Irina Davydova

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When hiring employees, the employer can use completely different forms of interviews, they depend on the realities of today, and on the tasks that the company recruiting employees sets for itself, and even on the ingenuity and progressiveness of the person organizing the recruitment. Skype interview has become one of the modern forms of interviewing.

Features of a Skype interview: the pros and cons of a Skype interview when applying for a job

Skype interviews, as a modern version of the interview when hiring employees, have been used quite recently, but it popularity is growing , one might say, every month.


Currently 10-15% Russian companies using skype interviews. For example, in the United States, such a progressive form of interview is already used by 72% of companies .

Most recruiters are convinced that in the near future Skype interviews will become a part of the work of all companies and will become the standard form of job interviews. That is why already now we, as job seekers, should pay attention to this interview format and prepare well for it in the future.

What are Pros and cons of skype interviews for the job seeker and employer?

The main advantages of Skype interview when applying for a job:

• Significant time savings: even if your potential job is in another city, you can participate in the interview without leaving anywhere, and even without leaving your home.
• Skype interview saves you money too– no need to spend money on the road and take a vacation at your current place of work at your own expense to travel to an interview.
• The third plus of a Skype interview is closely related to the first two: between you and the employer, it’s just there are no territorial boundaries. You can apply for a position in a company located in another city, or even in another country.
• To skype interview just get access and easily prepare for it.
• Preparing for an online interview You decide which territory you will be in- it will provide you with comfort and self-confidence.
• If, during a conversation with an employer, you suddenly realize that this job is not for you, Skype interviews are much easier to complete(but, of course, using the rules of business etiquette).
• It is unlikely that during an online interview, the employer will be able to apply tactics.

Disadvantages of an online interview with a potential employer:

• The quality and the fact of conducting an online interview directly depend on the state of technical devices you and your employer. For example, if there is a problem with the Internet for one of the parties, the interview simply cannot take place.
• Skype job interview will not allow you to fully assess the place of work, the situation in the company , the mood of the team and the boss, the true state of affairs in the office - what you could see during a face-to-face interview in the company.
• Home environment around you does not allow you to fully create a working mood for an interview , and many things - such as the sudden arrival of guests or a knock on the door - can simply interfere with the interview.
• For many people a serious test is communication with strangers at a distance through a webcam.

Read also:.


As with any other interview, an online interview requires prepare carefully subject to certain rules:

• Skype interview must be agreed in advance so that you have time to prepare for it. If you are offered to talk about a vacancy immediately and without preparation, it is better to refuse this interview, in any case it will not be in your favor.
• After agreeing on an interview time with the employer organize the technical bases your upcoming interview. If you have not used Skype before, download the program to your computer and register in it, select a photo for your avatar. It is worth noting that your login should be short, serious and adequate in a businesslike way - names like pupsik, bunny, wild_fuftik will not work.
• Add the employer's contact to your list in advance.
• Shortly before the online interview, we recommend check the connection again by calling one of your friends on Skype.
• Choose Your Interview Clothes Carefully. Having a conversation from home does not mean that you can appear in front of the camera in a frivolous T-shirt or an old jumper. Your composure even during a Skype interview, according to the business style of clothes and hairstyles, the employer will appreciate positively, which will be a plus for you when applying for a job. Read also:.
• When dressing for an online interview, remember that you you may find yourself in a funny situation, if the camera suddenly falls or you suddenly need to get up for the necessary documents, and you are in a strict blouse and jacket, combined with shorts or home “training shoes”.
• Carefully prepare the room for the Skype interview. The light should not be too strong because of your back, otherwise the interlocutor will see only your dark silhouette on the screen. Make sure that the lamp on the table or the light from the window illuminates your face well.
• There should be no flickering children in the background or pets, things carelessly thrown on the sofa, a table with dirty dishes, etc. It would be better if you sit against the background of one of the walls (preferably without a carpet) so that unnecessary things do not appear in the picture on the employer's monitor.
• All relatives should be warned about the time of your online interview., inviting them to take a walk during this period on the street or sit in another room, closing the doors tightly.
• Turn off the doorbell during the interview, mobile and landline phones, turn off the radio and TV.
• Everything you need for an interview should be at your fingertips.. Put all your documents, certificates, diplomas, printed resumes and recommendations near the computer. Have a pen and notepad ready to take notes during the interview.
• If you are very nervous before an interview Write down the questions you want to ask your employer not to forget them. Place in front of you also all the necessary information written on paper, if you do not rely on your memory: dates of graduation, specialty and names of universities, dates of specializations, etc.
• If during a Skype interview the call is suddenly interrupted, then, according to the rules of business etiquette, The caller should call back.
• Try to rehearse your speech beforehand. In Skype interviews, try to speak smoothly, correctly. Sometimes employers prefer to make a video recording of an interview via Skype, so that they can review it again with other employees of the company, so you should avoid reservations, hitches, slang or colloquial words, as well as an informal style of communication in your speech as much as possible.

As a rule, job candidates who are interested in an online interview are then invited to a traditional, face-to-face interview to the company office.

Thus, a Skype interview allows the employer to determine the range of suitable candidates in advance, and for the applicant to take a closer look at the company.

But is everything so simple when applying for a job via Skype, is this method suitable for everyone and in which companies can you be offered such an alternative to a face-to-face meeting?

What is it, and to whom can it be offered?

A Skype interview is an online version of the usual conversation with a manager or HR, when both parties are remotely conducting a job interview via video link.

Why choose this mode of communication? There are two possible answers here:

Pros and cons

Like any type of communication, the Skype interview has its strengths for both parties, and the disadvantages that we would like to eliminate in order for this communication option between the employer and the employee to be ideal.

Let's start with the advantages of this type of interview:

However, if everything were so smooth, everyone would be happy to use these types of communication, and in Russia only 15% of companies are positive about Skype interviews. Interestingly, in the US, already ¾ of all interviews are done this way.

What are the problems with this method of communication?

This type of interview will seem new to someone and may take you by surprise. In order to prevent this from happening, below we will give recommendations to both the employer and the candidate.

Employer

It is naive to assume that all you need to do to successfully interview is run the program and talk to the applicant. Like any type of interview, Skype calls require preparation and knowledge of how to make such a conversation successful.

• Outwardly, such an interview is no different from the usual face-to-face interview: the same questions are asked, the communication itself takes place in an official business format.
• The employer should note how the applicant is holding and looking. This interview can relax a person, so it is important to note how he behaves in conditions when he has a certain freedom.

  Also pay attention to what surrounds the applicant: the background of the interview can tell a lot about the person's personality.

• Like the applicant, HR needs to create a calm environment for the interview so that no one and nothing distracts his attention from communicating with the candidate.
• Ask the applicant in advance to provide all the necessary information about him, have all his data with you so that you do not have to leave your computer.

Applicant

Now, let's talk about how to pass a Skype interview for a job seeker? For those who are applying for a job via Skype, there are several tips that will help you communicate successfully and easily.

Specific questions

No, nothing special, no matter what you are asked in person, will not be asked on Skype either.

Conclusion

HR specialists are confident that we, following the US, will come to the conclusion that interviews will most often take place on Skype, since most people are familiar with these technologies, and they minimize both the time and cost of interviews.

The only problem may be the technical quality of the connection, and if it is good, then the interview itself will go exactly the same as a face-to-face meeting.

Typically, the interview is conducted during a personal meeting between the manager and the applicant. But another more modern form is also possible - a remote conversation. How to pass a Skype interview and get a job?

Advantages and disadvantages of such an interview

Conducting a Skype interview has its own characteristics. First, it is worth listing the advantages of this form:

• Such an interview allows you to save money and time, because you do not need to go anywhere: just turn on the computer and start a conversation. And this advantage is especially true if the main office of the company is located in another city.
• Relative ease of communication. Some people find it much easier to communicate remotely than in person. Firstly, you will be able to hide the defects in appearance, since you will not be seen entirely. Secondly, the employer will not notice signs of a stressful condition, such as a rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, and so on. Thirdly, you will not feel the presence of an opponent.
• The employer will not have the opportunity to create a stressful situation, that is, to conduct a so-called stress interview, which scares many applicants.
• You can immediately and quickly send all the necessary files, such as copies of documents, resumes, and so on.
• With such an interview, it is much easier to end the conversation if you realize that the vacancy is not interesting for you. It is enough to express your opinion, say goodbye and switch off.
• Being able to be in your familiar home environment can help you be more confident.

There are also disadvantages:

• You will not have the opportunity to assess the conditions in which you will probably have to work: office interior, cabinets, and so on.
• The quality of the connection can interfere with a full conversation: problems will degrade the picture and sound, causing you to miss important moments.
• At home, many feel relaxed, and this can play a cruel joke, for example, prevent them from being serious.
• If you do not have experience with this form of communication, then the interview can be a real stress for you, because you will find yourself in an unfamiliar situation and will not know how to behave.

How to get a job?

How to pass a Skype interview? Some believe that it is practically no different from a normal personal conversation with an employer, but this is not entirely true. And so just answering questions is not all it takes to get a job. You should take into account the features of such an interview and follow some rules. All the most important will be discussed below.

Start with preparation

The first thing to do is get ready:

1. First, you should agree with the employer on the day and exact time of the interview, so that at this moment you can be at home and free yourself from all business.
2. Then evaluate the health of the equipment. Check the microphone, analyze the video quality. Troubleshoot any problems found in advance. If you don't have a personal computer or webcam, you can borrow these from a friend or go to an Internet cafe.
3. Now prepare your account, because it will also affect the employer's impression of you. Instead of a funny “nickname”, use your real last name and first name. As an avatar, it is better to set a photo of good quality, and restrained, and not the one in which you are having fun at a party. Include the information that you may need, but keep everything personal to yourself.

Choose and prepare a place

With your equipment and Skype account ready, it's time to choose and maintain the location where you will be during the interview. Some go to a restaurant or cafe, but a conversation in such a crowded place may not go as it should, because you and the interlocutor will be distracted by extraneous sounds. So it's best to stay at home. But if you live with your family in a one-room apartment, and there is no way to be alone, then you can rent an apartment or a hotel room for an hour or two.

Place selected? Prepare it. First, choose a neutral background. So, you can sit with your back to an empty wall, if, of course, it looks normal, and not peeled or painted. There may also be bookshelves behind you. Secondly, create sufficient and optimal lighting. Direct the light so that you can be clearly seen, but at the same time the rays do not fall into the eyes and do not blind you. Also, try not to highlight your flaws.

Now organize your workspace. A computer or laptop can be placed on a desk, and you'd better sit in a comfortable chair. Everything you need should be in the access zone: documents, a notebook and a pen, a glass of water in case of stress, and so on.

Get yourself in order

Your appearance matters. It’s definitely not worth it to go through an interview in casual clothes, even if you are at home. Create a business or at least a discreet look, that is, make a set of a light top and a dark bottom. It is better to put on comfortable, but elegant shoes, because you will probably have to stand up and show yourself in full growth. One way or another, all things must be clean and ironed, otherwise the employer will perceive you as a sloppy and sloppy person.

The girl should do a discreet make-up. It is enough to even out the tone of the face, make up the eyelashes and moisturize the lips. The hairstyle should be neat: you can loosen and style your hair (but so that it does not fall on your face and does not distract you), collect it in an elegant ponytail or bun. And they must be washed!

We build the right conversation

What to say during a Skype interview. As a rule, the conversation takes place in the form of "question and answer", and you need to competently and thoughtfully answer the questions of the employer. But you should also ask your own so that the opponent sees interest. You can pre-compose the text in the form of a short story about yourself or an oral summary.

Equally important is how you speak. Words should be clear, thoughts should be clearly and competently stated. Speak loudly enough and confidently, choose the right intonation. Take your time, but don't speak too slowly: choose a medium speed. Pause after phrases to allow the other person to ask questions. Check back periodically. And do not make lyrical digressions or joke, this is inappropriate.

• Choose an appropriate pose. It is best to sit up straight and put your hands on the table or on your knees. You should not cross your legs, prop your chin with your hand.
• If the interview is with a foreigner, then practice in advance to improve the pronunciation of words. Also, keep a dictionary next to you to translate unfamiliar words (remember to apologize when doing so). And it is better to learn the most common phrases in order to avoid getting into an awkward position.
• Check everything again 10-20 minutes before the interview.

It remains only to wish all applicants a successful interview and get a job.

Every year, advanced technologies enter our lives at a rapid pace. Today, they are used not only to search for information or entertainment, but are also widely used in business.

Large firms and corporations interested in developing their business are increasingly using new methods and forms in the selection of personnel. Among them is a Skype interview, through which you can organize voice, text or video communication over the Internet and successfully conduct an online interview with a potential employee.

The main advantages of Skype interview

Five years ago, job interviews were conducted exclusively at a personal meeting between the employer and the applicant. However, today, in the era of new technologies, many leaders are moving away from this principle and increasingly prefer online communication. And the more solid and larger the company, the higher the likelihood that you will be offered a Skype interview.

The high growth in popularity of using a computer program in recruitment is explained by the fact that online interviews using modern web technologies come with visual contact, in which, in good communication, you can study and evaluate a potential employee as carefully as in a personal meeting. For both the employer and the applicant, a Skype interview has many advantages. In particular, it allows:

• participate in interviews with candidates from different regions;
• weed out unsuitable candidates before a face-to-face meeting;
• save time and money on travel, accommodation and meals;
• provide psychological comfort to the applicant, who during the conversation will not be in an unfamiliar office, but at home.

How to successfully answer questions online?

A Skype interview is the first step on the way to your dream job. Although it is not conducted live and excludes personal contact with the head or HR manager, in order to successfully pass such interviews, it is necessary to prepare for them in advance. Of course, there is no universal formula for a successful Skype interview, however, if you follow simple but very important tips, then your chances of success will be much higher than other candidates.

• Tip #1: Create a Skype account

Skype is no longer a novelty in the world of computer technology. However, if it happens that you do not have an account in this program, do not tell your potential employer about it, as it is very quick and easy to register.

When creating a profile on Skype, try to choose the right name for yourself. Do not use a flashy nickname (such as "love", "koketka", etc.) so that you do not have to blush when asked for it.

• Tip #2: Prepare Your Equipment

Video communication with a potential employer necessarily requires preliminary preparation and equipment setup, because, as they say, technology is capricious. Therefore, in order to avoid hitches and force majeure situations, check the Internet status in advance, turn on the program and make sure that you are “online” and that the microphone and camera are working without failures. When talking online, clear sound and a good image are very important, which will allow both you and your interlocutor to feel comfortable and not ask the same question several times.

• Tip #3: Prepare a place to socialize

Do not think that during the conversation the interlocutor will look exclusively at you. On the other side of the screen, the background will also be visible, i.e. the environment you are in. Therefore, make sure that the place for communication looks neat in advance. There should be no clutter in the background, no personal belongings, indiscreet photographs, or any other odd objects.

• Tip #4: Take care of your appearance

Despite the fact that many modern people deny the folk wisdom that “they meet by clothes, but see off by mind”, you should take care of your appearance.

Skype interview - this is a regular meeting, however, online. So forget about jeans and shorts and make your choice in favor of business attire. And do not think that it is enough to wear a blouse and sweatpants that will not be visible on the other side of the screen. During a Skype conversation, a situation can always arise when you have to get up (take a pen, notepad, documents, raise your camera, etc.), and then you will find yourself in an awkward position.

• Tip #5: Speak right

• Tip #6: Make sure you don't get distracted

To fully focus on the conversation, make sure that nothing distracts you from the interview. To do this, turn off the phone, ask loved ones not to disturb you and keep quiet, remove pets from the room. Remember, only you were invited to the interview, not your entire family.

• Tip #7: Everything is at your fingertips

You may need to write something down during a Skype business conversation, so you should make sure you have a pen and paper handy. Also put your resume, portfolio, references and other documents on the table. This will allow you to quickly provide all the information.

• Tip #8: Control Your Non-Verbal Behavior

The first step to a successful online interview is getting yourself in the right emotional and mental state, so try to control your non-verbal behavior. If in stressful situations you have a habit of tapping your fingers on the table or fiddling with your earlobe, try to occupy your hands with something else, such as a pencil or pen. Avoid strong gestures and try to act calmly, but at the same time, do not forget about facial expressions and emotions. Interviewers are people too, they understand that you are worried, and will feel more sympathy for you if you smile and respond kindly to the questions posed.

• Tip #9: Map answers to common questions

Of course, there are no identical interviews. During the dialogue, the future boss has the right to ask the applicant any questions and create unforeseen situations in order to check the emotional state and professional skills of a potential employee. And yet, as practice shows, there are a number of questions, the answers to which every leader wants to hear. Therefore, be prepared that the recruiting manager will be interested in:

• your virtues;
• work experience;
• reasons for leaving a previous job;
• reasons for choosing this position;
• your dream and purpose in life;
• family status.

It is best to prepare the answers to such questions in advance, because the probability of hearing them during the interview is extremely high.

• Tip #10: Be yourself

And the last advice - in any situation, try to behave with dignity and remain yourself, do not pay attention to the behavior of your interlocutor, answer honestly and truthfully, and then you will certainly succeed. In this case, it will not be difficult for you to pass the interview!

More and more companies go to home-office, and more and more employees go to freelance. Moreover, remote work is no longer considered an extremely rare phenomenon. Often, interviews take place in several stages, the last of which is communication via Skype. We will tell you how to make a good impression on the interlocutor and get a dream job.

1. Schedule a precise time for communication

One of the main advantages of Skype is that it is impossible to be late for a meeting. Be sure to install the messenger on your phone and you can chat with the employer from anywhere in the world. But, nevertheless, punctuality has not been canceled.

2. Agree on how to deal with force majeure

Be sure to agree in advance the time it will take for the interview, specify who will make the call, and do not forget to exchange other contacts in case of force majeure. For example, you can ask for a contact number or request access to another application.

3. Check the quality of the connection in advance

You must be well heard and seen, otherwise the interview will turn into constant asking and calling back. Also make sure the background is neutral. If you are at home, hold the conversation in a closed room; if in a cafe, find a quiet place.

4. Enter real data in your profile

It's hard to take someone with the nickname "Cat Lover" or, even worse, "SexyGirl" seriously. This also applies to your profile picture. It is better if it is the same photo as the one on the resume. The ideal option is business style. To some, this may seem like a trifle, but it is precisely from such subtleties that the first impression is formed.

5. Turn on video calling

A Skype interview is exactly the same as a face-to-face interview. That is why you should not neglect the video. The only exception may be if you lose connection because of this. In all other situations, turn on the camera.

6. Show yourself

In the online space, it is more difficult to get an idea of ​​​​a person. Therefore, speak clearly and loudly, prepare a list of questions that you would like to ask the employer in advance, keep links to your resume and portfolio handy. Feel free to clarify once again everything that concerns future work.

7. Don't be verbose

Try to be specific. If you can step aside a little in a personal meeting, it’s difficult to have long small talk over Skype. Your task is to describe your work experience in as much detail as possible.

8. Be mindful of the dress code

Try to look presentable even at home, because you want to make a positive impression. And do not wear a jacket on home clothes. You may have to stand up during the interview and the employer will see your pajama shorts.

9. Be ready 20 minutes before the scheduled time

The recruiter may have some free time, and he will call you a little earlier than the stated time. It’s worth being fully prepared: ask your family to leave the room, get rid of excess noise and check the headset again.

10. Stay out of sight

If you didn't get a call back and didn't get the results of the interview on time, don't be afraid to be the first to make contact. Perhaps unforeseen circumstances arose, or they want to offer you a different position.

11. Work on mistakes

A terrible thing happened: you were denied. Contrary to your beliefs, this is not the end of the world. But be sure to work on the bugs. Arrange an interview with a few friends - maybe you are doing something that you yourself do not notice. For example, many people constantly watch themselves on a small screen.

Be confident and you will get the job of your dreams!