Preparing for a skype interview

Preparing for a skype interview

 

If you are thinking of relocating to the beautiful Sunny Coast, you need to ensure you are comfortable completing an interview over skype.

Skype interviews can be scary as you don’t have the face to face communication, and can feel a bit of a disconnect, this is why you should follow the below steps to ensure by the time you get to interview stage you are more than comfortable to communicate this way!

1. Practice speaking on skype – if you have never used skype previously, use your friends to practice, rather than calling them, skype / facetime them. This will get you used to the feeling of speaking to someone over video. Ask them to mock interview you, make sure you do this mock interview in the space you would if it were a real interview, that way any distractions that might crop up you are aware of and can minimise beforehand
2. Don’t be afraid of the silence, sometimes skype / facetime can have a lag, you will need to get used to this and be aware not to try and fill in silence gaps with chatter as the interview can then get confusing. When the interview begins, make your interviewer aware that there sometimes can be a lag, that way they are also aware to give each other time to answer.
3. Make sure you are aware of how skype works, if suddenly your screen flips around and is showing your interviewer a blank wall, make sure you know how to reverse this, also how to turn up the volume and use your microphone. Technical difficulties are always understandable but always tried to be as prepared as possible.
4. Write all your questions down before the interview starts, at the end, the interviewer will ask you if you have any questions for them. Be clear and concise when speaking, again there may be a lag on their end so make sure you are patient with their answers. If you are ever unsure of something that has just been said, ask them to repeat themselves. Being honest and asking them to repeat themselves because unfortunately they just cut out is better than going away with wrong / no information.
5. Choose where your skype interview takes place very carefully! If you have children, pets, brothers, sisters, parents, significant others, ensure they are aware that you must not be disturbed. Being in a skype interview can take away the personal feeling of a face to face interview, so, when you have the interviewers whole hearted attention you want to keep it. If a distraction comes in the room, the flow of the interview will stop, and it is hard to regain.

As always, in any interview BE CONFIDENT! Show them that interviewing over skype is no big deal to you as you are happy to use any means of technology to get the job you want. Don’t be put off by lag, be clear with your communication and follow the skype interview up with an email saying how much you enjoyed it.