Over the past decade, the Internet has changed the way many of us live out daily lives. Now even businesses are finding a new way to make new hires and save time and money in the process. Get ready for your close-up because the next job you interview for may be via Skype.
Global Career Management CEO, Mark Renn says airfare, hotel costs and gas prices can drive up a company budget when searching for job candidates.
“By the time you look at it, it is easily over a thousand dollars by the time you look at hotel, airfare and the time you are spending with the staff.”
These days, businesses are opting for Skype interviews so save time and money. Thanks to the invention of the web cam you could be interviewing for your dream job from the comfort of your home computer.
Without the live interaction between employer and potential employee, does Skype really offer a good alternative to the real thing?
“Yes. Companies have become very happy with it,” says Renn. “With the new technology they actually are able to get a good feel of the candidate. We are actually training people to do a better job in that platform.”
There is a bit of a learning curve when preparing for a Skype interview and you need to consider a few things before you give it a shot. Here are a few tips to follow:
1. Be sure to dress in your best clothes, as you would in a face-to-face interview. 2. Make sure your lighting is properly put together. Avoid color washout by setting up near a window. 3. Practice. Make sure your equipment is working properly and ready to go. 4. Check to see how you are angled with the camera so the interviewer has a good view of you. 5. Be sure to clean up your interview space. Your future employer isn’t just looking at you; they can see and hear what’s around you. 6. Get rid of all audible distractions. Keep the kids and pets away from your webcam. 7. Use an Ethernet connection. A wireless connection can be unreliable. 8. Be prepared to troubleshoot.
Renn says if something goes wrong during your interview, it’s important to remember not to panic.
“The last thing you want to do is come across quite frankly hysterical. Or like you are totally not in control they are going to use this moment to see how well you handle yourself under pressure.”
Just because you are using your computer to communicate, you still want to be mindful of eye contact. When you are talking to your interviewer, look at the camera, not the screen. That’s how you establish “eye contact.”
If you have your own technology company and want to get some TV air time or you have a great technology related story idea you would like to see in the Internet Café email me @ Nina.Sparano@kwgn.com and I’ll get your story on the air.
