My clients receive invites for skype, or another video media, interviews quite often. This type of interview is common for international companies or for companies with remote teams and management structures. Or the hiring manager is on a business trip and the hiring decision has to be taken quickly. Or the recruitment is outsourced outside Bulgaria. The options are quite a few and the end result boils down to the fact that at least one of the interviews in the final selection phases is done with the assistance of video technologies.
You’ve passed the resume and motivation letter screening phase, did well on tests and phone interviews, and now you have been invited to a skype interview. How to approach this situation? On top of the classic preparation steps – company and position research, role play, and other methods, there are a few specifics in the virtual communication space.
Logistics.
♦ Make sure you are in a comfortable and quite room.
♦ Check whether all technologies you are going to use are working as they should be.
♦ Prepare plan B in case your Internet provider, like mine, is not reliable. A relevant plan B in this case could be mobile tethering – read through the manual of your mobile phone and execute all the steps before hand. Another option could be an Internet voucher from a different provider.
Dress code. Dress as if you are going to a face-to-face job interview. This will instill further confidence and will make you look more professional.
Role play. Make an appointment with a friend, a career consultant, or use the recording option of skype (or the relevant tool) and walk through the major interview steps. Show up on time, dressed to the occasion and let your role play partner ask you a few relevant questions. Request feedback about the connection quality: audio and video, your looks, and body language. Work on the feedback and polish all points before the official job interview.
During the interview.
♦ Connect a few minutes earlier to test the audio and video quality and to make sure the interviewers are not going to wait for you.
♦ Try to come off as easy and natural as possible – as if you are in a conference room with the people on the other side of the line.
♦ Maintain good eye contact.
♦ Don’t forget to smile.
♦ Sometimes, there is a delay in online conversations, so make sure the person who is talking has nothing more to say before you venture your answer.
♦ If technical problems do arise, tell the interviewers that you have a plan B and will be implementing it now. This will score you few red points – prepared, good planner, acts on time.
♦ There is a good side to the online interview – the usage of notes is not as obvious, so keep your materials handy and use them if needed.
If you need to prepare for a job interview: virtual or face to face, and have decided to use a professional career consultant, get in touch with me to discuss your specific situation and to find the best approach for it.
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