Things to avoid during virtual job hunts

by Elton Gagni / October 26, 2020

While the country continues to recover in the now normal, a lot of things have yet to go back to their pre-pandemic state and this includes job hunting. As safety remains a top priority for everyone, companies and businesses are now more keen on offering work-from-home jobs and conducting virtual interviews.

Last time, The Red Circle spoke with Human Resources (HR) Director Shine Rodriguez who shared various tips that jobseekers should always keep in mind to help them land the job they have been eyeing. Apart from those tips, Rodriguez also shared some mistakes that many jobseekers commit, especially now that most HR personnel do interviews virtually.

Read also: Job hunting tips to land a job in the now normal

Rodriguez identified the following mistakes that jobseekers must avoid to develop better first impressions among headhunters.

1. Basic and thin CVs. Because HRs, especially those in the sales and customer service industries, go through a ton of applicants, they need CVs that stand out right from their paper screening process. Many job seekers tend to leave out important details like highlights and achievements from previous work experiences, prompting HRs to move on to the next candidate.

HR Tip: Front load your achievements in each of your past experiences. Highlight your strengths and how well you performed in the ompanies you’ve been a part of. Make headhunters want to talk you the moment they lay eyes on your CV.

2. Lack of research and commitment. Jobseekers tend to forget doing research on the company that they want to be a part of and thus, showing a lack of commitment from the onset. Because there is more pressure now for people to secure jobs, it is vital for applicants to know they are getting themselves into to show that they are really up for the position that they’re applying for.

HR Tip: Research the company’s culture and values and study the position you’ve been eyeing. Nothing says “Hire me!” than a passionate and well-versed candidate who knows how to interject themselves in the different aspects of work.

3. Ill-preparedness and lack of grooming. Because everything has gone virtual, it’s easier to just get out of bed, wear clothes and head on to that virtual interview. Nothing turns off headhunters more in the now normal than ill-prepared candidates who lack grooming.

HR Tip: “Bathe!” and “Wear pants!” Rodriguez exclaimed during our interview. It is extremely important for applicants to look professional, and being in sleepwear and having bed hair just don’t cut it. As they say, dress to impress!

4. Unstable connectivity and noisy environment. As many remain stuck at home with their family, this means there’s competition when it comes to the internet bandwidth. There’s also the noisy environment from crying children to barking dogs, even doing house repairs. While these are unavoidable circumstances, they can distract interviewers and lose focus on you and what you are saying.

HR Tip: Find a spot that’s quiet and free of distractions so interviewers can really concentrate and focus on you. You may also opt to talk to the family or ask someone to take care of the children until you finish your interview. It won’t even last more than an hour.

5. Delivery schedules. As funny and absurd as it may sound, Rodriguez shared that she has encountered applicants excusing themselves in the middle of an interview to receive deliveries from their online shopping. If this were a face-to-face scenario, the interview would have ended right then and there.

HR Trip:While it is understandable that you can’t go out to shop, the least you can do is schedule the delivery at a different time or don’t shop a day or a few days before your scheduled interview. It’s ok to add to cart, but consider proceeding to checkout when your interview schedule isn’t so near or maybe even as soon as it concludes.

6. Too much of a team player. Last and the most common mistake that jobseekers make is talking too much about the team. Rodriguez shared that being a team player is a valuable trait. However, be it physical or virtual interviews, applicants tend to focus mainly on “the team” or “we” which do not highlight personal achievements.

HR Tip: Highlight your achievements and the role you played in different challenges and scenarios. This is important because it shows how you think as an individual and how you are able to navigate through those situations, as you may also encounter something similar in your new company.

The comfort and convenience of being at home shouldn’t hinder you from showing your best and professional self. Rodriguez reminded that virtual interviews should be treated similar to face-to-face and in-person interviews because while the set up may be different, the objectives are the same — companies are looking for employees and job seekers need to land a job.

Best of luck on your job hunting and may these considerations help you land the job!

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