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How to prepare for your Skype Interview

Establish a Skype interview in an appropriate environment

Firstly, believe where you’re going to have your Skype interview – your home office? Your bedroom? Your kitchen? Once you’ve selected the foremost appropriate room, believe what the interviewer will see in frame when looking behind you. Keep your background scene as clear as possible, as pictures on the wall or other objects can risk distracting the interviewer – their attention must be firmly on you. Also, confirm your surroundings are tidy and thus the lighting is nice.


Do a test Skype call the day before interview

The day before your Skype interview is because of happen , it’s always an honest idea to possess a test run. Organise a test call with a beloved or friend – this might confirm you are feeling confident using the technology, which the camera and microphone both work. Run through some interview questions and answers and ask the beloved or friend to provide you with any specific feedback.
Practice speaking your interview answers aloud and record yourself
It’ll probably feel strange doing this. However, video yourself speaking your interview answers aloud could also be an honest thanks to see for any points you’ll need to correct before the interview itself, like looking down an excessive amount of , poor communication , speaking too quietly or speaking too quickly. It also gives you a final opportunity to see your Skype settings, the lighting within the space and your communication. You won’t want to suddenly become aware of these issues during the interview itself, and risk looking ill-prepared and unprofessional as a result.

Make sure your Skype account is professional

The first thing that your interviewer will see is your Skype profile photo and username, so ensure both depict you during knowledgeable light. If you’ve got already got a personal Skype account, consider creating a separate account which you’ll use specifically for interviewing. you’ll even create a username associated with your profession.

Have notes and questions prepared

Before the interview, print off your CV and prepare inquiries to ask at the highest. Prepare individual points to put to a minimum of one side to use as springboards for conversation, or prompts. this might help limit the danger of being tempted to look down and simply read from your CV, thus not maintaining eye contact with the interviewer. On the day of your Skype interview.
Log in and acquire acknowledged before time you wouldn’t happen to a face-to-face interview seconds before it’s because of start, and thus an equivalent is true for Skype. confirm you start the program up and have everything in place a minimum of 10 minutes before the interview start time. this might confirm you’re ready and waiting when the interviewer dials in – the last item you’d wish to attempt to  is keep the interviewer waiting, and risk being perceived as unorganised and poor at managing a while .

Dress for fulfillment

Whilst you will be taking the Skype interview from the comfort of your house, you need to still dress as you’d for a face-to-face interview. If unsure, it’s always an honest idea to embellish as professionally as you will. Also, remember of what clothing are getting to be within the frame – as an example , if you decide to wear tracksuit bottoms and a shirt, you’ll regret it if you’d wish to face up!

Set your Skype presence status

You may have noticed from your previous use of Skype that a green dot appears next to your avatar once you’re online, indicating that you simply simply are active and available to contact. This happens automatically once you initially sign up .
However, it’s also possible to manually set your Skype presence status to ‘away’, ‘do not disturb’ or invisible any time you’d like . this could be invaluable for ensuring you are not disturbed by other calls coming in during your interview. you’ll further help to avoid any mid-interview distractions by closing any background browser tabs on your computer and switching your phone off just  in case of notifications.

Body language is crucial – even through the lens

First impressions are formed within the first seven seconds of somebody meeting you, so your communication features a strong part to play within the opinion your interviewer kinds of you as soon as they dial into the choice . So, during your Skype interview, confirm you look directly into the webcam once you speak and not at the screen – this might help maintain eye contact as if you were within the space . Maintaining eye contact will show the interviewer that you simply simply are listening and may assist you build rapport – making conversation flow more naturally. Also, remember to require a seat up straight and smile to means the interviewer that you simply simply are a confident communicator and are engaged within the interview process.

Be engaged when the interviewer is talking

So you need to show engagement when the interviewer is talking by nodding and agreeing. If you aren’t conversant in Skype interviews, having to look through a webcam and at a little Skype window may feel unnatural initially . So, you need to lookout to not encounter as too static and unnatural successively. Use hand gestures and animate your face and body in much the same way as you’d during a face-to-face conversation.

Be aware of any delay

During the Skype interview, you’ll encounter a delay or delay between the interviewer speaking and you hearing their words. If this happens, inform not speak over your interviewer and avoid speaking in long blocks. This might help the conversation to feel more natural. Take a look at the subsequent pointers so on assist avoid lag altogether; as an example , ensuring you’ve the strongest signal you will have by aged the brink of a modem or closing other applications on your computer.

Stay calm if the technology goes wrong

Despite all the preparation, practice and precautions that you simply  may deem your upcoming Skype interview, technology can always find the way to throw a spanner within the works. As an example, you will have issues alongside your internet connection or your microphone may start to play up. It’s important in these situations to stay calm. How you react when things don’t go as planned here can reveal to your employer your ability to calmly and proactively tackle difficult situations. Have a look at these common problems so you’ve an idea what you’d possibly come up against during the choice.



Follow up after the choice

This final step isn’t any smaller than it’s after a ‘regular’ interview. After the interview, send a quick email via your recruiter to say you enjoyed meeting them and learning more about the role and thus the corporate. Conclude the e-mail by saying that you simply anticipate to hearing from them and reinforce your interest within the role.



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