How To Answer Remote Job Interview Questions
Job interviews can be intimidating. There are many interview tips out there, but it essentially boils down to interview questions and answers. In short — prepare, prepare, prepare! Job interviews, whether in-person or remote, preparation is everything.
One of the best ways to prepare for an interview, after researching the company and interviewers (that’s another post in itself), is to anticipate the interview questions that they’re going to ask and practice answering questions confidently and concisely.
“How am I supposed to know what they’re going to ask, I’m not a mind reader”, I hear you say!
Well — there are usually clues in the job ad itself.
Ensure that you've reviewed the job ad/spec and know exactly what it is that they're looking for. If they want someone who has experience with specific software, make sure you've used it, or one similar, at least once before going into the interview! If they say they want someone good at working independently, make sure you have examples of projects where you've shown that skill.
Review the job requirements and responsibilities they’ve listed and think to yourself — If I were the hiring manager for this role and these are the requirements and responsibilities of the job, what interview questions would I ask? Write down at least one question per requirement and responsibility, and prepare how you would answer the question.
For example:
If a requirement is:
“You are able to learn quickly, aren’t afraid to ask questions, take initiative, and are proactive with your communication.”
One of the questions may be:
“Tell us a time when you’ve had to think outside the box to solve a problem.”
You should have ready some real-life examples of when you’ve learnt new skills/tools etc, quickly and taken a problem and run with it with little input or instruction. Don't forget to use the STAR technique:
There's a whole list of common job interview questions that you may get asked, but there are 3 common ‘themed’ questions that comes with a “remote spin”.
I say themed because you won't necessarily get asked these specific questions, but you may get a question that sits in a similar direction. And I'll give you some tips on how to answer them. So here they are:
Q1- What makes you a good fit for the role? [knowledge/skills/aptitude]
This is where the clues are in the job ad. What requirements have they asked for? How do you match them? What specific examples do you have of X skill or X experience or capacity to learn and develop?
Point out any areas in the job ad that resonate with you. If they’re looking for someone who is comfortable working in a fast-paced environment- talk about why you prefer that environment to a more slower public sector role, for example.
If you have previously worked remote before, don't forget to use this to your advantage, it will demonstrate you understand the expectations of the remote work landscape.
Q2- Why do you want to work here? [attitude/passion]
This is not the same as the first question! This is where you demonstrate your alignment to the company’s values and mission. Be specific and don’t kiss ass. Be genuine and authentic and show passion, but not “desperation”.
An example:
“I knew I wanted to join a [INSERT COMPANY TYPE] since leaving university because I resonate with the [INSERT THEIR WAY/MISSION] way of doing things. I’m also really passionate about the [INDUSTRY] space and [COMPANY] sounds like they value wellness by offering [INSERT THINGS THAT RESONATE]”
But if you're not genuinely excited about the industry, don't need to lie. Instead you can talk about it being a global organisation and the fact that it's remote first. The interviewer is well aware that the position being remote is probably a major factor as to why you applied for this job - might as well be honest!
Q3- How do you stay productive whilst working remote? [attitude/knowledge/aptitude]
Be specific, don't just say “Oh, I organise my time, I take breaks…”, show them that you understand the difference between in-office and remote. Give real life examples - you will surely have one as most of us have had the opportunity to work remotely during the pandemic.
Be honest and it's ok to show some weakness, for instance you can say
“It took some adjusting at first, it wasn't natural for me but I actually worked more productively. I have a separate room that I use as an office to ensure there's no distractions. I block out my time, I use loom to record what needs to be communicated with the team…” This also gives you the opportunity to show the tools you are familiar with, giving a bit of meat to you answer.
The idea isn't to memorise these questions and then freeze if a question comes up that you didn't prepare for. Instead, think of all interview questions as themes and think of preparing like you’d prepare for a mock exam.
As well as writing out the answers to these potential questions, you may find it useful to record yourself on Loom and watch them back to find ways to improve. You might even ask friends or family members if they'd be willing to role-play with you so that you can get used to answering questions fast!
I can assure you that if you prepare for an interview with these job interview prep questions and answers, you're likely to get asked a version of at least a few of the questions you've prepared, and you'll feel way more confident going into the interview.
Want more remote job search tips?
YES! I WANT MORE TIPS!
Stay rebellious,
Michelle