Remote Interview Techniques and PropTech

We’re living in a strange, uncertain time at the moment. There’s a massive upheaval in the job market, with remote working making changes in careers either necessary or extremely difficult. There is no change to recruitment, however, and PropTech companies are still onboarding. Turnover rates will differ from company to company under any circumstance, but in the current climate, the discrepancies between companies have grown. Some companies will have minimised their turnover rates, while for others it will have grown. If you’re looking for a new job, however, now is as good a time as any to pursue a change in job or career. PropTech is an incredibly safe investment if you’re looking around because there will always be a need for building management and construction, even if those buildings may be emptier at the moment. However, you may be used to face to face interviews. In this unprecedented time, you’ll likely be asked for a remote interview. To put your mind at ease, we’ve pulled together a few top tips to ace a remote interview.

Make Your Interview Space Comfortable

First things first is to decide where you’ll be conducting the interview. If you’re spending most of the day in your room it may either be extremely tidy or extremely messy. While you can angle a laptop so that the mess is invisible, you’ll be much more comfortable interviewing and in general with an immaculate room. It’s difficult because you are still inviting someone into your space. An interviewer will still do everything they can to make you feel comfortable, but they can’t offer you a glass of water on the day. A good idea is to work backwards, as it always is when it comes to an interview, but now more than ever. If you know you’ll need a glass of water or a cup of tea to keep yourself at ease then you can make one. The same goes for clothing. To an extent, you can work backwards from your knowledge of the PropTech company you’re interviewing here, but there is a  general rule of thumb. It’s a strange situation in that wearing a suit may feel strange to both parties, but you’re still creating a first impression. Again, it’s about making yourself as comfortable as possible by ensuring you look good for your interviewer. So, an ironed shirt or blouse shows you’re dedicated to a working mindset at home, as well as implying that you’re keeping tidy and motivated during the lockdown. Remember, you’re also likely entering your interviewer’s space, too. It’s ok to feel a bit uncomfortable or strange, your interviewer will likely be feeling the same thing!  

Ask the Same Questions, and More!

Sooner or later offices will reopen, so the usual questions may feel strange at the moment, but they still apply. Even if the office’s culture is different right now, it’s still imperative you feel like you’re the right fit for said culture. This may be more difficult at the moment to discover, and there’ll undoubtedly be more that you want to find out. It’s crucial that you don’t hesitate to find out as much as possible. Interviewers will welcome your questions and will expect more. The difficulty is that you’ll want to primarily find out that you’ll fit into the work culture when office work returns, then you’ll also want to find out more about the current work culture. So, ask the same questions about career progression, scope of work and responsibilities, and find out more about your role in the wider context of the office. However, now is the time to also ask more about how the work-force is kept motivated and how employees are supported. Everyone is in the same boat and showing humanity isn’t a weakness. It’s more important to find out that there’s adequate and practical support in place than it is to feel like you’re admitting to difficulties in motivation in these unprecedented times. Remember it’s alright to say “no,” too. If you get the job but don’t feel like you’ll be able to perform there effectively to start, you may feel the pressure to wait it out. Just know that this isn’t necessary.  

Know PropTech Inside Out

Finally, you’ll want to know all about PropTech, the PropTech company you’re interviewing for, and the current market inside and out. A high level of awareness about an industry or company is crucial any time of year, but now more than ever markets are volatile and PropTech is in a stabilising but unprecedented situation. While beforehand, knowing all of the data on construction, BIM, and real-estate will have accrued over many years of awareness, at the moment changes are happening in real-time. This means that you must know what’s happening in PropTech on the day of your interview, rather than the general trends. What are the government’s plans with construction, with moving houses or renting, with real-estate projects? Then, think specifically about how all of these real-time changes are affecting the PropTech company you’re interviewing for. If you’re looking for a move into PropTech or more advice, the Dalton Buck team will always be happy to help. You can contact them here at any time.