to look away from the camera or maybe your natural hand gestures are too low to be seen. Turner also recommends recording your practice. When you play it back “you’ll notice if you’re making eye contact, fiddling with papers, your posture is bad,” she says. Then you can “make adjustments accordingly.” Muse career coach Eloise Eonnet, who specializes in public speaking, presentation, and communication skills, stresses answering questions in practice the same way you would in a real interview, especially when it comes to talking about key pieces of your background. “Don’t say the names and numbers you need to say out loud for the first time in the interview,” Eonnet says—you don’t want to get nervous and stumble over them or say something incorrect.

9. Pay Attention to How You Sound, Too

People are usually concerned with how they look in a video interview and often forget to think about how they sound, Turner says. During your practice, take note of how fast you speak, how you pause, and the tone and pitch of your voice—and ask the person you’re practicing with if any of these things makes it harder to hear or understand you. For the sake of any interviewer with a bad connection, be sure to speak clearly and at a reasonable pace, but keep it natural. Just because your interview is being conducted over a computer doesn’t mean you can sound like one! Since there’s less body language–based communication in a video interview, you also want the way you speak to help get across how you feel about what you’re saying. Make sure you sound excited when discussing the things you’re passionate about, for example.

10. Write Out a Few Notes—But Refer to Them as Little as Possible

Because your interviewer won’t be able to see everything you have on your desk (or on your computer screen), it might be tempting to have a lot of information in front of you for a video interview. But be careful. Turner recommends having only a few quick notes in front of you and glancing at them sparingly. Write down key figures and other small snippets, not whole answers. “You don’t want to sound like you’re just reading,” she says. Meanwhile, Eonnet discourages keeping any notes in front of you at all. “The best interviews are conversations and notes can become a crutch,” Eonnet says. A huge reason someone decides to hire you is because they feel like you made a connection during the interview, which can be hard to do if you’re distracted. If you’d like to have a few sparse notes for your interview, make sure you also have them out during your practice. Not only will this show you whether you can use them without it disrupting the flow of the conversation, the more you read them over, the less you’ll end up having to refer to them.

11. Minimize Interruptions—But Take Them in Stride If They Happen

Do whatever you can to cut down on the chances of being interrupted. If you can, set up in a room where you can close the door and inform anyone you share a space with that they shouldn’t disturb you during your interview (and give yourself a cushion on either side.) Check your space the day before for any unexpected distractions. You don’t want to be caught off guard by an ongoing construction project, for example. And make sure you turn off or silence your phone or any other electronic device that might make noise and pause any notifications on your computer. However, if there’s a high chance of you being interrupted by something outside of your control, mentioning it at the start can prepare your interviewer and show them you’re proactive. It can also help settle your nerves about the situation. For example, if you have a dog in the next room that might start barking, you can make your interviewer aware of that possibility. “It’s not about erasing the fact that you’re in your home. It’s about being as professional as you can given the circumstance,” Eonnet says.

12. “Show Up” a Few Minutes Early

You wouldn’t walk into the building where a 3 PM interview was being held at exactly 3 PM or even at 2:59 PM, so you shouldn’t cut it so close for a video interview either. Prepare your computer by closing all extra windows and tabs. And if you have a portfolio or anything similar you’d like to be able to show via screen share during your interview, make sure that it’s ready in an easy-to-access, but minimized, window. Open up the program where your video interview will take place a few minutes early. Before you fully enter the meeting, a lot of the common video interview software will give you a chance to check your shot. Then, “relax,” says Turner. Be completely in place “a few minutes early and do a few breathing exercises.” That way, when you click to join the call and the interview starts, “you’re already ready to go.”

13. Start Off With a “Digital Handshake”

When you interview in person, there’s a period where the interview has started, but it hasn’t started. You and your interviewer are physically meeting, shaking hands, walking into the room, and sitting down. Even if you’re not making small talk, there’s still some time to settle in. For a video interview, this isn’t always the case, so you need to focus on making an initial connection even more than usual, Eonnet says. Try a “digital handshake,” she says. After you say hello, “look right into the camera to forge a connection, do a small head nod as if to say ‘yes!,’ and add a smile, which translates warmth and openness.”

14. Acknowledge the Differences

It’s OK to mention in the moment that a video interview isn’t the same as an in-person interview. Acknowledging things are different helps put people at ease and mimics those introductory moments, Eonnet says. And don’t be afraid to say if something feels off—if you can’t hear or see your interviewer well, for example. It’ll just demonstrate that you’re willing to speak up and be straightforward about issues.

15. Maintain Good Posture

Because you’re at home, it’s natural to be a little more relaxed. Try not to let this translate into you slumping down in your seat. It makes you look less engaged. Instead, you want to pull your chair away from the table, sit on the edge of the seat, plant your feet on the ground, and place your hands on the table, Eonnet says. “This will let you use your body without blocking the camera.” Sitting up straight also naturally gives you a bit more energy and helps you communicate your excitement about the job. Eonnet suggests standing as an alternative if that’s an easier way for you to keep your energy up—but not if you have a tendency to pace or shift a lot.

16. Use Your Face to Show You’re Engaged

Nonverbal communication is important in any conversation. But when it comes to a video interview, a lot of the avenues through which we usually give nonverbal cues—eye contact, body language, and small murmurs of agreement—are cut off. So we have to lean more heavily on what we have left, namely facial expressions. If you’re in the room with someone, you can usually tell if they’re listening to you intently even if their face is not moving much (and you’re never going to be concerned that the person in the room with you has frozen and can’t hear or see you anymore). But “everybody can look like a statue over video interview,” Turner says. You shouldn’t be so static that your interviewer has to wonder if you’re still connected. Short vocalizations aren’t the way to solve this problem here since on many common video interview platforms, only one mic can be used at once, Eonnet says. So while two people can speak simultaneously in the same room or over the phone, on a video call, your “yes, definitely!” can mute the other person’s microphone momentarily, breaking up the flow of conversation and possibly causing you to miss key information. Instead of saying “mm-hm” or “yeah,” nod or smile when you’d usually speak. That way your interviewer still gets the feedback they need without your mic accidentally overriding theirs.

17. Let the Other Person Finish Speaking

This is good life advice in general, but over video chat, jumping in with your response too soon can mute the other person’s mic and cut them off entirely—making you seem rude even if you didn’t intend to be. Plus with internet lag, it’s not always immediately apparent whether someone is done speaking or just pausing. So once you think your interviewer is done, take a beat before you answer. If you have trouble with this, get in the habit of muting yourself while the other person is speaking—that way the action of turning the mic back on forces you to give them a little extra time to keep talking.

18. Signal When Your Answers Are Complete

In the same vein, it’s helpful for the other person if you signal the end of your answer, especially if it’s a long one. You can do this through a visual cue like nodding or you can make sure you conclude your answer strongly or ask the interviewer a question. A long silence while your interviewer guesses whether or not you’re done can be awkward over video, Eonnet says, whereas in person, it’s usually clearer that the other person is finished speaking.

19. Explain Any Long Pauses

Because of the various limitations of video calls, it might not always be clear to your interviewer what you’re doing if no one is speaking. Tell them if you’re pausing to write down a few notes, pull up some information for them, or even just formulate your answer to a question. This shows that you’re aware of their experience while also reassuring them that no technical glitches have occurred.

20. Treat Your Video Interview Like a Conversation

This is key for any interview, but it’s especially important to treat your video interview like a conversation because that’s the only way you’ll be able to make a connection. You don’t have the time before and after the interview to make small talk, so it’s important to make sure you build rapport during your interview. “Be more personable. Be yourself. You want to talk like you’re talking to someone you know well” while still remaining professional, Turner says. Make sure your video call is “not just question, answer, question, answer,” Eonnet says. When your interviewer responds to your answers, feel free to comment on their responses if you have more to say. And sprinkle your own questions throughout your conversation whenever they’re appropriate rather than waiting for the end. You want your interviewer to see you as someone they could talk to every day, not just someone they read a list of questions to. As a job seeker, you have the same goal in a video interview and an in-person interview: to show that you’re the right person for the job. “We don’t want to lose focus on the heart of what needs to be done,” Eonnet says. Ultimately, you want to spend as little time as possible during a video interview focused on the video part. “What counts is the connection you can make with an interviewer.”If you’ve looked for a new job recently, you probably noticed that video interviews are becoming more and more common. And it makes sense why. Advancing technology lets most job searchers do a Skype, Zoom, or Google Hangouts interview with little trouble. Plus, a video interview gives you the face-to-face aspect missing from a phone interview—without having to take time off work (or travel across the country!) to meet in person. But that doesn’t mean you should treat a video interview casually. “Just because you don’t have to go somewhere doesn’t mean you don’t have to prepare,” says career coach Emily Moyer. A video interview also introduces a new dimension: You’re now creating the visual environment just as much as the interviewer is. You can view this as a burden, or you can view it as an opportunity to “create an environment and a visual aesthetic that portrays how you want to present yourself,” Moyer adds. Follow this advice to set up for your next video interview so you’ll look and sound (and feel!) totally professional.

1. Prepare Your Environment

Choose a spot for the interview where you can control the surroundings. If at all possible, take the video interview in your home, but anywhere quiet with a good internet connection is a viable option. Don’t take a video interview in a coffee shop except as a last resort. “Think through what else is going to be going on near you at the time of the interview,” says Amy M. Gardner, certified career development and career transition coach with Apochromatik. Avoid noisy or busy areas, and if you can, check out the area at the same time the day before your interview for any unwelcome interference—or a faulty internet connection.

Lighting

When it comes to lighting, natural light from a window is ideal; fluorescent or tungsten lights can be unflattering. Facing your light source is always better than having it at your back (which creates shadows), but check for glare from your eyeglasses, watch, or jewelry.

Camera

Set up your computer so that the camera is close to eye level. If you have to use your phone, prop it up on a stack of books. You’ll avoid that shaky handheld effect, and the extra height will get the camera at the right angle. Multiple monitors? Place the one with the camera on it straight ahead of you so you’re not turning your body or looking away from the interviewer. Bonus tip: Put the window with the interview in it as close to the camera as possible, to help you mimic eye contact with the interviewer.

Must-Haves

Clear your desk of distractions, and only keep what you’d have at an in-person interview: a glass of water, a copy of your resume, and something to take notes with. “Be fully present. Don’t have your phone out next to you,” Moyer says.

2. Prepare Yourself

If at all possible, try to practice with a friend or family member beforehand. Dress professionally from head to toe: You’ll feel and act more put together if you’re not wearing sweatpants. Just avoid jewelry that makes a lot of noise or is visually distracting.

3. Prepare the Shot

Frame your shot as closely to an in-person interview as you can. With the Coronavirus spreading all over the world, it is essential to start applying alternative solutions to carry on our daily routines. The governmental authorities might have restricted our physical and social interactions, but we remain constantly connected through technology. Even locked in their houses, many people keep on actively looking for a job opportunity or want to recruit someone to fill their open positions. That’s why never like during these times, remote interviews have acquired a crucial role. Although we have always been taught how to conduct face-to-face interviews, we might lack knowledge regarding the tips and tricks of conducting interviews in front of our cameras in a crisis period as this one. Here are some recommendations both for the candidate and the recruiter! TIPS FOR BOTH CANDIDATES AND INTERVIEWERS: 1. SHOW YOUR BEST PROFESSIONAL SIDE WHILE AT HOME. As the video call is an open window to your personal life, it is important to appear professional, precise and organised. Therefore, get a tidy room, neutral background, regulate the lights, and inform people (and pets) sharing your habitation that you won’t be available at a set timeslot. If you’re using a top application like Zoom you can use a virtual background to hide details about the location as well as people or kids that can enter the screen range. 2. CHECK YOUR APPLICATION, MICROPHONE, AND CAMERA. Before starting the interview, check if you have the right application on your device to match with the other party, try it out long before the meeting and check it again a few minutes before it. Assess the clarity of your voice through the microphone. Use a small headset (type earphone) if the quality is better; big headsets should be avoided as they create a feeling of isolation to your interlocutor. Avoid any noisy disturbances and filters when you are speaking and make your room soundproof. Check the quality of the camera and how you appear on the screen. Hearing together with sight are the only senses you can use to make a good impression, so make sure to take care of them. 3. BE EMPATHIC ABOUT COVID-19 OR ANY MAJOR EVENT HAPPENING IN YOUR INTERLOCUTOR’S ENVIRONMENT. Today 170 countries in the world are being affected by the Coronavirus. However, some nations have been impacted more than others, meaning that the seriousness assumed different forms: depending on the effects of the virus on the country, governments have developed different opinions on the gravity of this situation. However, in case of major events happening in your interlocutor’s environment, you should inquire how they feel about it and if everything goes well. It is a natural human sign of empathy. 4. PRACTICAL TIPS TO CONDUCT A PROFESSIONAL INTERVIEW. Use a normal screen and not your mobile as you will see the reactions of your interlocutor in more detail and will be able to sympathise better. Place the camera in a horizontal line to your eyes; don’t put it too low – your chin is not necessarily the nicest part of your face. Look to the point where the camera is located or to the middle of your screen; when looking away, move your head and not only your eyes. that might look odd on a screen. Do not react when not necessary: “hm” and “yes” are less sympathetic online than in real life. Do not wear striped clothing, as the lines might look moving all around your outfit. TIPS FOR CANDIDATES 1. DRESS TO IMPRESS. It takes about 7 seconds to make a first impression. As you can’t shake hands, the first point of judgement becomes the way you are dressed, meaning that facade assumes a higher value. You only need to frame your face and the upper part of your bust, so establish that these parts are presentable. One can wear shorts, but don’t stand up then, unless you apply for a job in Silicon Valley. 2. PREPARE YOURSELF TO SPEAK IN FRONT OF A CAMERA. Looking and speaking in front of an inanimate object might be challenging for many of us, as we are not used to doing so. Prepare by speaking about your professional life in front of a mirror and look yourself in the eyes. This way you can exercise your communication skills but also become aware of your body language and adjust it if needed. 3. CHECK YOUR MENTAL STATE. Be aware of how the crisis is impacting your life and the ones of your dears. Before bringing changes in your life, make sure to check whether you are in the conditions to do so. Nobody is forcing you to do an interview during such a difficult period, so don’t be afraid to cancel or postpone. 4. ASK ABOUT HOW THE COMPANY IS HANDLING THE CRISIS. As a candidate, you should ask how the company is reacting to the crisis. This will give you a deeper understanding regarding the overall mentality of the firm, their infrastructures, and corporate culture. Moreover, it will inform you regarding the timeline and logistics of the hiring process. TIPS FOR A RECRUITER/ HIRING MANAGER 1. REASSURE CANDIDATES REGARDING THE CRISIS. This situation allows you to show how your company or your client is reacting during emergencies. Therefore, make sure to mention all the security measures, precautions, and employees’ benefits that the company is implementing during this difficult period. However, don’t forget to be as transparent as possible to create a trustful relationship with the candidate. 2. ADAPT YOURSELF TO A REMOTE INTERVIEW. Remote interviews are very different than face-to-face ones, as establishing a connection is more challenging given the lack of a physical experience. Therefore, listening to the content and the tone of voice becomes even more important. Moreover, you should pay attention to the candidates’ eye contact, as many of you make an indiscreet use of notes. Upon candidate’s approval – in compliance with current GDPR regulation – you can record the interview: this will allow you to avoid taking notes and dedicate your undivided attention to the candidate. In addition, this will enable you to review it and gather some details that you might have missed during the live conversation and annotate the relevant elements to be used in your report if needed. This is a great advantage versus face-to-face meetings as often you might have problems in recalling certain statements or even the face of the candidate, especially if you have to interview several of them one after the other or after several days. 3. CHECK-IN WHAT’S THE CANDIDATE’S MENTAL STATE. It is crucial to understand how the candidate has been impacted by the crisis. This gives you an idea of the candidate’s conditions, but also an understanding of his/her overall attitude, culture, capacity to see the relativity of it and even humour. CONCLUSIONS Whether you are a recruiter or a hiring manager looking for the optimal candidate or a candidate looking for the ideal job opportunity, these tips can help when conducting a remote interview during a crisis period. Besides, it never harms to put yourself in your counter part’s shoes, so make sure to understand what the other person wants to see in YOU! Once the crisis will be over, going back to “normal” would likely be impossible, as this situation is affecting us socially, economically, and psychologically. Therefore, thinking of the “Next Normal” would become imperative and getting used to new measures would be necessary. In the recruitment world, remote interviewing will become a common practice, hence you can take this opportunity to develop the most effective approach to conduct interviews at distance and leverage this experience in the future.Just when you thought that you might be getting the hang of this whole interviewing for a new job thing, the world went sideways. Interviewing (let alone interviewing well) is already challenging enough on a good day. So how, exactly, are you supposed to go about interviewing—and getting hired—in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic? Deep breaths. The answer is: You adapt. That’s what recruiters and hiring managers are doing, and they’re hoping you will, too. As the ground continues to shift under our feet, companies are working to adjust their recruiting, interviewing, and hiring processes to fit the circumstances. Which means hiring is going to look a little different for a while. Here’s what you need to know about the evolving interview process—and what you need to do to get the job—according to two hiring managers who are actually hiring right now. 1. The Hiring Process Will Be All Virtual These days, you can expect most interview processes to be remote from start to finish—no surprise. And when you get hired, your onboarding experience will probably be virtual, too. While this isn’t ideal, there are some advantages. “We’re missing in-person interaction, which is so valuable, but switching to virtual interviews has allowed for more flexibility and saved time for both interviewers and candidates,” says Liz Keyes, SHRM-CP (Society of Human Resources Management-Certified Professional) and Director of Human Resources at Coalmarch, who is actively looking to hire digital marketing specialists and account managers. “Rather than reserve a conference room and have candidates commute to the office, we can easily schedule a video meeting from the comfort of everyone’s home.” This increased flexibility could serve to accelerate an interview process if a company has an urgent need. That said, you can expect familiar interview patterns, as hiring managers are sticking to what already works. “We still break up interviews into half-hour sessions with various team members so we can get the best idea of who the candidate is and how they work with others,” Keyes says. How to Adapt Prep for remote interviews. Be prepared for interviews conducted in a different medium. Be sure to follow best practices if you’re doing a phone interviews. If you’re doing a video interview, “Make sure that your headphones and mic work in advance and that your background isn’t distracting,” says Brandon Binder, Director of Enterprise Sales at Tripactions, who manages a growing team of enterprise account executives. Remember, in the end, an interview is an interview. Regardless of the format. “Virtual interviews are a lot like traditional in-person interviews in that you want to show up slightly early and make sure you’re well-prepared,” Binder says. “Be ready to talk about why you want to work for the company you’re interviewing with and why you feel like the job makes sense as your next career move.” Also: Dress professionally, be ready to talk about your experience and what you could contribute to the team and company, make sure you can answer the common interview questions, and ask questions of your own. And don’t forget to send a thank you note! Know that it’s okay to be human. We’re all interviewing from home, which means roommates might accidentally step into the frame, kids might cry, dogs might bark. Try to plan ahead to minimize the chances of unplanned interruptions, but if it happens, don’t sweat it. If there were ever a time for hiring managers to be extra understanding, this is it. 2. There Might Be More Rounds of Interviews Some organizations are adding more calls to their typical interview process to make up for the missing in-person piece. “I’m interested in really getting to know the people I interview, and since we can’t meet face-to-face, I’m willing to invest additional time over video calls so that we can go deeper and have real conversations,” Binder says. “That might mean we schedule an additional call or ask a candidate to put together a virtual presentation so that we can get a better feel for their experience, what they’ll contribute, and the impact they’ll make if they join the team.” So if a hiring manager asks you to join one last call, don’t be discouraged. It likely means that they’re really trying to get to know you, which is a good thing for everyone. The more information you have about your prospective employer, manager, and coworkers, the more likely you are to make the right decision for yourself, too. How to Adapt Don’t be afraid to ask questions about the process. Getting clarification on what to expect is always a good idea, but will be especially helpful now. So toward the end of a call when a recruiter or hiring manager asks if you have any questions, remember to ask things like: “What does your interview process entail?” “What is your timeline for making a decision?” “What are the next steps?” 3. Communication and Collaboration Skills Are More Important Than Ever In the midst of all this uncertainty, certain skills and traits have shot to the top of every hiring manager’s wishlist. “We’re looking for people who are self-motivated, have the ability to collaborate digitally, and communicate effectively,” Keyes says. “These are strengths that we look at for any potential hire, but it is increasingly important while we are working remotely.” “Interviewing via video is a bit of a test,” Binder adds. “How well does this person handle calls? How do they keep participants engaged? Do they utilize creative communications tools like whiteboarding on an iPad to get their point across?” How to Adapt Highlight your proactive nature and strong communication skills. You might be able to do this by telling a story about your previous remote work experience or by sharing examples of your past successes. But proactive, effective communication can also happen during the interview itself as well as off-screen in the form of follow-up emails, thank you notes, and timely responses. Demonstrate an interest in integrating into the team. Go beyond telling a hiring manager that you’re excited about a role. Show them that you care and will put in the effort to become a part of the team even if you’re working remotely by asking about their management style, their expectations for a new hire, and the team’s culture. Get creative about playing up your strengths. This will look different for everyone, depending on the type of role you’re applying for, but try to think outside the box. Are you an Excel whiz? Ask if you can show off a spreadsheet you’re especially proud of. Do you manage insanely complex calendars for a living? Consider sharing your screen to give your interviewer a peek (just make sure you don’t inadvertently share any confidential information in the process). Or maybe you have a digital portfolio of design work or a link to projects you’ve collaborated on in the past. Finding small, creative ways to add a personal touch or show another layer of your qualifications is sure to impress prospective employers. 4. Interviewers Are Paying Attention to How You Handle Challenges In addition to reflecting on your most relevant strengths, you might also want to be ready to discuss your strategies for dealing with challenging situations. “I’m especially interested in how people are navigating through this,” Binder says. “Positivity and resilience are important traits, especially during difficult times. As a hiring manager, I’m curious to learn about how applicants have overcome past obstacles and how they see that experience impacting the way they approach the coming months. There will always be twists and turns, so I want to be sure I’m hiring people who are ready for the challenge.” How to Adapt Be prepared to share stories about that time you overcame a personal hardship, faced conflict at work, navigated a stressful situation, or used your creative thinking skills to solve a complex problem. These are known as behavioral interview questions and you can answer them effectively using the STAR method. 5. Things Might Not Be Smooth and Straightforward For many companies, an entirely remote hiring process is unprecedented. Which means they’re doing their best to make it work as they go along. And hiring managers know you are, too. “The key is to be open and honest throughout the entire journey,” Keyes says. If you’re new to remote work, that’s OK. If you have more questions than you normally would, that’s fine. If your cat walks across your keyboard in the middle of your virtual presentation, just roll with it. Things are different right now and everyone is doing their best to make it work. With uncharted territory also comes uncertainty. Which means there are some things that you just won’t know. So you’ll need to be adaptable, patient, communicative, and proactive—probably more so than normal. How to Adapt Bring your patience. Timelines might shift. Processes might start and stop and start again. Know that going in and do your best to adapt—within reason. If you feel like a company is giving you the runaround, it’s OK to walk away, too. Communicate. Share your availability, update recruiters if anything changes on your end, check in with hiring managers to let them know you’re still interested, and don’t be afraid to ask questions if anything is unclear. 6. As Always, Interviews Are a Two-Way Street The whole point of an interview process is to find the right fit for everyone involved—including (and especially!) for you. That hasn’t changed. So as you get to know a potential employer, you should be thinking about not only how to impress them, but also whether they’re a match for your goals, priorities, and work style. You’ll want to be ready to ask questions and discuss your preferences when the time comes. How to Adapt Reflect on your needs. Things will continue to shift over the next few months, so you’ll want to dedicate some serious thought to what will work for you now and in the future. Would you prefer to work remotely indefinitely or are you itching to get back into an office ASAP? Are morning meetings totally unrealistic due to your partner’s schedule, your child’s nap routine, or your upstairs neighbor’s tap dance practice? Know when to speak up. Whatever your preferences or limitations are, current or future, you’ll want to make sure you’re finding the right fit. Of course, you don’t need to share a list of demands on the first call (please don’t!), but knowing what you’re looking for will help you to evaluate prospective employers. Asking questions about the company’s return-to-work plan, the supervisor’s management style, and expectations around communication and availability will help to give you a decent idea about what it’ll be like to work for an organization both during and after the pandemic. The coronavirus pandemic has changed all aspects of our lives almost overnight. And there’s no use in pretending that everything is OK when it’s very clearly not. But the good news is that there are some things you can control—at least when it comes to interviewing. Just as hiring managers are doing their best to be flexible, you can work on adapting your interview skills to better fit with the new remote format. Invest more time in your pre-interview research, practice showcasing your strengths, and work on flexing your communication skills. Things might look different, but with a little preparation and creativity, you can still shine in an interview, and ultimately land a new job. Good luck, and stay safe.As the pandemic resets major work trends, HR leaders need to rethink workforce and employee planning, management, performance and experience strategies. The coronavirus pandemic will have a lasting impact on the future of work in nine key ways. The imperative for HR leaders is to evaluate the impact each trend will have on their organization’s operations and strategic goals, identify which require immediate action and assess to what degree these trends change pre-COVID-19 strategic goals and plans. 32% of organizations are replacing full-time employees with contingent workers as a cost-saving measure “It’s critical for business leaders to understand that large-scale shifts are changing how people work and how business gets done,” says Brian Kropp, Distinguished Vice President, Gartner. “HR leaders who respond effectively can ensure their organizations stand out from competitors.” Human Resources 9 Future of Work Trends Post-COVID-19 Implications and actions for HR leaders as COVID-19 drives shifts in the future of work. Of the nine future of work trends, some represent accelerations of existing shifts; others are new impacts not previously discussed. And in some cases, COVID-19 has forced the pendulum of a long-observed pattern to one extreme. No. 1: Increase in remote working A recent Gartner poll showed that 48% of employees will likely work remotely at least part of the time after COVID-19 versus 30% before the pandemic. As organizations shift to more remote work operations, explore the critical competencies employees will need to collaborate digitally, and be prepared to adjust employee experience strategies. Consider whether and how to shift performance goal-setting and employee evaluations for a remote context. No. 2: Expanded data collection Gartner analysis shows that 16% of employers are using technologies more frequently to monitor their employees through methods such as virtual clocking in and out, tracking work computer usage, and monitoring employee emails or internal communications/chat. While some companies track productivity, others monitor employee engagement and well-being to better understand employee experience. Even before the pandemic, organizations were increasingly using nontraditional employee monitoring tools, but that trend will be accelerated by new monitoring of remote workers and the collection of employee health and safety data. Make sure to follow best practices to ensure responsible use of employee information and analytics. Read more: Do’s and Don’ts of Using Employee Data No. 3: Contingent worker expansion The economic uncertainty of the pandemic has caused many workers to lose their jobs and exposed others for the first time to nonstandard work models. Many organizations responded to the pandemic’s economic impact by reducing their contractor budgets, but there has since been a shift. Gartner analysis shows that organizations will continue to expand their use of contingent workers to maintain more flexibility in workforce management post-COVID-19, and will consider introducing other job models they have seen during the pandemic, such as talent sharing and 80% pay for 80% work. “Our research finds that 32% of organizations are replacing full-time employees with contingent workers as a cost-saving measure,” says Kropp. “While gig workers offer employers greater workforce management flexibility, HR leaders will need to evaluate how performance management systems apply to these workers and determine whether they will be eligible for the same benefits as their full-time peers.” No. 4: Expanded employer role as social safety net The pandemic has increased the trend of employers playing an expanded role in their employees’ financial, physical and mental well-being. Support includes enhanced sick leave, financial assistance, adjusted hours of operation and child care provisions. Some organizations supported the community by, for instance, shifting operations to manufacturing goods or providing services to help combat the pandemic and offering community relief funds and free community services. The current economic crisis has also pushed the bounds of how employers view the employee experience. Personal factors rather than external factors take precedence over what matters for organizations and employees alike. Employing such measures can be an effective way to promote physical health and improve the emotional well-being of employees. No. 5: Separation of critical skills and roles Before COVID-19, critical roles were viewed as roles with critical skills, or the capabilities an organization needed to meet its strategic goals. Now, employers are realizing that there is another category of critical roles — roles that are critical to the success of essential workflows. To build the workforce you’ll need post-pandemic, focus less on roles — which group unrelated skills — than on the skills needed to drive the organization’s competitive advantage and the workflows that fuel that advantage. Encourage employees to develop critical skills that potentially open up multiple opportunities for their career development, rather than preparing for a specific next role. Offer greater career development support to employees in critical roles who lack critical skills. No. 6: (De-)Humanization of employees While some organizations have recognized the humanitarian crisis of the pandemic and prioritized the well-being of employees as people over employees as workers, others have pushed employees to work in conditions that are high risk with little support — treating them as workers first and people second. Be deliberate in which approach you take and be mindful of the effects on employee experience, which will be long-lasting. Address inequities if remote and on-site employees have been treated differently. Engage task workers in team culture and create a culture of inclusiveness. No. 7: Emergence of new top-tier employers Prior to COVID-19, organizations were already facing increased employee demands for transparency. Employees and prospective candidates will judge organizations by the way in which they treated employees during the pandemic. Balance the decisions made today to resolve immediate concerns during the pandemic with the long-term impact on the employment brand. For example, advise CEOs and executive leaders on decisions regarding executive pay cuts and make sure financial impacts are absorbed by executives versus the broader employee base. Progressive organizations communicate openly and frequently to show how they are supporting employees despite the implementation of cost-saving measures. Where feasible, look for opportunities to arrange talent-sharing partnerships with other organizations to relocate employees displaced from their jobs by COVID-19. No. 8: Transition from designing for efficiency to designing for resilience A 2019 Gartner organization design survey found that 55% of organizational redesigns were focused on streamlining roles, supply chains and workflows to increase efficiency. While this approach captured efficiencies, it also created fragilities, as systems have no flexibility to respond to disruptions. Resilient organizations were better able to respond — correct course quickly with change. To build a more responsive organization, design roles and structures around outcomes to increase agility and flexibility and formalize how processes can flex. Also, provide employees with varied, adaptive and flexible roles so they acquire cross-functional knowledge and training. “D&I leaders will need to be involved in role design and creation of flexible work systems to ensure that employees of all backgrounds and needs are considered when the organization designs new workflows,” said Ingrid Laman, Vice President, Advisory, Gartner. No. 9: Increase in organization complexity After the global financial crisis, global M&A activity accelerated, and many companies were nationalized to avoid failure. As the pandemic subsides, there will be a similar acceleration of M&A and nationalization of companies. Companies will focus on expanding their geographic diversification and investment in secondary markets to mitigate and manage risk in times of disruption. This rise in complexity of size and organizational management will create challenges for leaders as operating models evolve. Enable business units to customize performance management, because what one part of the enterprise needs might not work elsewhere. As organizational complexity complicates career pathing, providing reskilling and career development support — for example, by developing resources and building out platforms to provide visibility into internal positions.