As pandemic restrictions fade, and employees return to offices, some businesses are opting to keep job interviews online, which is also influencing how students at Syracuse University’s Newhouse communications school search for work.
To keep up with the industry, starting this fall Newhouse’s Career Development Center will start holding more of its job fairs online, says Director Bridget Lichtinger. That’s because fewer companies feel the need to meet face-to-face with students, she says, and some recruiters don’t have the same travel budget they once used to.
“Post-COVID, our industry is now hybrid, so a lot of our recruiters are hybrid or remote working,” she said.
Even major communications companies, said Lichtinger, had to pivot. “Madison Square Garden does not do in person, NBCUniversal does not do in person,” she said, and may instead require an Instagram Live interview.
Others may ask students to record their interviews. Whatever the virtual format, students must adapt, says Lichtinger.
When interviewing virtually, business experts have a lot of advice — from minimizing background distractions to paying attention to your body language, all while being yourself.
S.U. sophomore Mario Esteb, who is studying Television, Radio and Film at Newhouse, says that’s not as easy as it sounds.
“I think it’s harder to show personality during virtual interviews,” he said. “It’s always different when you’re in-person versus when you’re not.”
On the other hand, going virtual could make job hunting a little easier, says Esteb, especially when looking for work outside of Syracuse. He's just now starting to hear back on applications he submitted in December, from companies he found himself — online.
