You’ve put in hundreds of applications, perfected each cover letter, crossed all your T’s and dotted all your I’s. Now, the waiting game begins as you anxiously anticipate an email or phone call.When a recruiter or hiring manager finally reaches out to you, many emotions likely bubble to the surface: excitement, anxiety, hope, and maybe even apprehension for a long interview process that may not lead to you getting your dream role. 

Before any negative emotions start creeping in, take a step back, take a deep breath, and congratulate yourself. All of the hard work you put into crafting your resume and cover letter got you noticed in a sea of candidates, and the hiring team wants to talk to YOU! Now begins the fun.

Tips for Interviewing in a Pandemic

Research, Research and Research some more! 

Oftentimes when you are applying for a new role, you are applying to multiple companies. Don’t get caught by the hiring manager during the initial conversation not knowing your stuff about the company. Once you get that initial request for a conversation from the hiring manager, take time to sit down and do a little Google research. Look at the website, jot down notes, find the company's core values, and analyze their goals. In this day and age, there is no excuse for not doing some research on the prospective company you wish to join. 

Come Prepared with Questions

Many people want to know, “What sets each candidate apart?” The biggest differentiator in the first round of interviews are the questions the candidate brings to the table. Try to bring relevant and informed questions based on your research. Some of my favorite questions involve asking about the department’s makeup, asking about a typical day or week in the role, or even specific questions about our culture and core values! 

Find a Quiet Place Free from Distractions

When you finally receive that initial call or interview request from the hiring manager, make sure you have somewhere quiet to take the call or video chat. Also, make sure that the space you use is free of clutter and distractions. Ensure your internet or phone connection is good to go before the call or video interview, and please, never put your phone on speaker. As the person on the other end of the line, you’re making my job very hard when my sole purpose is to learn about your background. If the time you had scheduled all of a sudden does not work, simply reach out to your point of contact and ask to reschedule! We would rather you reschedule than feel pressured to conduct an interview at an inconvenient time. 

Send a Follow-Up Thank You Note or Email 

I have seen some pretty creative stuff in this category. After every chat with the hiring manager, or other team members, please take a couple of minutes to send a follow-up thank you email/notecard/e-card or even carrier pigeon. It does not need to be anything fancy, but it shows you are truly interested in the organization and are recognizing that people’s time — especially during a pandemic — is valuable.

Dress for the Role You Want, and Be Early!

Similar to a regular in-person interview, you still want to make sure you dress professionally, even if it is just from the waist up. If it is a video interview, check your connection and video capabilities prior to your interview. Logging in 5 to 10 minutes early demonstrates your commitment to being on time and being considerate of our time.

What Kind of People Is iFrog Looking For?

iFrog is a special organization. We put our people first by living and breathing our biggest core value: Promises Made, Promises Kept. When we add team members, we look for a few soft skills along with any technical skills to get the job done.

Some of the biggest ones include: 

1. Drive: Our ideal team members have a strong desire or need to get something done, and are driven to making the organization successful.
2. Passion: Want to join our team? Passion is the name of the game. We want to see our team display an intensity for positive client and co-worker relationships and take the initiative on their tasks. 
3. Adaptability: In our industry, it’s absolutely vital to adjust quickly to new softwares and new systems. 
4. Coachability: You’ve probably heard this word thrown around in sports quite a bit. To join iFrog, you must take criticism and feedback well and take steps to improve when there are opportunities for improvement.
5. Positivity: We are one of the most positive teams in the digital marketing world. Our ideal team members demonstrate positive behavior and communication — written and verbal — with clients and other team members.
6. Solutions Oriented: Always come to the table with a solution to a problem. At iFrog, there are no problems, only opportunities. To come aboard, you must know how to read interactions with clients and spot and correct problems before they jeopardize the relationship.

Interviewing in a pandemic is very different! All of our interviews have become virtual and with that comes stepping into people’s homes and lives for an hour block. I’ve experienced some funny things these past couple of months while interviewing virtually. One candidate’s dog made a surprise appearance, and gave me puppy eyes on behalf of their owner. I’ve had cats meowing in the background while I am trying to sort through questions with candidates.

I’ve met kids, seen spouses pacing, and have even had candidates lose power halfway through our Zoom calls. The point is, it's okay! We are all living through a pandemic, and are doing the best we can with what we have. The whole point of interviews is to get to know the candidate. As long as that can be accomplished, I say the more, the merrier!

Interviewing with a new company does not have to be scary. Follow some of the tips and tricks here and remember that your recruiter/hiring manager is a person, too. Try to relax, have some fun with the interview, and remember to always put your best foot forward! If you want to join our team, check out our latest openings!