Skype Interviews and Digital Interviewing

You've got an interview scheduled, and they tell you that it's going to be on Skype. No problem, right? Wrong. Each interview setting has different etiquette, and Skype interviews are no exception.  The three common types of interviews include in-person, phone, and video interviews. While some of the tips for preparing for a phone interview are similar to those for a Skype interview, like slowing down your speech and articulating, there is advice that differs for how to prepare for and behave in the interview. In this post I will highlight how to ace a Skype interview.

"Don't be too close to the camera!"
Source

Where to Skype?
What's unique about Skype interviews is that you are in two venues at the same time. Through your computer screen, you are in the same room as the recruiter, and the recruiter is in the place you've decided to take your Skype call. What's interesting about Skype calls is that according to your choice of setting for the interview, the recruiter can learn different things about you. According to the American Marketing Association, it is important to chose an appropriate setting for your interview. There are several different options that could be potential areas for digital interviews. What remains constant is that you need to find a quiet place with a door, where you won't be interrupted, and that won't distract your interviewer. 

1. Tisch Library- Good news, anyone with a Tufts account can reserve study/conference rooms for up to 3 hours through Tufts Space and Resources Reservation System. This is an easy way to make sure that you have a guaranteed quiet room for your Skype interview.
2. Career Center- Interviews are conducted everyday in the interview and tutoring rooms just outside the Career Center in Dowling.  You must reserve a room with the Career Center front desk.
3. Dorm Room/Apartment Room- Your room can reveal a lot about you to a recruiter, especially since it's a personal place. I wouldn't recommend doing a Skype interview in your room, but if you must, make sure your room is clean and you have a plain wall behind you.

Mock Skype Interviews
Prior to having a Skype interview you should have a mock Skype interview. I've mentioned in previous posts how important mock interviews are for interview preparation, but did you know you can schedule a mock Skype interview with the Career Center? There are key differences between an in-person interview and a Skype call. For example, your eye contact may be thrown off because you're looking at the screen rather than the camera. It's a good idea to schedule a mock interview to make sure you are comfortable on screen and ready to accommodate the nuances of Skype calls. In fact, you should try to replicate the environment for any type of interview that you have: phone, video, in-person. . . Here are some tips for interviewing through Skype:

1. Make sure you're centered on screen
2. Don't be too close to the camera. The employer should be able to see you from the chest up.
3. Try and have a plain backdrop to avoid distracting the interviewer
4. Try and look at the camera when you speak, or to help match eye contact place the Skype window directly under the camera to give the illusion you are looking at the recruiter
5. Close all other windows during the call, and mute e-mails/iMessages
6. Make sure your phone is off!

Prepare
Preparing for a Skype interview still calls for the traditional practice associated with in-person interviewing. For example, you still need to dress up! According to Forbes' tips for a Skype interview you should avoid wearing patterned or woven clothing, as this could appear grainy on the screen and distract the interviewer. It might be tempting to dress up the upper half of your body, as it's unlikely that the interviewer will see your bottom half through the Skype call. However, you should dress up head to toe! Not only does this put you in the mindset of being in a face-to-face interview, but if you have to get up for any reason you won't be embarrassed by the interviewer seeing your pajama pants.  Another "preparation" tip is to ensure that your Skype profile picture is not unprofessional - while it doesn't have to be the head shot that is usually recommended for LinkedIn, it shouldn't be anything inappropriate.

"Make sure you're centered in the Skype call"
Source

Setting Up Your Computer
Using Skype technology for an interview could results in a few tech glitches affecting the quality of the interview. It's important to familiarize yourself with Skype's video and audio settings.  Give yourself enough time prior to the interview, like 30 minutes, to set up and test settings so the call goes smoothly and you are prepared if something goes wrong. Some common issues that could pop up is not being able to see the interviewer or the interviewer doesn't see you. Make sure that your camera is turned on in the application on your computer. Make sure the employer can hear you, and let the interviewer know that you can hear them.

"Make sure there are no glitches in the call before the interview starts!"

Skype interviews are becoming more and more popular for employers.  It is very likely that as a college student you have a digital interview in your future. It used to be that the initial or pre-screen interview was a phone call, but with Skype and video interviewing options like HireVue, where you answer pre-recorded questions on video, employers have a better chance of feeling like they really got to know you.

Make sure you prepare accordingly for Skype interviews, and it's better to get acquainted with it now rather than later. Hope everyone is staying warm, Spring is in our future regardless of how long Boston snow banks linger and try and prove it otherwise.

Carpe Diem,

Nicole Brooks
Class of 2016

Read More

My Experience with the Job Hunt: Part 1

I might seem like some slick career-expert, but I had entered this academic year—warned as the year for job-prowling and networking—entirely clueless. I had gone through the charade of internship-hunting before, but considering every position was for 2-3 months, it all felt much simpler. This was the first time I had experienced the full job process---the 6-person interviews, the carefully worded follows ups, the agonizing waiting game, and the constant ups and downs.

I thought I’d take the time to share a personal job-applying saga. Like so many, the experience was both exhilarating and nerve-wrecking, both inspiring and draining. And it was challenging, every step of the way. But more than anything, it was a tremendous learning experience, one that undoubtedly boosted my confidence and prepared me for what’s left to come.

This particular opportunity---an entry-level position at an online marketing company---came rather unexpectedly. The story harks back to the October Tufts Career Fair, where I had casually handed my resume to a number of attending employers. Eying the piles of resumes stacked on each booth, I hadn’t thought much of it. A few weeks later, I received a surprising email on my phone; my resume had been passed on to the marketing department, and I seemed like a good fit for its two-year rotational program. The hiring process started now.

This particular instance was rare in the sense that I didn’t technically apply. In an unexpected twist, my resume was sent out first, and the opportunity seemed to magically materialize right after. But it goes to show the benefits of just getting your name and resume out there, to as many people as possible. Somebody might just come upon your accomplishment list and present you with an opportunity.

The first step of this process was to complete an analytical exercise, due the following week. It required thinking analytically about online marketing rates and organizing data through excel. It took some time—I think it was my first time using a calculator in four years, embarrassingly—but the exercise soon became less daunting. I filled it out to the best of my ability and emailed it to the HR coordinator.

Soon after, I was asked to have a Skype interview, which would take place in January over winter break. I would meet with two employers for 15 minutes each. As so wisely instructed by Career Services, I researched the company online, parsed through its website, and did some behind-the-scenes employer research on Linkedin. This was my first Skype interview, and I didn’t know what to expect. I was worried about staticky connections, video malfunctions, and my forgetful family barging into my room. I imagined the staff judging me for my green-and-pink flowered wallpaper and stuffed-animal filled bed. Most of all, I was concerned that the employer might not get the same sense of me over a flat, impersonal computer screen.

My first Skype interview—like so many anticipated experiences—was more relaxed than I’d expected. The second employer couldn’t make it, so I talked to just one representative for 20 minutes. He asked me no trick questions, but instead went over my resume, asking me about my experience, interests, and education. I expanded on my relevant work experiences, praying they sounded impressive, and even spoke briefly about my favorite and least favorite classes. Considering it was my first “real” interview in a while, I had no idea how it went. I was delightfully surprised when I received a prompt email a few days later, inviting me to Skype with three more company reps a week later.

By the time next Friday rolled around, I felt more confident sitting in front of my computer. I had further explored the company and its high-tech website, expecting this round to be more challenging and analytical. And it many ways, it was. Each interviewer dived deeper into my background, pushing me to not only describe my experiences, but offer specific examples and scenarios. They wanted to know how I worked, both independently and in a team, and how I thought—creatively, strategically, and analytically. They asked me how I deal with stress, to share my most challenging experience, and to tell of a time I didn’t agree with a partner. I was also asked, surprisingly more than once, to talk about the work experience I found least rewarding. I had prepared a few answers for some thornier questions (eg. tell me about a time you solved a conflict), but many required me to think on my feet.

When I thought I was actually getting this whole Skype-thing, my video malfunctioned on my second interview. But I forced myself not to flip out. After repeatedly apologizing to the hiring coordinator (who could only hear my voice at that point, thank god), I ran out to the living-room and snatched my friend’s computer. And all was fine from there. In fact, the whole thing oddly eased me up, and the two of us had something to joke about (hopelessly unpredictable technology is apparently a good icebreaker).

That night, I was invited into the office for the final-round of the interview process. I would finally meet employers face-to-face, rather through my slowly malfunctioning computer, and I could finally show hirers my real, off-screen personality. I was incredibly excited to have come this far.

Read More