What should I do if there are technical problems during the online interview? 

Hi there,

first of all very good luck, here below you can find my answers:

1. You can just clarify that you are not hearing well and maybe there are some connection problems. I really suggest you to use zoom, because you can use both the laptop camera and make a call in your phone number to avoid voice connection problems.

2. Just behave normally, nothing special, maybe assure that the interviewer can see not only your face but also half body

3. Main tip that I can provide you is that you should be more emphatic, so try to speak very clear and slow in order to highlight the main points of your answers. You can show sometimes the piece of paper in the camera to point out what you are drawing. In this way you can show much more confidence and get more involved the interviewer.

For further suggestions/clarifications do not hesitate to contact me in private

Hi there, 

A few suggestions regarding your questions. 

1) Make sure you have a stable internet. Try testing out the connection and the tool (e.g. zoom, hangout etc) before hand, so you know the tool works on your device (instead of having to install anything last min) and you have an idea of at least the key functionalities. 

2) Just greet the interviewer as you would normally do. Try to make eye contact from time to time, by looking at the camera, instead of looking at the center of the screen of your device

3) One way to compensate the limited interaction online is to leverage the camera wisely, e.g. consider showing your draft paper to the camera while explaining your structure

Good luck to your interview and feel free to PM me if you have further questions or need any guidance.

Hope it helps.

Emily

Hi!

I answer in order:

1) Of course technical problems can arise and there are things that are out of your control but you can always make sure that you can prepare on the best way. Choose a spot at your house that has good connection, use headphones and try out your connection and voice in a call with a friend prior to the interview to check that it works correctly. Also, make sure that the place is not noisy and that you tell the people that are living with your not to enter the room, use the vacumm dryer and these kind of things... If connection falls down, just reconnect and you can parallely write an email saying that you are connecting back

2) Just say a confident hello, how are you? and you can even wave your hand and it will be good, just keep it natural and relaxed

3) Be relaxed and dress as if you were going to the physical interview. Choose a room with a clean background. Don't put papers with the answers behind the laptop, you will be seen reading the paper and it will look bad... Make sure you speak clearly and communicate effectively. Bare in mind that if you are doing a case, the interviewer wont be able to see your paper an follow graphically. Thus, explain everything very structured and keep him on the loop of everything you do and how your approach and calculate. The key is to keep the engagement on this kind of interviews.

If you have further doubts or want to practise let me know.

Thanks!

M

Hi,

1. Just call them back – it's an unusual situation for everybody involved, so your interviewers also understand that technical problems are likely

2. Normally :) like a human being

3.  Just relax and treat it as a normal interview – the interviewers are know that it's not easy for you over video, so they will try to accomodate

Best,
Daniel

Hello!

Congrats!

It´s good you are forward-looking. 

Here are my toughts: 

1. Normally the interview will be held on the company´s platform -hence, I don´t think you can choose Skype vs. Zoom, etc.-. If this happens, the interviewer will be the one troubleshooting. You cannot do more than having your mobile in case and ensuring you have good wifi. 
2. Just as if you were in person!
3. The main difference on doing it online vs. in person is that you need to pay special attention to your communication. Given that they won´t see your papers or some of your body language, you will need to be particularly carefull when walking the interviewer through your toughts, both structure and calculations. 

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

Hi,

Congratulations on the interview! Answers below

1. Technical issues happen - if there is a glitch in your end, re-join when you can, apologize for the interruption and resume the interview. Mentally be prepared for this and do not panic, I assure you everyone understands!

2. Same as you would usually. Try and put some effort into the smal talk upfront as it is harder to develop a connection with someone new via video. Maybe have 1 or 2 things ready to talk about before the interview begins

3 Some tips

• It is harder to listen on video so be cognizant of your volume, speed and clarity
• It is harder to read emotions on video so ask questions when you are stuck
• When presenting your structure, pause to check with the interviewer before begining 

All the best!

Udayan

Hi,

1) There is always a backup option (you can dial in with all the platforms) and thus solve the case over the phone. Not recommended, but better than nothing. Or think of using the phone internet as a backup. LTE is more than enough

2) As in the real life

3) Several recs:

1. Find a place with good internet speed and test it multiple times before the interview. Also, think of nice room / proper light for the video conference if you do it from home
2. You should be dressed the same as for the regular interview
3. Don't hesitate to ask clarifying questions if there are problems with connection or you were not able to hear something
4. Don't forget to look at the camera and smile - same as you do on a regular interview

Best

Hi there,

please find below the answers to your questions:

What should I do if there are technical problems or when getting stuck during the interview?

I don’t see particular problems if there is a technical issue. However, please do your due diligence in advance to avoid problems from your side (check internet connection, install the software in advance, etc).

If you get stuck, I would recommend to:

1. Sum up the information until that point
2. Ask for one minute of time
3. Try to structure an approach based on X and non-X (eg internal/external, long term/short term) to facilitate brainstorming
4. If you are still stuck, ask for help

How should I greet the interviewer, is there anything I have to keep an eye on?

Just say hello and use traditional small talk. Obviously the virus is the main topic today but would avoid to focus too much on that, as it is likely to generate negative emotions.

Do you have any other tips in general for my online interview? Its the first round in a 2nd tier company

Here are some:

1. Prepare the place for the call. A quiet environment is a must-have. Also, be sure that there is not strange stuff in the background!
2. Prepare on the wall in front of you all the material you need (structures, tips for fit part, etc) so you won't have to look for it during the interview/ won't make it clear you are reading it
3. Prepare your own questions. Relevant questions at the end are a great way to show your interest in the company and get additional points. This is particularly important in a phone/video interview, as the interviewer will naturally connect less with you. In the first reply at the link below you can find some tips on the ideal questions to ask at the end of your call: https://www.preplounge.com/en/consulting-forum/open-house-at-bcg-311
4. Smile during the call. Even in case they cannot see you, it's a good way to express energy
5. Use numbers when communicating your structure. This will make easier for the interviewer to follow you, since they probably cannot see your notes. As an example:“In order to help our client, I would like to focus on three main areas. First, I would like to focus on [FIRST TOPIC], secondly on [SECOND TOPIC], finally on [THIRD TOPIC]. Let me start with the first one."
6. Dress like you would in a in-person interview. Business attire (suit + tie for man and pantsuits or suit with a matching skirt for women) is always the best choice

Best,

Francesco

Hi, 
I strongly recommend reaching a place with stable connection. Try with the 4g instead of wifi. However, if it happens, maintain the calm and consider that always consultants are facing these problems :)

Good luck for the interview,
Antonello