I am prepping for a Skype interview later today (Note to my interviewee:
this is not about you.). I am not a big
fan of Skype for interviews as the technology is still not where it needs to be
for an accurate evaluation of a candidate.
Variables are injected that should not be part of the evaluation process,
such as equipment quality, internet connections, and thunderstorms.
But for an initial one-hour interview, Skype is a great
alternative to a cross-country flight, providing time and expense savings for
the candidate, the client and me. It provides
that “face-to-face” contact many clients and candidates want, without the
accompanying bill. Reading facial expressions during an interview is a critical
component. A poorly structured question
will be immediately apparent when the candidate silently expresses “what the
heck” with a facial expression. And it
works in the candidate’s favor when an answer is off the mark. A simple phone call does not provide this
instant feedback.
So, how do we make the best of a Skype interview? A few key elements come to mind.
Hardware problems are the number one issue when it comes to
a smooth meeting. In advance of an
upcoming meeting, verify that you are properly registered with a video
conferencing service and that your account is active. Skype is used in our office but there are
several other options. Test your camera
and the microphone by calling a friend.
In testing the equipment, make sure the camera is in focus. You do not want the angle of the sun to
transform you into a celestial creature.
Take a look at your own background in your video feed. If you are interviewing from home and have
posters of rock stars or football players on the wall behind you, think about
taking them down or relocating your computer.
The background should not in any way attract the attention of the
interviewer. Keep it neutral and, if
possible, professional.
Turn all phones off so you are not tempted to answer an
incoming call or a text.
Your appearance may be slightly more casual in a video
interview as it would be in an office meeting.
My usual suggestion is to wear a suit for personal interviews. On a video call, wearing a collared shirt
with a tie should be sufficient. For
women, any type of blouse/sweater that would be appropriate in an office
environment will work. The good news is
that you only have to concern yourself with the upper half of your body. (If you decide to wear jeans, remember NOT to
stand up during the interview.)
Be prepared to work
the camera. Just like a TV reporter must
focus on the camera when speaking, you must also. When you are talking, look directly into the
camera at the top of your monitor, not at the picture on your monitor. To look at the monitor is the equivalent of
looking off into space when you are directly addressing the interviewer. Eye contact with the interviewer in this case
means eye contact with the camera.
It is critical to be yourself, but a controlled version of
yourself. Excessive looking around,
fidgeting with your hair, nervous smiling or outbursts of laughter will be
extremely noticeable on your “computer face” and may be perceived
negatively. Once you have begun the
video interview, the normal rules of interviewing engagement are in play. Focus on the task on hand and not the toys on
your desk.
In some cases, the internet gods intervene and destroy the
connection. Don’t panic as this never
reflects on the candidate. Everyone
knows the technology is imperfect.
If you cannot understand the interviewer because of poor
sound quality, mention it immediately so the problem can be rectified if
possible, before important misunderstandings occur. If the picture is not clear enough to easily
see facial expression, it is not worth being tied to the camera. Simply tell the interviewer of the
issue. At this point, arrange a phone
call and make the best of the forced alternative.
A video interview is a convenient, but less than ideal
alternative to a personal meeting when pursuing an opportunity. In the case of a geographically distant candidate,
it may be the only avenue into a process that might normally not be
afforded.
And now I am off to have my make-up retouched for my video session.
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