Everyone wants an online job these days. Not only do you want to protect from the virus, but you also gain career growth while having more time with your family or passion projects. Now that you contacted potential clients, the next step is the dreaded interview.
How is it different from a normal interview? You can actually ace your virtual interviews by following certain guidelines. But then, what do you answer for the common questions? Here are the top 11 most common remote work interview questions for your online job application.
Tell Me About Yourself
First on our list is the proverbial, “tell me about yourself.” More than the skills, your potential clients want to get to know you and your background.
Relay them an overview of what you do in your line of work. What are your current activities, and highlight those that can be helpful to their business? Also, convey the characteristics that make you suitable to work with them.
Have You Worked Remotely?
Most companies want to hire people with more experience. People who don’t need to be trained. That’s why they ask, “Have you worked remotely?”
With this question, answer truthfully. If you have worked remotely, tell them that though remote working has its benefits, it’s not without challenges. And relay to them how you handled those challenges well.
If this is your first time, know that they want your assurance that you can work productively even if you’re at home. So frame your answer accordingly.
Why Do You Want to Work-from-home?
A lot of people have personal answers to this question. And it’s alright to tell the truth. But what the client is looking for are answers that are not only related to your personal wants but also the assurance that the online job you want is part of your career path.
You also include in your answers career-oriented insights. In this way, you can show that you care about your well-being and the work you will do at home.
How Do You Rate Your Tech Skills?
When you work-from-home, you are relying on your computer device and internet to stay connected. There will be times that your devices will be unreliable. That’s why companies ask this question, “How do you rate your computer skills?”
More often than not, you will not have an IT team to help you with your tech concerns. You should be able to know how to troubleshoot yourself when hiccups happen. You should answer with confidence that you can support yourself and learn the ropes if necessary.
How Do You Communicate with Your Colleagues Online?
In remote working, your communication software is your virtual office. These tools are proven to cultivate effective collaboration even when working-from-home.
But how do you communicate with your colleagues online? That’s one of the glaring questions you might be asked.
It’s not enough for you to know how to email. You should know how to effectively communicate your ideas in virtual meeting places like Google Meet and Zoom. How do you reach out when your teammates are at a different time zone? Can you use common project management tools like Google Drive and Trello?
You need to relay to them that you know how to communicate, and you can seamlessly adapt to their workflow. If you’re new to online communications, though, reassure them that you can learn the ropes and create great value with the team.
How Do You Handle the Lack of Face-to-Face Interaction?
On top of online communication hurdles, loneliness can reek in when you work alone. After all, we are social beings. So the clients might ask you, “how do you handle the lack of face-to-face interaction?”
You should answer this with how you plan to communicate. Though it might not be a productive time, you can answer by trying your best to communicate with your colleagues for just leisure time. Think about it like a pantry break where you hop on a call and bond with your teammates.
Your clients may want to know that your willing to socially connect with your teammates more than just chat and email.
What Nationalities Have You Worked With?
As a remote worker, you are not just limited to Filipino clients. You will be dealing with foreign nationals because the world is your oyster. Vast opportunities show up that spans across the globe.
But we all have cultural differences. For example, westerners are straightforward. They will tell you what they think, and it can get really brutal. So as a non-confrontational Filipino, we might feel attacked. That’s why we need to adjust because often, they don’t mean to offend us.
That’s why interviewers and clients might ask you, “what nationalities have you worked with?”
Answer with your positive experiences with them, and how you’ve handled your differences. If you haven’t worked for foreign nationals. Assure them that you can learn to adapt.
How Do You Handle Stress?
Nothing worth it comes easy. So everything in your working life comes with hardships and stress. So your future clients might ask you, “how do you handle stress?”
This doesn’t mean that you deny that you can feel stressed. Your future bosses just want to know how you can cope up with it. What do you do to solve problems? How can you make your stress a stepping stone to creating more value?
Show that you can grow as a person amidst the stress and would be a treasured addition to their team.
How Do You Balance Work and Life?
A major difference between remote working and traditional office work is your flexibility to do the things you are passionate about. It might be a side-hustle, a business, or family time. And your clients want that. The last thing they want is for you to burn out. And it will affect your well-being and your productivity.
That’s why they ask, “how do you balance work and life?”
Tell them how you managed your workflow. And assure them that you have a set time for work and play.
What is your Expected Salary Range?
Our time is valuable. We all have certain salary ranges that make it all worthwhile. But clients also have a budget to adhere to.
So you might get a question, “what is your expected salary range?” You know your worth, so freely relay it to them. But do ask their budget also and make them know that your rates are flexible. You don’t want to miss an opportunity just because they think you’re expensive. Keep your options open.
Do You Have Any Questions?
This open-ended question might be your most crucial question yet. This is when you can clarify some questions and tackle some criteria or points that were not discussed.
Get some tips about their work environment (if ever you get hired) and try to know how it’s like to work in their firm.
Conclusion
There are many questions you can be asked. But with the interview questions above, you can be prepared to nab the online job of your dreams by answering it well. Good luck!
