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HOW TO HANDLE A SKYPE INTERVIEW

HOW TO HANDLE A SKYPE INTERVIEW

Skype interviews are becoming more and more frequent. It is a simpler way for both the employer and the candidate to conduct an interview conveniently. Skype or webcam interviews are an opportunity to have a ‘face to face’ interview without actually being face to face.

Here are a few of our top tips for making sure your Skype interview goes as smoothly as possible!

Most importantly, make sure that your webcam and internet are all in working order before your interview. You can never fully rule out the risk of experiencing a technical glitch whilst you are interviewing, but making sure that you double check that everything is in working order before you begin. For a webcam interview, you will need a strong internet connection for it not to be glitchy. If you are having some persisting technical difficulty during the interview, mention it to the interviewer. Making them aware of your issue means that they won’t be left wondering why you aren’t answering their questions properly, or why your focus isn’t solely on them. Poor connection or signal will be frustrating for both you and the interviewer.

What is your profile suggesting about you? You may not have used your Skype in a professional manner before, so it may be worth checking what is on your profile before you begin to use it. Make sure that your profile picture is appropriate, and your profile name is, more preferably, your own full name, and not a nickname. If you don’t want to go through this hassle, how about creating another account, solely for professional use.

Dress how you would for a face to face interview. Just because you aren’t actually meeting the interviewer in person, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t look the part. You may be tempted, because the screen will only show the top half of your body, to only dress half appropriate. This may backfire on you if you have to get up during the interview, and the interviewer sees that you are actually wearing pyjamas to your interview! Also, dressing the part will make you feel confident, and will put you in professional mode.

Assess your surroundings. If you are conducting the interview in your home, make sure that you are in a quiet area, and that you won’t be disturbed mid interview. Also, make sure that there is nothing in the background that may embarrass you. You don’t want the interviewer seeing how untidy your bedroom is!

This may be your first Skype interview, so you may want to have a trial run first to get into the swing of things. Skype enables you to record your video call, so how about practicing with a friend and watching it back to see where you could improve, and how you can make your webcam presence that little bit better.

One of the positives of a Skype interview, is that you can have notes beside you. This will take the pressure off of you when it comes to remembering numerous facts about the company, and remembering answers to all of the interview questions that you may be asked. You don’t want to appear to be reading off of a sheet, so make sure that you are familiar with your notes, and a glance will prompt you.

Have you ever taken part in a Skype or webcam interview? What are your top tips?

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