After the pandemic in 2020, things changed a lot for workers who perform most tasks using a computer. We began to work 100% from remote locations. What made this possible was an increase in cloud applications, improved VPN access and wifi. We had been able to work from home or anywhere for years. It took a pandemic to show that this was possible, preferable for employees and profitable for companies. Even with the rollback of some remote policies, remote interview processes have remained largely unchanged. There is a lot to dislike about the current state of the tech industry as it relates to interviewing and job hunting — ghost jobs, rescinded offers, AI bots mass applying to roles, etc. — one positive aspect is that the interviews all occur at home.

📅 More efficient scheduling.
Previously, if you had multiple interviews to schedule, you would need to set them up far enough apart to account for travel and your existing commitments. Nowadays, if you happen to have multiple interested companies, it's easier to set up a number of meetings throughout the day and across the week. More interviews result in more possibilities and more practice.

⏰ Less time spent getting ready.
I spend about 20 minutes getting camera-ready vs. 60 mins to get presentable for in-person meetings. I just pick out a nice top, make sure my hair is on point and sit in front of the screen. If they use Zoom, I crank the filters up and skip make up. No worrying about coordinating outfits.

🚌 No commute.
I hated depending on the whims of public transportation to get an interview on time. It also saves money to do this all from home where my commute is 30 seconds.

👩🏽‍💻 Full control over at-home presentation setup.
I use my AppleTV to turn my TV into an extra monitor for presentations. No lugging a laptop, cords and adapters along and extra time making sure that my screen connects to their system properly.

😌 More self-confident.
As someone who has struggled with body image all her life, it is a relief to not feel like I’m being judged as much for my weight. Since it’s all on Meet, Zoom or Teams, it’s all bust and up so I feel slightly less self-conscious about how others may perceive me and can focus on what I have to share.

😴 Post-interview recovery.
Interviewing is a lot of work. Even with the comforts of being at home you're still "on" — managing your time as you present your work, answering questions about your work and past experiences, solving design exercises, maintaining your cool under pressure all while presenting yourself with a smile and confidence. Its a lot of emotional and mental labor. After a long interview or series of them, my social battery is depleted. I'm grateful to crash in bed after a long panel interview or take a nap to replenish energy.

While the interview process is not without anxiety and stress, there’s certainly a lot less logistical concerns to worry about nowadays. With all the RTO vs hybrid vs remote chatter happening, it is interesting that all interviews post 2020 are still remote. Has anyone been asked to actually come onsite for an interview since 2020? Clearly companies see this aspect of remote work valuable and that part of remote work seems to be here to stay.