We are very conscious of how important it is for candidates to prepare effectively for interviews by skype or telephone. This is a really useful article from Expat Network, which will give you some great tips.
Preparing For A Skype Or Telephone Interview – Expat Network
By CV Knowhow Senior CV Consultant – Jen David via Expat Network
As more and more companies now use Skype or telephone interviews during their recruitment process, it’s likely that at some stage you will receive this invitation.
While the normal rules of interview preparation still apply, you should also bear the following points in mind.
Make sure you are prepared for the interview in plenty of time. This includes setting up a suitable location, with no distractions in the background. Think carefully about what the interviewer will see when they Skype you, and also about what they will hear. Turn off the television or radio, and ask everyone else in your house not to interrupt or make unnecessary noise.
Ensure you can rely on your technology. Plug in your laptop so that the battery doesn’t fail you mid-interview, or charge your phone. If you’re not familiar with Skype, make a few practice calls to friends or family (you could also use this opportunity to get feedback on how you come across). Check your internet connection and have a back-up plan in case of technology failure.
Consider what you will wear – even though you’re at home you still want to come across as professional. This is less important for a phone interview, although dressing for work might help you to feel (and come across as) more professional. For a Skype interview you may be tempted to just dress your top half and wear trackies or pyjamas on the bottom – in this case just hope you don’t need to stand up to get something!
Have everything you might need to hand. A copy of your CV and cover letter will help if the recruiter wants to refer to it, but consider also having notes on any points you wish to raise or questions you want to ask. If you want to make notes on questions you think might come up, by all means do – just be sure you’re actually engaging in a conversation, rather than simply reading your answers from a sheet.
With a bit of simple preparation a Skype or telephone interview will seem less daunting, so grab the opportunity to knock their socks off – good luck!