Video interview Tips
Practice makes perfect, especially when it comes to video calls. Remember to look at the camera and not the person on the screen, and think be sure to speak at a comfortable volume as opposed to shouting.
You could consider recording yourself answering made up questions, then play it back to yourself to see how you sound and pinpoint areas you can improve on.
Smile
Smiling comes naturally in a face-to-face interview, but it’s something that’s easy to forget when you’re sitting in front of a computer screen. Just before the interview, try and get into an upbeat mood, and make a mental note to smile just as you would in person.
Smiling is a proven way to help reduce nerve and stress levels, and a powerful way to convey enthusiasm. Combining this with good posture helps you appear confident and alert.
Have Notes
One of the biggest benefits of a Skype interview is the ability to have notes in front of you without the interviewer knowing. This can help you out of sticky situations, but be sure to subtle glance at them instead of reading off the page.
Consider creating sticky notes to place around the screen, which contain important and concise information. It may be useful to have your resume on hand as well as any information about the company you are applying to. And, of course, don’t forget to note down any questions you wish to ask.
We hope these simple but important best practices help you perform your best during a Skype interview. Remember the first few video calls won’t be perfect, but don’t let this put you off. Although they were once a novelty, Skype interviews are becoming ever more common.
Read more at http://www.careerealism.com/skype-interviews/#X0h4Y4UT0IFEUrFW.99
How to Prepare for a Skype or other Video Interview
Summary
Have a webcam and microphone
Should be dressed like you would for an onsite interview
A quiet room with good lighting
Test out your computer set-up days before the interview
Using your PC Desktop Ethernet cable connection rather than Laptop Wi Fi
Test the call with another friend to make sure no minor details need to be adjusted (such as the distance between you and the screen).
Look at the video feed of the interviewer while they are talking,
Speak to them by looking at the webcam. This will give the impression of eye contact, which always want to do during an interview.
Make sure you read these below
Instructions
Things you’ll need:
* A computer equipped with a webcam, microphone, and Skype or other
* Appropriate interview attire
* As isolated room with adequate lighting, lacking any distractions
First, remember this is a REAL interview! Do not be tricked into thinking that preparation is not required since the interview will be done online.
Men wear a dress shirt and tie – Jacket and Tie – navy blue to project confidence, trust, stability and security
Women wear a plain blouse with a jacket- (think “headshot” photograph)
Women who wear outfits and suits with straight silhouettes, angular lines and darker colors, are more hirable.
No Sweeter – Client said he had a sweeter with fleche material. It would have been a better look without the sweeter
No tennis shoes
Though there are some tricks to Skype interviews listed below that are not available in an on-site interview, hiring managers will still be choosing individuals that they perceive as most qualified for the job. Thus, PREPARE for the interview in advance. Call the company or asking the hiring manager what would be the appropriate dress for the interview for you to best fit in with the company’s culture (if you do not know already).
If possible, test out your computer set-up days before the interview is set to take place. If possible, use an Ethernet cable to access the web; relying on Wi-Fi during an interview is a risk that should be avoided at all costs. Also, make sure there is plenty of lighting in the room, so that the hiring manager can clearly see your face. Free the room of any unnecessary distractions (for instance, a red umbrella or green coat hanging in the background), but it is okay to leave non-distracting objects up (such as a clock, a table, etc.).
Your backdrop is very important as well- sit in an area of your house or office with no distracting objects
pictures in the background- you want them focusing on you and not the funky wall hanging you’ve had since
college over your shoulder
Make sure there is no background noise such as children playing or dogs barking
Test the call with another friend to make sure no minor details need to be adjusted (such as the distance between you and the screen).
Try to get the computer’s webcam high enough so that it is eye-level with you. Some laptops naturally require the user to look down at the camera, and that look is typically not as flattering for an interview as the eye-level approach. This can be achieved by a variety of creative means, but if you have some sort of laptop or computer stand, that would be best.
Get there early! Log onto Skype approximately 15 minutes before the interview start time. If the hiring manager is already online, they will be impressed that you have shown up for this virtual interview early. If not, they will still notice you were already online when they got on.
Be professional, but be yourself! Don’t get nervous; demonstrating confidence can sometimes be one of the deciding factors to who the company chooses for the job. Try not to refer to notes (see tip below), however, feel free to write down anything the interviewer might say. Also, it is appropriate to look at the video feed of the interviewer while they are talking, however, it is imperative that you speak to them by looking at the webcam. This will give the impression of eye contact, which is a major selling point in any interview.
Make sure you look directly into the camera on your laptop or desktop and not the person’s face on your
monitor- this gives a shifty impression. It takes a little practice call someone you know on Skype and do a
Tips & Warnings
- Sometimes, the hiring manager will prefer to make contact via telephone initially, then continue with the interview on Skype. In these instances, do not hang up the phone until you are absolutely sure the hiring manager has done so as well. Occasionally, a hiring manager will still want you to continue the conversation on the phone (for instance, if they do not want to dress the part, they may claim they have no webcam or microphone…though the veracity of this plea is unlikely, you must continue on the interview with your phone in hand. One good benefit to this is that you can look at the camera the whole time, not worrying about looking down at their picture during their speaking parts).
- If you would like to quote some statistics about the company in your speech, it is best to memorize them beforehand. Nothing looks more natural to a hiring manager than when it is obvious that you know plenty about their company. However, one nice thing about Skype interviews is that you can put tricky information/statistics on a piece of paper or poster board (in large print), tape it on a wall about three feet behind your computer (slightly higher than the webcam), and reference it when need be. Make sure the information is large enough that you can access it with peripheral vision, so the interviewer does not notice your eyes jerk off the camera.
You should still follow all protocols for regular interviews, such as avoiding taboos, being honest, and performing appropriate follow-up. This includes writing a thank you note immediately after your interview, thanking the hiring manager for their time and consideration