Lindsey Plewa an Associate Director of Career Advising at the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch. She provides career coaching services to MBA and MS students and designs programming aimed at meeting their career growth needs.
Job applications are not the only part of the job hunt that’s going digital. Interviewing has increasingly moved into the virtual space as well with tools like Zoom, Google Hangouts, and Skype.
During a recent interview with prospective MBA student, and instead of listening to the candidate’s pitch, I was distracted by the fluffy, hot pink throw pillows she had in the background. As video interviews become more popular with employers looking for ease and efficiency, job seekers should consider the following tips when interviewing over Skype or another video platform.
- Dress for success. Whether you’re in the room or on video, it’s still an interview. Dress the same as if you were meeting in person.
- Location, location, location. Carefully consider where the interview is taking place. Ask yourself – what else can the interviewer see? Are you sure you want them to see that? Remember, the simpler, the better.
- Don’t be camera shy. Look straight at the camera when you’re speaking. Though it’s tempting to look at the interviewer on your screen, they want to see your eyes – not your eyelids.
- Assume the right position. Don’t sit too close to the camera so they only see your face. The shot should show you from the waist up.
- Use your words. Never use emojis or emoticons when messaging the interviewer. Not before. Not after.
- Be photo ready. If using Skype, upload a professional looking photo as your Skype profile picture. Your profile photo should be consistent across the social media accounts you use professionally. Note: most career services offices are now offering LinkedIn headshots for free!
- Timing is everything. You wouldn’t be late for an in-person interview. Don’t be late for a video interview. If you’re running a few minutes behind, acknowledge it, apologize and move on.
- Testing…testing. Do a test run of your ahead of time with a friend to ensure your connection is reliable. A bad connection makes a bad impression.
- Send a thank you. Interviewing is a process that that doesn’t end when you click offline. Make sure to send a thank you email to your interviewer within 24 hours.
- Remember the basics. Treat a video interview just like an in-person interview. Research the company, prepare questions for the interviewer and know why they should hire YOU!
Are there any tips I’ve missed? Please share in the comments below!
Lindsey Plewa an Associate Director of Career Advising at the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch. She provides career coaching services to MBA and MS students and designs programming aimed at meeting their career growth needs.
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