How to Prepare Your Members for Virtual Job Interviews
The coronavirus pandemic has changed so much about how we live our everyday lives. From annual meetings, to going out for a meal with family or co-workers to job searching. One item that affects our members is the shift from in-person to virtual job interviews. It’s more important now than ever for employers and job seekers to re-tool the way we present ourselves and our opportunities to accommodate the realities of online job searching.
Tips for Employers:
- Don’t skimp on the details in your job posting!
- Make sure when posting an opportunity to clearly explain the position and its requirements. Tell job seekers which skills or certifications are necessary and which ones are preferred. In some cases, salary can be a difficult item to provide. However, providing a range to potential candidates will make your position more appealing and lead to higher traffic and applications.
- Be clear about location and expectations. Where is this position located and is this opportunity is remote? Is there an option for a hybrid setup where an expectation of working from the office a few days a week exists? If the position is all or mostly remote, what equipment or services does your association provide to the employee?
- Take advantage of the resume database typically available as part of the job posting package. Job seekers provide as much detail about themselves as possible because they know more details will help them find a wider range of job opportunities. Use the keyword and search filters to locate several qualified candidates fit for your job! Each job seeker profile allows employers to connect directly with a secure email and, in some cases, a phone number.
Tips for Job Seekers:
- Build a comprehensive profile. Job seekers can upload up to five documents in addition to filling out detailed information about themselves and their professional skills. You can make your profile and documents visible to hiring employers through the resume database depending on your privacy settings. Take the time to describe the best representation of your qualifications and experience.
- Pay attention to the job description and details! Use the robust search filters to locate jobs in your geographic area or ones that will be remote and allow work from home. Employers likely have a whole new category of information they’ll be sharing about the opportunity. As workplaces change and many jobs stay remote, expect to see details about office health policies, home office requirements and equipment sharing in new job postings.
- Prepare for an online interview the same way you’d prepare to interview in-person. Once an interview is scheduled, getting comfortable with the interview setting and equipment is important. Before an in-person interview, you would probably look up the office address, map out your trip there, figure out where to park or how to arrive via public transportation, and find out how to enter the building. The online version of all that is to test your webcam and audio equipment before the interview starts. In both in-person and online situations, you’ll want to practice an introduction, brush up on some common interview questions, and plan your outfit. Appearances matter, even on webcam!
Associations that use the Naylor Career Solution should take advantage of the ways to share this information with their members directly on their career center pages! This article, industry-specific tips and tricks, and other career development resources can be added to your career center resource page with a direct link to the full document or webpage. Custom content areas are available on almost all career center pages where text, links, images, and advertisements can be displayed.
The world of job interviews is changing; has changed. With these tips and the tools of today’s job board platforms, make sure your members, your users, are well prepared and set up for success for your next online job interview!
