Medical school applicants should prepare to participate in virtual interviews. An HBR piece, written by Ben Laker, Will Godley, Selin Kudret, and Rita Trehan, provides pointers on how to succeed in this interview format, and we’ve summarized their advice below.
Ensure that the technology enables connection, not distraction.
Ensure that the technology enables connection, not distraction.
- Opt for a clean, uncluttered space or select an unobtrusive virtual background.
- Place a light in front of you so that your face is clearly visible on the screen (backlighting will result in shadows).
- If possible, ask others in your home to log out of high-bandwidth activities during your interview, or consider hardwiring your computer into the internet.
- Understand the platform you’ll be using; if it’s new to you, download the platform and practice with a friend.
- Stay calm. If there’s a glitch, or a question that you need to think about, ask for a few seconds to think or take a sip of water.
- Note your pace. When nerves hit, people tend to speak more quickly. Practice providing your responses out loud in a steady cadence.
- Use hand gestures (and don’t cross your arms). The authors’ study found that the most successful interviewees used hand gestures to emphasize big points.
- Look into the camera instead of at your own reflection. You may want to turn off the mirroring capability (after you’ve confirmed that your lighting and position work well).
- Make your notes available, but don’t depend on them. Interviews are dependent on connection, which gets lost if you’re buried in your notes.
