Remote Work

During the global pandemic, when many organizations entered a fully virtual new normal, it became important as a job seeker to position yourself as the ideal “remote candidate”. Now that remote work has not only become accepted but is here to stay, so it’s vital be reliable and bring your best effort whether you work remotely or have begun your search for remote work.

First things first, when you're looking for a remote role, keep applying and networking. Whether that means attending virtual events, connecting with contacts on LinkedIn and putting introductions in place with your professional network.

After submitting many applications and talking with recruiters, you just got news that you landed a virtual interview! Now what?

We have put together three simple ways to stand out as a remote worker in today's job market.

Prepare

Make sure you have the appropriate technologies to stay connected during a remote work day. It may go without saying, but make sure you are connected to the strongest internet signal and speed available to you. Next, add top video conferencing tools software to your computer. Some great video tools are Zoom, Teams, Skype or Google Hangouts. Prior to the interview, test out your sound and lighting. As always, make sure your phone is on silent and will not cause a distraction during the meeting. We also encourage our talent to “dress to impress”. While you are not reporting to a physical office, we suggest you still dress business professional and have a blazer or suit jacket on for the meeting.

Have Examples of Your Remote Work Style

Before you go into the interview, brainstorm ways that you have been successful at working in a remote environment. This is your moment to establish trust with the hiring manager and demonstrate how you can thrive in a virtual work environment. Here are a few tips:

• If you’ve already worked in remote work environments, tell the hiring manager about them. How have you been successful working remotely? What about it energizes you?
• Be ready to share your motivations and commitment to a routine.
• Highlight your work station and how you block/organize your time during the day.
• Express the importance of communication, and discuss how you stay organized. Managers want to hear that you are available for daily touch points, virtual meetings and updating team members on your progress via a communication tool such as G-chat, Teams chat or Slack.
• Ask managers their preference about communicating when you need to step away during the day and give examples of how you have done this previously when working remotely. Do you send an email, put up an out of office message or post in a group chat so coworkers and managers know you will be away from your desk?
• Explain how you keep your calendar current. Ask if the team has a shared calendar or if your calendar can be shared with your manager, so members of the team can be in the loop on what your day looks like. This will help ease with scheduling processes and time management.
• It is also important to have examples of how you have overcome obstacles or struggles in a remote environment just as you would prepare for a regular interview. Being armed with these examples will set you apart!

Do Your Research

Although you are meeting the interviewer or interview panel virtually, that doesn’t mean that you don’t do your research in advance and come prepared to speak to the organization's brand, value and mission statement. If anything, now is the time to do the most research you can since you will not have the opportunity to go onsite and get a feel for the company culture and overall organization.

We recommend going to the company’s website, reading their marketing materials and their “About Us” section. Check out their social media presence and make note of the topics they are posting about it. Look for their managers on Linkedin. It is very important to review the hiring managers’ backgrounds, note the number of years they have been with the company what their roles and responsibilities with the company are. (Note: While you’re at it, be sure to update your own LinkedIn profile with current information and remote work experience.)

Putting It All Together

Interviewing is part of the process in the digital, marketing and creative job market search. It’s a necessary step and can be a useful experience while setting the tone for a flexible work arrangement. It helps a company and hiring manager learn more about you, your goals and your accomplishments. More importantly, it gives you the information you need about a potential job or company so you can make a solid decision about the direction you want to take with your next career move. Virtual interviewing gives you the chance to focus on the conversation with the hiring manager and talk about what’s important to you both. Make the most of it, relax and step up confidently to the challenge.