Got a Skype Interview Coming Up? Read This.....

So, you have an interview coming up - but it's online via Skype.  You might not have ever done this before, but it's becoming more and more common.  It's a bit different format, but it MUST be treated with the same preparation and focus and importance as a face to face meeting.  Here are a few things to keep in mind, because the small details are critical with an online interview.

Control Your Environment.  When you go onsite to a company to interview with them at their location, the one thing you don't have any control over is the environment, because you are in their space.  With an online interview, you can (and should), make sure that the environment is perfect for your call.  Those details include:  Where are you going to be sitting when you make the call? Make sure you get  everything set up and do a "self-view" to see what you would look like on  the other end.  Is the camera centered on you?  Are you close enough?  Is the lighting bright enough to see you clearly?  Do you have windows behind you that could affect the call?  Make sure you check all these things because details matter.  Also, make sure you understand how the audio on your PC or tablet works so that if by chance your audio is muted, you know how to fix it.  

Who is calling who?  Are you calling into a bridge at a certain time or is someone calling you?   If you aren't 100% sure, make sure you confirm.  If they are calling you, you want to be all ready and set up at least 10 minutes before the call.  The worst thing that could happen is if they call a couple of minutes early and all the see is an empty chair.  Also, make sure they have your cell phone number and you have your cell handy, in case they have trouble connecting and they can call you if they need to.  

Internet Connection.  Since this call is going to take up some of your internet bandwidth, you want to make sure you have as much as you can for this call. That might mean asking the family to not be streaming videos, checking email, surfing the internet etc - during that time that you are on the call.  That will directly affect the quality of the call and you want to make sure you have the best call possible that you can.  

Control Your Environment - Part 2.  If you live alone, this might not be an issue, but if you have a family, kids, pets etc - you HAVE to make sure you have a quiet environment and are uninterrupted for any reason.  That also goes for turning the ringer off on your phone as well.  If you have to bribe your kids to promise not to bother you for that hour - do that.  It works in my family. 

Show Some Personality.  Even though this interview is being held online, the person interviewing you is not wanting to just interview a "talking head".  Pretend as if this person was sitting across the room from you and I'd recommend to do your best to speak up and show some personality.  If you tend to use your hands when you talk (I do), that's OK - just remember not to go overboard and don't make movement too fast or it will make the video jerky.   A good rule of thumb is to follow the direction of the person on the other side.  Not that you need to mirror their behavior, but more follow their lead.  You want to try and develop rapport very quickly, because if you do - it will take pressure off of yourself and it will hopefully build your confidence as you continue the call.

How to End a Call.  I would give them a chance to let them hang up on the call first, that way - it does not seem like you are trying to rush off the call with them.  The same as a face to face interview, a great way to end it is always to thank them for their time, reinforce your interest in the position and ask them what the potential next steps are in the process - if you don't already know.  They may not be able to answer the last question, but you want to be aggressive and "you can't get what you don't ask for." So ask.  The worst thing they could say is that they would get back to you - but you at least put it in their head that you want to continue the conversation.  

I hope this is helpful!  Feel free to email me at [email protected] if you have any questions about this topic or any other job search topic you might have. Also worth mentioning, I offer 1 on 1 job search / networking coaching as a service that I do with individual job seekers quite often.  Email me for more details and I'd be glad to share how that service works.