Traditional office interviews seem to be dwindling away from the mainstream with more and more companies opting to conduct their interviews using programs like Skype. But why the sudden shift? Because Skype interviews provide a ton of benefits for companies such as being able to save not only huge amounts of money, but also time.
If you’d look over the Internet, you’ll find lots of articles that talk about ace-ing Skype interviews but not so much about how interviewers should similarly prepare themselves. So whether you’re an HR or the boss of your own company, here are a few guidelines that might help you conduct a successful Skype interview.
Make the Interview as Professional as Possible
You hold the responsibility to keep the interview within professional standards. Video interviewing someone for a job is a whole lot more different than video calling with a friend. As Jeffrey Garber, co-founder and CEO of 360jobinterview.com and 360workforce.com puts it,
“This is a live interview and even though it’s being conducted via webcam, you should be as prepared as if that [candidate] was in front of you.”
Remember to print out all the documents you need such as the questions you’ll be asking and do have a copy of the candidate’s resume before the interview. Also, tidy up your place and remove unnecessary clutter to steer clear of distractions.
Don’t be a Distraction Yourself
There are certain video calling habits that could make you look unprofessional and distract the person from the other end of the line. Here are tips you could follow during the actual call:
- Refrain from looking at yourself on-screen and look at the camera directly.
- Never move the camera during the conversation. Set it up prior to the interview.
- Non-verbal cues could be of great help. Nod your head whenever necessary so the candidate is well aware that you’re listening.
Record your Interview
Let your colleagues and clients watch your video interview so they can make comments and assess the candidate’s potential. Use a Skype recorder like SuperTinTin that’s fully compatible with Skype to record your video interviews and play them back again later on.
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