As the competition for internships and jobs is on the rise, it is becoming more common for students and recent graduates to look into relocating for employment. Instead of having a candidate travel for their interview, many companies are opting for a faster and easier interviewing process: video interviews. Skype interviews are becoming more and more common in the work world, making it extremely important for you to be on top of your game when it comes time for your interview.
Here are 7 tips to help you rock your next Skype interview:
Dress professionally: Since you will not physically be going to an office to interview, it can be easy to feel as if your interview is more casual. Treat your Skype interview just like you would treat a face-to-face interview. You wouldn’t wear your yoga pants and hoodie into an office, so don’t wear them during your Skype interview!
Wear appropriate pants: This may sound silly, but this is so important! You never know if you will have to get up for any reason, and luck will have it that the one time you neglect to wear professional pants, your computer will get knocked off the table and reveal your polka dot pajamas. I’ve also recently heard that many employers are asking interviewees to stand up so they can see if they took the interview seriously enough to get dressed from head to toe. Save yourself the embarrassment and wear appropriate slacks.
Be aware of your environment: Nothing says awkward quite like answering the Skype call on your bed with your childhood teddy bear sitting in the background. You want your background and environment to be professional. If you are going to do the interview at your house or apartment, find a bare wall with no distractions. You also want to make sure no one will be walking in and out during the interview. Make arrangements with your roommates to make sure you have a quite, clean place to do the interview. Opting to go to a local Starbucks or Barnes and Noble is another alternative.
Get rid of distractions: While you will want your cellphone nearby in case of any technical difficulties, you want to make sure it is out of site and on silent. You also do not want to have any screens open on your laptop that can make an unexpected noise and you definitely do not want to be scrolling through your Facebook feed during the interview.
Test your lighting: You don’t want the call to start with you having to uncomfortably get up and move to a different part of the room because the lighting doesn’t allow for you to be seen. Make a test call to a friend to make sure you have optimal lighting.
Look at the camera: Resist the urge to fixate on your computer screen! You want to maintain eye contact just like you would in any other interview. It may seem odd, but looking at the person on the screen and not directly into the webcam can make it look as though you are looking away from the person on the other end of the call. Although you are technically making eye contact, to them it seems as if you are looking below their face.
Practice, practice, practice: Although you have probably already gone through a traditional interview, a Skype interview can be completely different. Practice in the mirror or find a trusted friend to interview you over Skype. Career Services can also be of assistance. It’s always to your advantage to be over prepared!
So, when you hear back from that internship in New York City and you are wondering what the heck to do for a Skype interview, refer back to these tips. If you are curious about some of the dangers of Skype, make sure to check out this article.