Preparing for Skype Interviews

Moving to the Cayman Islands generally depends on having a role secured before you pack your bags (unless you are independently wealthy of course!). These days, interviews take place digitally, rather than flying people to and from. Most people are totally au fait with Skype in their personal lives but less so on a professional footing.

In the old days, interview prep used to involve identifying and correcting how you gesticulate with your hand hands, adjusting the natural position of your legs when sitting, making a calculated decision about which socks you wear, no chewing gum and generally being clean, pressed and presentable etc. Now we must consider the small area of your person that is visible to the interviewer from many thousands of miles away. Therefore, if you are getting yourself geared up to applying for roles abroad, make sure your Skype (or visual media) skills are up to scratch. Affinity has put together a few dos and don’ts to get you ready for that big interview.

DO…

Practice – Ask a friend to play the interviewer and see how you respond within the small window of your computer/ipad. Pay attention to how you sit, what you look at, and how you communicate using body language and eye contact, on screen.

Understand your own quirks (and stop doing them) before you start interviewing – whether it’s swishing your hair, putting your hands in front of your mouth, scratching your head (without knowing it), we all have quirks that have the potential to distract the interviewer.

Set up in good time – do not leave it until the last minute to check where you will be during the interview. Set up in a quiet, private space, preferably away from animals and children (and definitely not in the pub garden!) well before time. Punctuality and being prepared are still key work skills and being late to your interview due to technical issues does not look good.

Use a computer or freestanding screen that can be secured – phones have a tendency to fall over, or worse, ring during your interview.

Do Not:

Interrupt – let the interviewer lead the conversation. It’s really easy to stumble over each other when on an interactive call.

Take the call with bad signal/connection – this is frustrating for everyone involved. Make sure you have a fantastic internet connection, so the call is clear and uninterrupted.

Assume the interviewer won’t see you from the waist down – If you have to stand up for some reason, make sure you are appropriately dressed. Whilst it’s tempting to have your top half looking ready for a snazzy work function and the bottom half still wearing pajamas, you certainly don’t want to reveal that you are only half prepared for the interviewer.

Get distracted – turn everything off and put yourself on ‘do not disturb’. When your eyes wander during the call, so does the interviewer’s respect for you.

If you want more tips on how to prepare for an interview, register with Affinity and the team will put you through your paces as part of their preparation process.