How to Prepare for a Digital Interview? – According to Experts

Taking things online is no longer a foreign concept in this day and age. With technological advancement, the hiring process can be shortened by a margin. Companies are digitalizing their interview stage. There are various benefits to conducting a digital interview.

That being said, being invited to your first digital interview is scary nonetheless. Every digital interview is different. Mastering the style and format will boost your performance. This article takes a deep dive into all the preparation you will need for a digital interview.

What is a digital interview?

A digital interview is conducted by virtual means without the need for human interaction. It contains several video-response questions that are usually a few minutes long. Most of the time, you are given some paragraphs to read and draw conclusions from. Or you are asked questions about your ability, passion, knowledge, and other relevant aspects.

Your face is recorded in the process. There is a preview window that you can monitor the whole time. A digital interview is likely more lenient than a physical interview in the sense that you are given multiple chances to record your answers again if you are not satisfied with the outcome.

Besides work-related questions, you may be asked about your personality or scenario-based questions. These questions aim to assess your suitability in the company’s work culture.

The responses are sent to the responsible department, which is usually the HR department, to review. The passing criteria vary, depending on the job and the company you are applying to.

What Questions Are Asked In a Digital Interview?

Although every company has its style and format, there are still common questions and guidelines you can follow to understand how a digital interview usually goes.

Personal questions

To start, you will be asked some simple questions about yourself and the reason you are applying for this job. You will need to demonstrate a solid foundation for the role and your passion for the field.

Competency-based questions

After that, work-based scenarios follow. In these questions, you will be given several tasks or scenarios to work on. You need to show your problem-solving skills and your creative side in tackling these questions. Most of the time, the company has its own instructions to solve these. You are not expected to solve the questions by the book. It is only to see if you are resourceful and adaptive to emergencies.

Role-specific questions

Finally, you will be asked about your expectations at work and why you would be a good candidate. In this section, you need to show off the best qualities you have. It is also a chance to let your bright personality shine through. Since it is a video interview, your content is just as important as your body language. The interviewer will analyze your candidacy by dissecting your personality traits.

How to prepare for a digital interview?

Get your study guide

As mentioned, every company has its policies and culture. There is no better way to tackle your interview than getting a customized study guide made specifically for the company.

Job Test Prep has a comprehensive database with thousands of study guides and practice exams for candidates to nail their interviews. Experts who know the company inside and out share their expertise to formulate the perfect set of tactics and strategies in the guides for you to ace your interview.

Read about the company

An overview of the company offers much insight into the company culture. It gives you information like the company structure, work style, and flexibility. By studying the company, you will know what kind of talents they are looking for and what type of questions you can ask the company at the end of the interview.

Study about the products or services

Analyze the value you can add to the company by studying the products or services provided by the company. The employer will always be surprised by suggestions put forth by the candidate on how to improve the services.

Do some practice runs

Look at yourself in the mirror and go over the answers a few times. Everything is recorded. You would want to look as professional as possible. Besides, you do not want a stiff smile on the camera.

Record yourself so you can learn how to present yourself confidently. Draft up some variations of your answers for different scenarios. A speech that flows smoothly adds a lot of points.

Understand your personality

Companies are looking for talents that can increase productivity. Presenting your strength is important. Construct your presentation in a manner that best showcases your qualities.

If you are unsure about your best personality traits, take a free personality test on Job Test Prep to discover all the fields you excel at. Not only does it offer a clearer look at your career path, but it also gives you an idea of how transferable your skills are in other fields that you are interested in.

How to pass a digital interview?

Dress appropriately

You are being recorded. A digital interview is as important as any physical one. Dress accordingly. If the company provides a dress code, adhere to the instructions.

Choose a smart background

Ideally, your background should reflect your professional side. For example, if you are applying to be a researcher, you would want to do the interview in the study with a bookshelf in the background. Conversely, if you are applying to be a creative director, you might want a fun background.

Try not to have a messy background even if no good background is available. In that case, opt for a plain wall so you look serious about the interview.

Smile confidently when you speak

Talk into the camera as if you are speaking directly to someone. A friendly smile always gives a positive impression. Make your interviewer believe you are a team player by being friendly and confident. This digital interview is here to measure your interpersonal skills as well. How good you are at communicating will reflect on your final score.

Read the instructions carefully

Some companies are lenient with rules. You may only receive the questions and you can record the video with your own device and upload it within the time limit. That way, you are usually given more time to think about your answers.

However, some digital interviews require you to record the response with their built-in system and only give you one try. Make sure you understand the instructions carefully.

How common are digital interviews?

In recent years, over 60% of companies have adopted some form of digital interviews to a certain extent with some being more elaborate than others. Digital interviews are especially common among international companies with a large volume of applications and creative companies.

Businesses use digital interviews as the first stage of the pre-employment test. After your CV and job application have been reviewed, successful applicants will be sent a digital interview. Further interviews may follow if the results are satisfactory.

It is common for digital interviews to serve as the gate to distill down quality candidates. The candidates that remain will be offered a physical interview or a salary negotiation session.

What are the benefits of a digital interview?

It cuts the hiring costs tremendously

The hiring process can cost a fortune for companies. Digitalizing the interview stage reduces the cost. Fewer human resources are required as the system handles the distribution of questionnaires and the collection of responses.

Furthermore, the maintenance of the system is low. Once the system is set up, there is rarely a need to modify it. The system automatically organizes the responses and sends out the interview invites. Thus, manpower can be allocated in a much better way.

It saves time

The hiring process takes be lengthy, particularly for international companies or government bodies. Candidates have to go through stages of interviews before they are offered the position. The longer the process, the less beneficial for both sides as the quality candidates may no longer be available and the company may run out of talents while waiting for the new hires.

A digital interview can handle a large volume at the same time

It can even screen out unfit content automatically to further narrow down the list. No physical interview is required. The logistics become much simpler and easier to arrange for candidates to attend the interview.

Diversity is protected

Traveling to attend an interview may not be feasible for some candidates. Since an interview does not guarantee a job offer, it deters potential candidates from coming in. Digital interviews enhance diversity by providing an opportunity for everyone to participate. It transcends the geographical boundary.

Incorporating digital interviews in the hiring process has significantly increased staff quality

A digital interview is structured to ensure employees’ values align with the company’s vision. Moreover, it lowers biases and unfair judgment caused by physical interviews as different hiring managers often have different requirements. It provides a fairer ground for candidates.

Summary

If you have been invited to a digital interview, congratulations. You are one step closer to a job offer. Follow the tips so you can fabulously impress your future employer.

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