Yes, it’s possible to stand out negatively in a variety of ways. Some of these are the same mistakes you could make in an in-person interview, others are unique to the online experience.
When you know what the mistakes are, you can prepare yourself better. Here are some common interview issues and how you can avoid them.
Technical Difficulties
Earlier we mentioned how important it is to familiarize yourself with the video conferencing technology beforehand, but it’s worth repeating. Play with the system beforehand, make sure your webcam and microphone are both connected and working, and memorize where all the buttons and settings are.
Do your best to ensure there are no “hiccups” during your interview. If you’re going to be on wi-fi, get as close to the router as possible to avoid drops or lags. If you can hard-line into the router directly with an ethernet cable, do that to ensure uninterrupted service.
Of course, there may be other kinds of interruptions not related to the internet - family members, pets, phone calls. Try to schedule during quiet periods if possible, and try to keep your family in the other room.