As internet speeds improve and increased businesses catch up to modern times Skype and video interviews are becoming more and more common. The differences between a video interview and one in person can catch novice job applicants out. Heres how to ace your skype interview.
Choose a professional setting
The beauty of skype interviews is that you can do them from anywhere. The pain of skype interviews is that you can do them from anywhere as the freedom to do wherever you feel comfortable tempts you to hold your interview to more casual standards in a casual location such as a bedroom or cafe. In a skype interview your employer will be looking for a professional image and the first part of this is choosing a suitable setting. Your location should have a good internet signal in a well lit, preferably neutral coloured background such as white or magnolia. This removes any background distractions and puts the focus on yourself, the candidate applying for the position.
First mainstream video chat app to take the market, Skype is so popular that the term ‘Skype interview’ is widely used to term a video interview.
Pause before replying
The internet may be lightening fast but there are always times when the signal or technology stutters. A common feature on many skype interviews is lag, this is when there is a slight delay between the caller saying something and the recipient hearing this through their speakers. If you quickly reply and ask additional questions you can easily fall into the awkward situation where you are both talking at the same time. By pausing say, 5 seconds before you reply or next talk, you can help ensure you are prepared for any sound lag and that you do not respond prematurely, the pause also gives you a moment to think your next response through before voicing it.
Dress smartly
As a general rule, you should treat a skype interview as seriously as you would a face to face interview. Dressing smartly is essential to make a professional visual impression. This shows that you take the interview seriously and that you wish to communicate yourself in a professional manner. In addition to a smarter appearance, studies show that dressing smarter improves your confidence and motivation.
Add your interviewer’s Skype ID in preparation
In order to allow ease of communication and mitigating potential technical errors prior to interview its a good idea to add your interviewer as a contact prior to commencing the interview. This will facilitate easier messaging to co-ordinate the start of the video call and provide a method of instant communication between you and your interviewer in the event of any call errors such as no sound.
Be online 15 minutes before your scheduled interview time
As with all appointments in order to be organised and allow margin for last minute glitches and hiccups it pays to be online and ready for the interview early in advance of your scheduled appointment. This will also help you feel more organised during the interview process and more confident to respond to questions.