Remote Job Interview Questions (and How to Answer Them)

Do you have a remote job interview coming up or are you (hopefully) planning for that in the future? If so, you may already be stressed. Job interviews tend to be nerve-wracking experiences, even for the calmest and most collected among us.

One thing that should reassure you is that most interviewers tend to ask the same basic set of questions. Sure, you’ll occasionally encounter upheavals that you’re not prepared for, but it can’t be helped.

What can Help comes from knowing in advance what an employer may ask and having solid ideas on how to answer those questions.

This is why I want to help you today! Below, I’ve listed 8 of the most common job interview questions (some specific to remote jobs), along with some sample answers that tend to go down well.

Read it, study it, record it, and keep it all in mind for when you get your big break! And don’t forget to subscribe here (free) to receive the My work at home newsletter. This one comes out several times a week and contains remote jobs, extra money ideas, side hustles, passive income tips, and much more.

Remote Job Interview Questions You May Receive

1 – Tell me about yourself.

This question is likely the first you’ll receive, and how you answer can set the tone for the entire interview. Here are some tips:

• Be brief. Try not to take more than a minute or two to answer this question.
• Don’t tell your whole life story, just keep it in your professional contact information unless they ask you something personal. Tell them who you are professionally, what you have done so far professionally and end with why you are interested in this position.

2 – How to stay motivated and productive without supervision?

This is another question you may be asked if you’re applying for a remote job. They want to know how they can be sure you’ll get the job done without anyone looking over your shoulder.

• Tell them your work routine, how you would structure your day, and mention any tools you use to help you stay on track, even if it’s just something simple like your Notes app or Google Calendar.
• If you’ve successfully worked remotely before, reference it and explain how you stayed on task with this role.
• A good answer looks like, “Here’s my routine, here’s how I structure my day, and here’s proof that it works.” »

3 – How to handle it when you are stuck on a problem and your manager is not available?

When they ask you this question, they simply want to know if you are good at solving problems on your own or if you are just stopping until you can get outside help.

• Mention that you would first attempt to resolve the issue yourself by checking employee documentation, referencing your training, researching online, or thinking about similar past situations and how they were handled.
• Tell them that if all else fails, you know when to contact a manager or more senior colleague, but that you would do everything in your power to resolve the issue on your own first.
• Avoid saying anything that implies that you still need direction or that you would simply stop working until someone responds.

4 – How to maintain work-life balance while working from home?

This seems easy at first glance, but they mainly want to determine how well you separate work life from home life, because letting the two interfere significantly can negatively impact your remote work performance.

• Mention that you have a dedicated workspace (if you have one, even if it’s just a corner of the living room)
• Let them know that you have set work hours and try to stop/start at the same times each day
• A good answer to this question would be something like: “I treat remote work like an office job in terms of clocking in and out, and I protect my personal time so that I can give my best at work.” »

5 – Why do you want to work specifically for this company?

With this question they are trying to determine if you really want to work for them or if you are just trying to work for anyone. They want to know how well you know their company and if there’s a specific reason the position appeals to you (aside from the salary, which, let’s face it, is the main reason for most of us).

• Spend about 20 minutes learning everything you can about them from their website, social media, and even a Google search.
• If you already know the company and what they do and would naturally compliment them, now is the time.
• Reference something specific about them, like their products, their mission statement, anything they claim to stand for that you are in favor of.
• Many are proud of their “remotely first» culture, so you might mention it if it’s something they advertise about them.
• A strong response sounds like: “I looked into your company, noticed X, and it resonated with me because Y, and that’s why I applied specifically for it.” »
• Don’t just answer about yourself and what the company can do for you.

6 – How do you deal with distractions at home?

When they ask you this question, they are trying to determine if your home life is chaotic and might interfere with your work.

• Don’t tell them you don’t have any distractions. It’s part of everyone’s life, and they know it. Saying that you will never have distractions seems wrong.
• Don’t mention your children or pets unless they specifically ask you to.
• Talk a little about what you’ve done to minimize distractions at home. Mention things like your dedicated workspace, your headphones, putting your phone on Do Not Disturb, telling family and friends you’re not free to talk at certain times.
• The ideal answer sounds like this: “I have intentionally set up my environment and routine so that distractions are no longer a problem, and here is how to do it. »

7 – How to manage conflicts with a teammate?

They may ask you this for remote work because, unlike in-person jobs, you can’t just resolve issues by walking up to someone and discussing them.

• Don’t say you never have conflict. Even if you really are a very non-combative person, unfortunately we deal with people who are on a daily basis, and they know it.
• The most important point to make here is that you would try to resolve the issue privately and directly with your teammate, and calling in a manager would not be your first choice.
• If you have any real-life examples of where you’ve done this before in any job you’ve had, that might be helpful to share.

8 – Why do you want to work remotely?

This one looks easy but it’s a little tricky. We all have multiple reasons for wanting to work remotely, but you’re more interested in doing your best at home rather than something like “I don’t like people” or “I want to avoid the office.” They’re probably already assuming that these things might be true, and that’s not the answer they want to hear at that moment.

• Don’t tell them it’s because you hate people, hate driving, hate the office. It’s good if these things are true, but the interview is usually not the time to say it.
• Tell them it’s because your performance is better and you’re more productive working from home.
• If you have had success working remotely before, mention it. Managing projects, any side projects you managed to run from home, other remote jobs you did with good performance.
• The trick here is to tie the reason to the desire to do a good job for them, without necessarily talking about yourself.

Don’t feel confident yet? I’ve got you covered.

I hope the information above makes you feel a little more confident, but if not, I have a lot more help for you!

Imagine how you would feel before your interview after studying 50 of the most frequently asked questions, with tips on how to answer each one.

This is exactly what my interview preparation ebook gives you, and I practically give it away for only a dollar!

Here’s what’s inside:

• 50 frequently asked interview questions with sample answers and advice for everyone
• Questions YOU should ask the interviewer (most people don’t think about this)
• Red flags of the company you will see during a job interview and should never ignore
• A complete section dedicated to questions specific to remote workbecause remote interviews are different
• Behavioral and problem-solving questions explained, including the STAR method framework

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