You’ve found the perfect remote job, you know you’re qualified, and you want it more than anything else. The employer seems interested and there is just one last step before you jump into your new career: the Skype interview for remote workers. Even the most qualified candidates fail during this important step of the process.
The difference between the job of your dreams and being back to an office job is as simple as bad internet connection or a computer that just won’t cooperate. After interviewing thousands of applicants and experiencing interview snags, we’ve put together some helpful tips on helping remote workers perform highly during Skype interviews.
Dress well
Such a simple concept, but one where we see candidates fail time and time again. You may be at home, but you need to dress to impress. Consider this the “Day 1” of your new job that you have to go a bit overboard and wear the best outfit you can put together. We recommend dressing semi-formal — a polo shirt for men and a professional blouse for women. Don’t make it too colorful or distracting. Remember, you want the focus to be on you and your words, not your outfit.
Be on time
This may seem obvious, but DO NOT BE LATE! You wouldn’t be late to an in-person interview, so don’t be late to your Skype interview. In fact, make sure you are logged on early and ready when you need to be, no excuses. Logging in early could give you a leg up on the competition. Making yourself highly responsive and available lets the interviewer know you are serious about the opportunity and understand the significance of the interview. Lastly, check the time difference between you and your interviewer to avoid timezone confusion.
Have a backup net connection
The internet is a wonderful thing when it is working, but if your connection goes down, so could your chances of landing your dream job. Figure out a backup internet connection, or make sure you are close enough to another location with internet that you won’t have any issues when the time comes to log on. This will not only make you less anxious about a bad connection or dropped Skype calls, it shows your future boss that you can think ahead and take your role seriously.
Check your audio and video settings
This one seems simple, you know how to use Skype after all! But too many interviews have to be ended early or don’t happen at all because no one tested their audio and video. Make sure your mic and camera are working flawlessly by doing a test call with a friend or a Skype Echo test to ensure you can be heard clearly and easily. There is no excuse for failing equipment when your interview starts, it will only lead to bad results.
Check your lighting
There is nothing worse than staring at a Skype screen with a dark, silhouetted candidate on it. Lighting may seem like an afterthought, but it is very important in showing yourself off as the best candidate for the job. Play around with lights in the space you will conduct the interview. Make sure you can be seen clearly and are not hidden in the shadows. Turning your screen up to the highest brightness setting will give you the extra boost you need!
Make an eye contact
Sometimes it can be very difficult to maintain eye contact during an in-person interview, and it only gets harder when you’re staring at a computer screen. Make sure you are looking at the person on the other side of the Skype call. Too much time spent looking at yourself or your desk and people may think you lack confidence. You want to convey you can be trusted and relied on, eye contact is a huge first step in that process.
Always research the company
Far too many times we have had Skype interviews with people who don’t even know what job they are applying for or what our company is all about! They end up asking us all the wrong questions, wasting time, and inevitably do not get the job. Do your research ahead of time. What is the job you’re applying for and what does the company do? The goal is to know as much about them as possible. This shows you’ve done your research and are serious about the job.
Skype interviews can go wrong in million different ways, but almost all of these are within your control. You know you want the job, so take a few hours and ensure when the time comes to log on and hit dial, nothing is left to chance. Your future remote career will thank you!
Did you find our tips helpful? Do you have more tips to share? We’d love to hear from you! Send us an email at hello@crewbloom.
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