Zoom Interview Tips For Freelancers

Are you looking for Zoom Interview tips to help you land a freelance job? Whether you are applying for a freelance entry-level job or you are aiming for an expert-level position, chances are, you’ll be invited to attend a Zoom interview with your potential client before signing the job offer.

The job interview is your chance to stand out among the rest. You can show your good qualifications and make a lasting impression.

During your online interview, you have to perform your best to convince the client or the hiring team to hire you for the job or the project. 

Read on for some important Zoom interview tips to remember to help you prepare and pass the interview with flying colors. 

Research and Be Prepared

To increase your chances of having a successful job interview, you should take the time to prepare before the meeting to make a positive impression.

This includes researching the company. You should know what exactly the company is, what products or services they are offering, and the key people in the organization.

Education yourself on the company ensures that the company’s mission and culture perfectly aligns with your own career goals, values, and interests. You can also incorporate the knowledge that you have in answering the interviewer to show that you are well-prepared and interested in becoming a member of the team.

Read their website thoroughly and follow them on social media. You can also search for reviews on GlassDoor and Trust Pilot or review the LinkedIn profiles of their employees.

Be Punctual

Arriving late to an interview implies that you’ll also be late to arrive at work. So it’s very important to be on time.

If you’re not familiar with the online platform to use (for example: Zoom or Teams), download and practice using it before your interview.

Make sure to have your laptop or computer ready, internet connection, and space ready and set up at least 15 minutes before your interview.

Another important Zoom interview tip to remember is to check the Audio and Video settings of your Zoom. Test your microphone and speaker to make sure that everything is working properly before you start the call. 

Have a good amount of light in the room and have a neutral background and sit at a desk or table. Make sure to check your audio and video settings too, to avoid any issues once you start the call.

Check the Timezone

One of the most common reasons why applicants miss their Zoom interview is confusion about the time zone. 

If you’re unsure of what time the interview is in your local time, you can check it:

Google Calendar > Settings > Time zone > Change the time zone to the time that the client set.

Add the time that the client set the interview.

Go back to Google Calendar > Settings > Time zone > Change the time zone to your current time zone.

And there! You’ll be able to see what time your online interview will be.

You can also use online converters to know exactly what time your interview will be. These are some useful websites:

• https://dateful.com/time-zone-converter
• https://www.timeanddate.com/time/map/
• https://everytimezone.com/

Prepare For the Common Interview Questions

Among the top Zoom interview tips that will help you land the job is to come prepared with strong answers to the common interview questions.

While you may not know exactly what questions will be asked, it will increase the odds of doing better by researching and knowing what common questions are asked and coming up with a 50 to 100-word answer to every question.

Some of the most common questions are:

• Why should we hire you?

• Why do you want to work here?

• What are your strengths and weaknesses?

• Where do you see yourself five years from now?

• If we’ll contact your previous employers, what would he or she say about you?

• What challenges have you overcome?

• Why are you looking to leave your current job?

• How would your previous manager describe you?
• What’s your greatest achievement?

Bring Your Resume, References, and Portfolio

Avoid showing up to your interview empty-handed. 

Even if you submitted your resume, certificates, and portfolio, it’s best to have your copies ready as your interviewer might not have these items with them.

Show Interest

Enthusiastic people are interesting — even during job interviews.

Do not hesitate to share your excitement to start working on the project. If you can, provide samples of how experienced you are.

Also, remember that an interview is a two-way street: You may also take your time in asking questions to the interviewer.

You may keep a mental note of the interesting things the interviewer says that you are curious to hear more about. You may also have some pre-written questions ready to ask the person interviewing you before you end the call.

Some of the questions you may ask are:

• What does a day in this role look like?
• What does success in this role look like?
• What do you enjoy most about working at this company?
• What are the next steps?

Be Confident, But Keep your Cool

If you are not feeling confident, you can try to fake it!

Maintain a good posture, smile, and make eye contact. The way you present yourself during the interview will show how confident you’ll feel once you start working with the team.

Always remember to speak at a good pace and not talk fast.

Demonstrate Your Expertise

During the interview, look for different opportunities to insert examples of your experiences and expertise into the conversation.

Did you attend any certifications, training, or workshops related to the subject matter? Did you resolve an issue or improve a process at your previous job?

Think Positive

No one likes a complainer. Avoid dwelling on negative experiences during your interview.

Even if the interviewer asks you “What did you like the least about your previous job” or “What tasks you liked least,” do not answer the question directly. Instead, you can say something like “Well, I’ve actually found that of all the tasks I had, ___ is the one I like the best” or “I need more practice in handling ____.”

Be Honest

Most behavioral interview questions can feel like a trap. Questions such as “How you handle critical feedback,” will give the interviewer an idea on how you handle constructive criticism from your peers.

Use your experiences as a way to show them that you are a good fit for the role. Provide anecdotes that show you are genuine. Authenticity will help you stand out from the crowd.

If you don’t know how to answer something, it’s totally okay! You can respond with “I don’t know off the top of my head, but I’ll give you an answer after the interview.” 

Practice. Practice. Practice.

The best way to make you feel more confident and relaxed is by practicing answering questions and talking about yourself.

Try and ask a family member, or a friend or try recording yourself to pretend that you are the interviewer.

Send a Thank You Note

After every interview, write a thank you note.

You can customize your notes by referring specifically to what you and the interviewer discussed like “I was particularly excited about ____ and what you said about _____.

Appreciate the interviewer’s time and the opportunity given to you. It also helps you stand out from those who do not send one.

Deal With Take Home Assignments in a Timely Manner

Last but definitely not the least of our Zoom Interview tips, if the interviewer asks you to submit something after the interview, do it quickly.

Turning in an assignment promptly shows that you are invested in the hiring process. Submitting quality work with a quick turnaround time can help the hiring team identify you as the ideal candidate for the role.

Relax. You came prepared. Remember to take your time and thoroughly prepare for the online interview. We know you’ll ace it.

Looking for freelance jobs? Click on the link to be part of the top 1% of freelancers and start building your client base with FreeUp.