Placers Presents: 5 Tips to Nail your Phone or Skype Interview

Placers Presents: 5 Tips to Nail your Phone or Skype Interview

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Phone and Skype interviews are becoming an integral part of the recruitment process in the millennial era. Perhaps, this could be attributed to the huge number of people working remotely and organizations in search of temporary staffing. According to a recent report, remote workers are projected to half of the U.S. workforce by 2027. Phone and Skype interviews allow the employer to cut down on time and resources spent on face-to-face interviews.
While these interviews might appear easy, they are much more difficult to prepare for and even ace. In this post, we share 5 important tips to help you along.

1.    Dress the part
First impressions matter, and particularly so in a remote interview as you are not there physically. Find out how the company’s employees and executives dress from their website or social media pages. This will give you a clue on how to dress up for the interview.
Dress professionally and keep in mind that while certain colors such as red might look good in person, they might come off as overly bright on your Skype interview. Check on any jewelry and makeup you put on so that it doesn’t become a distraction. Even if the company is offering temp jobs dress professionally.

2.    Test the setup

Being interviewed by someone you cannot look directly in the eye is a lot more challenging than we think. Ask a friend or family member to help you practice. Answer a few basic interview question either through Skype or phone and ask them to give you feedback on your responses. Alternatively, you can record yourself on the phone while attempting to answer questions and listen to identify areas that might need to be improved. If it is a Skype interview, take the time to get comfortable with the camera.

 

3.    Think about the surroundings
Choose a place with minimal distractions noise and visual for the interview. Choose a non-cluttered background as it is not only distracting but also shows your lack of organizational skills. A neutral or blank background works best.
Rather than doing it from a coffee shop whose environment you have little or no control of, try to do it from home. The last thing you need is to have the interview disrupted by someone bellowing your name, so alert any family members or housemates of the expected interview. If the interviewer is calling on your landline, answer it yourself.

4.    Minimize on the notes
A huge advantage of phone and Skype interviews is that you can refer to your notes whenever without your interviewer’s knowledge. While researching and preparing your phone or Skype interview notes is important, try not to dwell on them too much. Continuously flipping through and reading from a notebook makes you sound detached and less confident. Familiarize yourself with the interview material such as about the company, your education,

5.    Address any tech problems immediately
Technology is never 100% hitch-proof no matter the number of times you practice beforehand.  Common phone and video equipment issues include interferences or weak connections. Stay calm and remember that your interviewer is also prepared for such. However, do not hesitate to raise the issue if it persists. In some instances, it would be best to hang up and start the call again.

Although a phone or Skype interview does not have the same pressure as a face-to-face interview, it does not mean it’s less important. Indeed, you have to be more conscious of the way you carry yourself as you aren’t in direct contact with the interviewer. Remember to keep a smile on your face during the interview as it helps you sound keen and cheerful. This, along with the above tips will help you nail your Skype or phone interview. Good luck!

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