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If a recent recruitment fair on virtual web community Second Life is anything to go by, more and more organisations could hold job interviews online. That’s the conclusion made by Laura-Jane Filotrani, content manager at Guardian Jobs, in her latest blog. She was reflecting on the implications of a successful three-day recruitment fair held in Second Life, a 3D online world populated by users' digital alter egos. It took place in October 2007 when more than 90 candidates’ “avatars” were interviewed for jobs at accounting firm KPMG, directories business Yell and the Royal Bank of Scotland. “It seems to me virtual interviews are the way forward,” writes Filotrani. “They provide the perfect solution to the nerve-wracking first meeting and also mean no travel costs, no time lost, and no commitment other than the time to answer the questions. “But if they do take off, careers advisers will need to take note. Advice about how to make a good first impression face-to-face will not be relevant in a virtual world.” Filotrani contacted ethicalcareers.org for our advice on how to prepare for a virtual interview. Fundamentally, we’d advise ethical job seekers to prepare for a virtual interview as much as, if not more than they would for a real life face to face one. So, here are our 10 top tips on preparing for a virtual interview: 1. Choose your “avatar” wisely if you’re going to be interviewed in Second Life. First impressions still count in the virtual world. 2. Research the company well. Write five bullet points about why you want to work for them. 3. Have URL addresses to hand so you can answer questions about your experience by actually showing the interviewee what you’ve done. 4. Be prepared to answer direct questions about your experience. Interviewees in the virtual world will be interested in getting to facts fast. 5. Anticipate what you might be asked and have the answers written down as bullet points next to your computer. 6. If you’re typing answers, think before you type and get spellings right. 7. And if you’re going to be interviewed on a webcam, on Skype for example, make sure you’re looking presentable and are in a suitably quiet place to talk. 8. Get to grips with the software before you do the virtual interview. By interviewing online, companies will be testing your technical knowledge too. 9. Contact someone at the company working in a similar role to the one you’re being interviewed for. Ask them about what they think your interviewer is looking for. Or contact the HR department of the company and ask them the same thing. 10. Don’t be afraid to ask direct questions yourself. If you’re interested in finding out about the company’s ethical credentials, ask. Get the interviewer to send you URL addresses to prove their points.
“The virtues of virtual interviews” blog Second Life Skype
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