4 Tips To Keep In Mind During An Email Interview

The process in applying for a job as an online freelance worker is similar to the process in applying for a regular office-based job. You still have to send in your application and go through an interview process. At this point, there is a considerable difference in the interview process between a regular job application and an online job application.

In a regular job, an applicant will have a face-to-face interview with a human resource staff of a company. On the other hand, online job applications may go through either a Skype interview or an email interview.

4 Tips To Keep In Mind During An Email Interview

For this post, we will focus on how you can increase your chances of success in an email interview with a potential client. There are instances when clients use their email interactions as the basis for hiring an online freelance worker. Due to this, it is important to take into account four things to increase your chances of acing an email interview.

Carefully Read the Job Description

Before I send in my application for an online job, I would always read the job description properly. I make sure I have an idea on what the job requires me to do and, if possible, have all the skills necessary to do the job.

While Virgin Group founder Richard Branson said to simply grab the opportunity and learn how to do it later, which may not be applicable to everybody. There are some people who learn quickly, and if you are one of these talented individuals, go ahead send in as many applications you can to all available online jobs. However, many people, including myself, may need to be more realistic and apply for jobs we can handle. Awareness of the requirements for the job will allow us to answer the questions the client may have about our competence when it comes to working for him or her.

Read The Job Description Properly

It is also advisable to ensure that we review the job description once our potential client answers our initial application. This will allow us to reacquaint ourselves with the requirements of the job.

Go Straight to the Point

The second thing we need to keep in mind when we answer questions is to go straight to the point. There are some instances when the person reading the email is not the client himself or herself. These may be the hiring managers of the client, and they typically receive tons of email for every job their employer posts on online job sites.

Go Straight To The Point - image source: keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk

One good tip provided by Life Hacker is to apply a “ten-minute review” rule. In this rule, after you write your reply, save in the Drafts folder and take a walk or do some small chores for ten minutes. After ten minutes, go back and review your reply and make any changes you feel it would need. The reason for the ten minute break is it is enough for you to “snap out” of what you initially thought when you wrote your reply. It also does not take too much of the time that the person interviewing you will not think you are not prompt when you reply.

Check Your Spelling and Grammar

The third thing that I always do when I answer email interviews is to check my spelling and grammar. I actually had the mistake when I started working as an online freelance worker of not checking for any spelling or grammar mistakes on my reply. I only spotted the mistake after reviewing my reply after the potential client did not answer back.

Check Your Spelling & Grammar

Always keep in mind that many clients are strict when it comes to spelling and grammar. This is especially true for writing jobs, admin jobs and even virtual assistance jobs. Due to this, it is very important to check your grammar and spelling before sending in your reply.

Send the Email during the Office Hours of the Recipient

Email interviews are usually conducted by people who may live in a different time zone. Due to this, it is advisable to send your reply during the office hours of your potential client. Since you cannot go to the office of the client in email interviews, it would be a good gesture to the clients when you reply during their office hours. Life Hacker indicates that this simply shows that you respect the busy schedule of the client.

Check The Client's Schedule - image source: morguefile.com 

These are just some tips that you can help in answering the questions of a potential client through email.  Keeping these tips in mind will increase your chances of landing the job and start your career as an online freelance worker.