Working remotely offers many benefits over having to schlep into an office every day. However, working from home also offers some unique challenges. Overall, interviews for remote jobs are not all that different from in-person meetings, with the exception of the questions you can expect the interviewer to ask you. Employers are very aware of the differences and challenges remote workers face compared to in-office employees, and you can count on being asked questions that address both issues.

Just as you would prepare for an in-person interview, you must also be ready for the work-from-home questions. This is especially critical if you have never worked remotely or been interviewed for a remote position. The questions gaming studios and video game recruiters will most assuredly ask will be focused on your ability to work remotely and the skills needed to fulfill your responsibilities as a remote worker. To help you prepare, here are ten popular questions asked when interviewing for a remote job:

1) Why Do You Want to Work Remotely?
Recruiters for remote video game jobs say hiring managers almost universally have the same questions about why you are applying for a remote position. The best answer to this question is always the most direct one, and you need to think about the reasons. Whether it is because there are no opportunities in the gaming sector in your area or you are just more productive at home, think of the best way to articulate the reasons.

2) Why Are You Interested in Our Studio?
Here you need to do your research and legitimately be sure you want to work for the specific company you are interviewing with. You have to be careful not to try to concoct a one-size-fits-all generic answer that you can apply to each company you are interviewing.

3) What About This Position Interests You?
This is one of the most common interview questions during both in-person and remote job interviews. Just like the “Why do you want to work here” question, there is no standard answer. You must do your homework and a fair amount of soul-searching. Determine what is unique about a particular studio that makes you want a job there. Be prepared with a minimum of three reasons.

4) Have You Previously Worked Remotely?
This is one question you need to put a lot of thought into, especially if you have not. This is because the recruiter is concerned with your level of comfort working unsupervised, and if you don’t sell your ability to work independently, it will seriously hurt your chances of landing the position. If you do have remote experience, be able to give a thorough accounting of all the details. These should include, but not be limited to, how much remote experience you have, the hours you worked, who you worked for and with, and your successes. If you don’t have any remote experience, give a full accounting of any comparable experience where you had to work independently, such as writing college essays or working on fundraising or political campaigns.

5) What Does Working Remotely Actually Look Like to You?
People want to work remotely for various reasons, such as flexibility or avoiding a commute. What the employer or recruiting company wants to know is where you will be working from. Is your workspace going to be a home office, hotel, library, coffee shop, etc.? This is an important consideration as it may determine how well you may or may not fit in with a team. The things you must consider include whether you can be available virtually any time of the day or if there are times when you are unavailable, such as having to pick your children up at school in the afternoon.

6) How Do You Schedule Your Workday?
This question is designed to see how you get focused, when you begin and stop working, and what your most productive work hours are. Remote teams are often made up of people from different time zones, so showing you can be flexible is essential. If you are a hard-core early bird or night owl, it is important to be honest as the recruiter may be able to put you on a team with other people who keep similar hours. In preparing to answer this question, carefully consider what time of day you are the most productive.

7) What are the Most Important Elements of Ensuring a Project’s Success?
Collaboration and communication are critical when working with a team to ensure everyone stays up to speed. When working alone, being sure you have all the needed information to address all aspects of the project is the key to success.

8) How Do You Handle Situations Where You Aren’t Sure How to Proceed?
Gaming studios and video game recruiters want to know you can think on your feet and that you are willing to ask for clarification when needed. Whether working with a remote team or on your own, you are almost certain to encounter situations where you won’t know how to proceed. It is vital to communicate to the interviewer that you are comfortable and willing to reach out for help.

9) What Equipment do You Need to Succeed at Working Remotely?
Here the employer or recruiting company is looking to find out what equipment they may need to supply you with and determine if you know everything the position requires. Be sure to research the position you are applying for and list anything you may need that you do not have, such as specialized software or a hardwired internet connection.

10) What Questions Do You Have for Me?
This question is designed to determine how interested you are in the position. Candidates with a sincere interest in a job always have several well-thought-out questions about the company, its culture, structure, and focus. These are questions you can and should obtain the basic answers to during your research, but you need to use that information as a springboard to come up with deeper questions that have importance to you. However, unless the interviewer brings it up, don’t talk about salary.

Because working remotely is a completely foreign concept to most people, it is easy to get tripped up when asked a question you aren’t ready for. The key to acing interviews for remote video game jobs is to prepare well thought out and detailed answers along with concrete examples to every question the interviewer could conceivably ask. You must also prepare a list of your own thoughtful question to ask the interviewer to demonstrate your initiative and thoroughness. One of the best ways of preparing to answer a question is to ask yourself what you would do in a particular situation.

Another thing candidates looking for remote gaming jobs should do is work with a video game recruiting company like DAM. DAM is the top video game recruiting company in the United States and has an unpublished job listing from studios worldwide, including many remote positions. DAM never charges a fee to job seekers and also offers interview preparation assistance and career guidance. Contact DAM through their website at DamAgents.com.