online job interviews Do's and Don'ts

How to Ace Your Skype Job Interviews

You are an interview veteran. You’ve charmed and impressed hiring managers, recruiters and even whole panels with your personality and spot-on answers. In a nutshell, you’re a confident son of a bitch and you know that you’ll walk into any interview and leave with a new job offer. Surprise!! Your invitation for the 1st job interview is this time on Skype or Google Hangout. Ooops…

Are you prepared for your skype job interview, or do you have a problem?  You’re not ‘walking’ in for your usual rock star performance. Instead, you are asked to invite your interviewer(s) into your own home. Bugger. How do you do it? The key is professionalism and remembering that in this situation, less is definitely more.

I have 5 online interview insights that will help you to shine in your new
“on-screen” performance and secure the job.

 

#1 Is your interviewing room clean?

  • I’m not asking about your life situation or whether you are a more relaxed and laid back type of person. Regardless, there could be any number of things that clutter your background. This could include beer bottles, toys, magazines, undies and other clothes, random pets and food. Make sure to tidy up and look incredibly clean – even if you’re not.
  • Do you need to vacuum?  It doesn’t hurt, but probably not for your online interview.  Don’t go nuts, just set the scene.

#2 Show me your best background!

  • Your bedroom is really a very bad choice and neither should you show me your kitchen or bathroom. Interviewing should never be about your personal life, so don’t force your interviewer(s) into seeing where you sleep, or where you read the newspaper…
  • Position yourself near a blank or possible even a white wall.  A white wall is best, but any will do. If covered in wallpaper, just make sure it’s not something embarrassing.
  • Pictures are ok.  Just make sure it’s nothing too personal or embarrassing. A TV in the background is OK as long as it’s turned off. Inspector Rex or the Sales Channel with the new Ab Flex during your Marketing Communications interview won’t help you get the job.
  • Get a proper chair.  Please don’t sit on a couch, a bean bag, and don’t sit on your friend. Just a normal and comfortable chair.

 

#3 Come prepared!

  • You may not need to wear a full suit and tie. It all depends on the company and the position, but look good to feel good. I always suggest ‘smart casual’ unless full business attire would be expected.
  • Groom yourself.  Go get a haircut, trim your beard, put some make up on and clip your finger nails…the works. Yes I am not kidding, do your fingernails. You would be surprised how often you end up touching your own face during an online interview.
  • Nothing annoys interviewers more than wasting time at the start of the session with “Can you hear me? – I can see you! – Can you see me?” tech scrambles. Please Prepare for skype job interviews Test your gear and your audio and video settings or the interview is over before it even started.   Ensure to clean your browser and even your history. Your interviewers may ask you to share your screen and it won’t be pretty if you have your latest e-harmony chat window open. Enough said.
  • Oh, and this one is my personal favourite. Don’t risk it, wear nice pants.  Something may happen that requires you to stand up.  Maybe you’ll forget something, or the interviewer(s) ask you to go get a piece of paper.  It would be pretty silly to have to show that the top half of you is dressed nicely while you’re wearing beat up sweat pants or only your funky knickers. I have seen a few surprises online and they were not pretty.

 

#4 It’s your interview – keep your friends out!

  • Mute your mobile, TV and any other devices.  Enough said.
  • Have I mentioned this before? Make sure other people are pretty much nowhere to be found and that includes your children, your mother and anyone who could rock up and disturb your interview.
  • Put a note up on your front door that asks neighbours to refrain from ringing the doorbell.  Too much? Nope, it’s a job interview.  Don’t blow it with annoying disturbances.

 

#5 Repeat – It’s your job interview!

Hey, you might be 27 and living at home with your parents, but your interviewer doesn’t need to know that.

  • Maybe you have kids.  If so, get a baby sitter for an hour or two and make sure that the only crying (at least in ear-shot) during the interview is from an extremely happy interviewer after you impress the hell out of them.
  • Pets need to be out of view.  Keep the barking dog, your charming cat, or your ferrets in a cage in another room or with your neighbour – just to be safe.

So, no matter how much of a rock star you may be in real life, online interviewing is a completely different game when you bring the potential employer into your house for the interview.  Follow the guidelines above, and let your natural charming interviewing skills take over.  You’ll do just fine. Do your best as always and remember to hunt wisely!

Uli

Have you ever had to interview via live video?  What was your experience?  Share this blog post or comment to help other Job Hunters. Sharing is caring!