You have a Skype interview, now what?

You have an interview. Congratulations! Dust off that resume and start preparing. We all know how to show up for the tried and true face-to-face interview and all its requisite "tell me about a time" questions, but those days are fading fast. Today, your first "face-to-face" contact with the company will likely be by video conference. So what does that change?

A lot, actually.

First, in this case, you have control over the environment where you are being interviewed. You have to control it.

Do yourself a favor and go onto the Skype link before your interview and make sure your device is compatible. Almost as critical, make sure the lighting and background are right. People get weird about seeing your bedroom, or your pet, or a messy anything in the background. Also, good lighting and a good angle never hurt anyone. Conversely, I once interviewed a guy who was so unaware that he did not realize the camera was trained below his belt the entire time.

Weigh the pros and cons of interviewing at your home office vs. your work office. How will interviewing on your current company's time be perceived? Can you guarantee uninterrupted time and concentration?

With the lighting and atmosphere set, you need to prepare. Do your homework reading about the company on their websites and other available media. Similarly, with all the information that is available out there on your social and networking media footprint, chances are, the interviewer already knows quite a lot about you. It's a good bet that he or she already believes that you can do the job. The real test may simply be to see how you fit into the organization. And that, my friend, is the point of the interview.

As someone who interviews people quite a lot, I know that is my biggest concern. If we are going to be working together all the live long day, I want to know about YOU. Your work will speak for itself. So I'll use the brief time we have together to ask about you.

I like to ask about a time you failed. I am hoping for an approach to this question that tells me how self aware you are, whether or not you own the failure. Bonus points if you learned from it and did differently in a similar situation later. 

I like to ask how you like to be managed. If I am hiring staff for a control freak manager, I want to know that the person I'm hiring will not be compelled to murder him or her because of their management style. If you hate to be micromanaged, convince me that you don't need to be. Be able to talk about your work style. How you operate. What keeps you engaged. Be honest with yourself and with the interviewer and avoid the bad marriage at this stage.

Be prepared to talk about things in which you take great pride. Some people struggle to do something that feels a lot like bragging. This is your chance to advertise. Practice talking about times when you were the MVP and get comfortable taking credit for your wins.

Be able to succinctly walk through your experiences, talk about what you accomplished, and defend anything that a recruiter is going to pounce on (gaps, layoffs, job hopping). Be confident and be clear about your reasons for all job changes and decisions. Those experiences are uniquely yours.

As an applicant, once I understand the job, I like to talk about a SWOT analysis (I usually go into troubled departments or companies) and how I'd develop a 30-60-90 day plan around the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats I uncover. I want to present as a problem solver - and a fearless one.  This is what I do. If it is not what you do, talk about what motivates you to put your feet on the floor and tackle the day. What do you bring to the organization? What problem will you take pride in solving?

When a job has become vacant, often there is some problem the interviewer is trying to solve with the hire. Was the last person that had the job a poor fit? Was there a difficult personality, a talent gap, a conflict in values? Is the manager extreme in some way and do they seek someone who complements that person's style? Or is there some unpopular aspect of the job that causes turnover? A clunky process or system that frustrates the team? You want to explore here --- I usually directly ask what problem they are trying to solve with this hire - what is the agenda?  You will either be the answer or you won't. They will be your answer or they won't. Knowing benefits the interviewer and interviewee equally.

In summary:

• On game day, make sure the technology part of the equation is locked down. Batteries are charged, lighting is flattering, cat is sequestered. If you are not wearing pants in the home office, remind yourself to stay seated.
• Know all you can about the company and do your homework. Ask around. Be a skeptical consumer; not all good news is good and not all bad news is bad. One person's trash can be another's treasure. All of this information gives you things to talk about.
• Most of all, know yourself, know what you can do, know your worth and know how to speak comfortably about all of it. You are your best advertisement.

Good luck. Break a leg.