VIRTUAL INTERVIEWS: Five Tips for Excelling Through the Screen

By Nicole Garcia

Job interviews can be intimidating, but virtual interviews can often be even more intimidating. Many employers have transitioned to virtual recruiting and interview processes. While this has many benefits for both parties, it opens the door to some possible complications or challenges. You should enter a virtual interview with the same mentality as you would for an in-person interview. Consider the following tips for navigating a virtual interview:

Choose an appropriate workspace

Making a good first impression is essential when interviewing. In order to do so during a virtual interview, it is important to set yourself up for success.

• Ensure the area you’ll be using to take the interview has appropriate lighting and is clean, quiet and free from distractions.

• No loud pictures or wall art, piles of papers, open windows or distracting noises such as cellphones, children or other adults, televisions or music should be present in your interview space.

• If you don’t have an appropriate workspace at home, try a local library, university or communal workspace that offers private spaces.

Test all electronics

One of the added components of a virtual interview is making sure all of your electronic devices are working properly.

• Make sure your speakers, microphone, camera and computer are working properly the day before the interview as well as a few hours before the interview.

• Be familiar with the video software, and have an account properly set up if applicable.

• Ensure access to reliable Wi-Fi.

• Don’t rely on your laptop’s battery power; use a power cord.

Dress to impress

Although the interviewer may only see you from your chest up, it is important to dress professionally from head to toe. Dress as if you were going to an inperson interview. Presenting yourself in a polished and professional manner will not only project a business intent but will also help you feel more confident.

Present yourself as you would in person

Sometimes maintaining professional mannerisms and body language can be difficult in the comfort of your own home. However, maintaining good posture and eye contact with the camera shows the interviewer that you are giving them your undivided attention and fosters a better connection. You can also show that you are engaged in the conversation by giving a slight head nod or asking clarifying questions to reassure the interviewer that you are absorbing the information they are presenting.

Be prepared

Regardless of the format, you should always come to an interview well versed on your résumé, the company you are interviewing with and the position you are applying for. Log into the meeting at least 10 minutes prior to the start. This shows the interviewer that you respect their time and understand the importance of being punctual. Prior to the interview, spend some time researching the company, their values, their culture and their leadership team. You should also come to the interview ready to answer questions about your skill sets and prior work experience. In addition, be prepared with questions for the interviewer — this is your time to truly learn about the position and the employer’s expectations and show that you are interested and enthusiastic about their company.

Interviews can be overwhelming at times, but regardless of the format, try to relax, be yourself and let your personality and professionalism come through the screen. By implementing these tips, you will be in a position to establish a strong connection to achieve your goal: an offer from a quality company!

Educational Requirements

o Education

Applicants must complete (cannot be in process) a minimum of 120 credit hours of education leading to a bachelor’s or graduate degree to apply for the Uniform CPA Exam, which includes at least 24 semester hours in accounting from an educational institution that is accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education at the undergraduate level or 15 semester hours at the graduate level, or an equivalent combination that covers each of the following subject areas:

• Financial accounting

• Cost or managerial accounting

• Taxation

• Auditing o Applicants must complete the AIS course to satisfy the accounting information systems requirement. Completion of the BIS, MIS or IS courses will not satisfy the accounting information systems requirement.

• Accounting information systems.

Note: A bachelor’s degree is not required to apply. The 120 credits must be completed and include the above required classes before applying.

o Courses

• Credits from a community or technical college not transferred to an accredited institution that offers a bachelor’s degree may be accepted toward the requirements if they are earned from an institution of higher education accredited by an accrediting agency that is recognized by the federal Department of Education.

• The courses covering the subjects of financial accounting, cost or managerial accounting, taxation and auditing would generally be courses taken beyond the introduction accounting course required of every business major.

• Correspondence, CLEP credit, pass/fail grades and online courses are acceptable when you receive credit for the courses at a regionally accredited college or university. These courses must appear on an official transcript.

• Upper division courses are usually taken at the junior or senior undergraduate level.

• CPA review courses are not acceptable.

Note: Wisconsin offers the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) Advisory Evaluation as an optional service. An Advisory Evaluation will identify any academic deficiencies in education before submitting a first-time application for the Uniform CPA Exam.

Transcripts

o An official transcript must be submitted from each school attended.

• Credit for courses completed at institutions located outside the U.S. must be transferred to an accredited bachelor’s degree-granting institution inside the U.S.

o The degree must be posted on the official transcript.

o Official transcripts submitted electronically must be directly from the institution(s). Some schools do not offer this service. Contact the registrar’s office for additional information. If an email address is required for electronic delivery, use etranscript@nasba.org.

Applying

o Candidates must create a user account and apply through NASBA at nasba.org/exams/cpaexam/wisconsin.

o A nonrefundable fee must be submitted with each application. Candidates may apply for one or more sections of the Uniform CPA Exam at the same time; however, the Notice to Schedule (NTS) will expire after six months. Candidates are recommended to only apply if they are ready to take the section within the next six months.

Note: There is no residency requirement for the state of Wisconsin. The Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) administers Wisconsin’s CPA certificate and license. For more information on licensure, see the Wisconsin CPA Certificate & License Checklist at wicpa.org/LicenseChecklist.

Passing

o All four exam sections may be taken individually and in any order, but all four must be passed within an 18-month period, which begins on the date that the first passed exam section was taken.

• Candidates may retake an exam section once they have received their grades for any previous attempt of the same section.

Note: The ethics exam is administered through DSPS after the license application is submitted and requirements are met.

Next Steps

o See the Wisconsin CPA Certificate & License Checklist at wicpa.org/LicenseChecklist

Note: For questions or more information, contact NASBA at 800-CPA-EXAM (800-272-3926) or cpaes-wi@nasba.org.