home Business blogs Skype interview in English. Fast process organization

Skype interview in English. Fast process organization

How-how ... Just like a regular interview. After all, the essence is the same, only the form is different.

Not true! Anyone who has ever had an interview via Skype will confirm this to you. Job seekers who are poorly prepared for the “meeting” with the employer will tell you a lot of interesting things:

how, at the most crucial moment, a cat jumps on the table and drops the laptop on the floor;
how, five minutes after the start of the conversation, the applicant notices that the employer sees his unmade bed;
how, due to poor communication, it is difficult to understand an interlocutor who speaks English (who is difficult to understand even with a good connection due to a monstrous accent).

But you are not in danger. Because in 5 minutes you will know all the nuances of the topic “How to pass an interview with an employer on Skype” and you will definitely not sit in a puddle.

Appearance

“I’ll put on a shirt, and let my legs remain in shorts and flip-flops, because it’s hot, and I’m too lazy to iron trousers / skirt.” Seductive, right?

Now imagine that during the interview, the employer asked you to show some kind of diploma. And the diploma is in the locker. The one on the other side of the room. You will not refuse the employer, right? And you have to defile in shorts to the locker and back. The slenderness of your legs is the last thing an employer is interested in, so it’s better to dress “in shape”.

It is also useful from a psychological point of view. When you are wearing business clothes, you feel like a person who is collected and serious.

And one more nuance for ladies. Choose your blouse with extra care. Let's say here is a good blouse, and the neckline seems to be small ... Stop! Keep in mind that the interlocutor will only see the upper part of you, that is, the ratio of the neckline to the length of the body will be somewhat different than if you saw you in full growth. Will the neckline seem too deep in this blouse? Not? Then put on.

For owners and owners of oily skin, it is better to apply a light (light!) layer of matting powder on your face so that your face does not seem shiny like a billiard ball to the employer. For those with dry skin, it is better to apply a little moisturizer to keep the skin looking healthy and fresh.

If you do not get enough sleep and your face is decorated with blue circles under the eyes, use a primer and hide the traces of fatigue. It is not a fact that the employer will write off the blue under the eyes for indefatigable work capacity: he may decide that you are a fan of incendiary parties until the morning, or you have insomnia, or you were on vacation five years ago and were very tired. All of the above are arguments not in your favor (and who will figure out that they are imaginary).

Clean yourself up as carefully as if you were going to a face-to-face interview. That is, a five-day stubble, unwashed and disheveled hair, groomed nails - a resolute "no".

Lighting

This is important because bad lighting can play tricks on you.

If the room is dark, you will look like the hero of a mystical thriller. And if there is too much light, there will be a feeling that you are talking from the operating room. If the light falls only from one side, it may seem to the interlocutor that you have a flux, or that you are a one-eyed pirate.

Ideally, the lighting should be like this. Three sources of soft light (lamps, sconces); one to the right and one to the left, and one behind you.

"Live" image

How to behave in a Skype interview?

The employer sees the picture, and this picture is alive; you need to take care that it reflects you most adequately.

This effect is difficult to achieve if you stare at the monitor all the time. Remember? When communicating, eye contact is important; When interviewing on Skype, it is also important.

From time to time you need to look at the camera - then it will seem to the employer that you are looking at him. Here is a piece of advice for people who find it difficult to look through a small “peephole” and portray lively emotions (this happens; in fact, the interlocutor is physically absent).

If you know who you'll be chatting with and you have a photo of that person (let's say you found it on LinkedIn), print out a small picture of the person you're talking to, cut a hole in it for the camera, and hang it on your monitor. This should help in creating the effect of presence.

Situation

It is clear that the place where you will be during the interview should be quiet and calm. Ideally, this is an office. If you find it difficult to create a business environment at home, go to a coworking space. In the end, for an important conversation, you can rent an office space for an hour (or ask someone you know to shelter you and your laptop in the office).

Rehearsal

It will be great and very correct if you ask someone from your acquaintances to chat with you via Skype as an imitation of an interview. Record this conversation and review. How do you look? How does your voice sound? What do gestures look like?

It is unlikely that you will like everything in the resulting picture. So much the better - there is room for growth! Think about what you should do with your voice, gestures, with the situation so that you look as presentable as possible.

Secret technique

When meeting "live" you have the opportunity to shake hands with the employer. This is not possible with Skype interviews. Or is there?..

There is! A nod in greeting can act as a handshake. After the employer greets you, nod and smile. Everything, the “handshake” took place, you can start the conversation.

Everything you need should be at hand

Again, so that you do not have to run to the locker for a diploma.

Not many things you need to keep on hand:

diplomas, certificates, diplomas, medals, Oscars and other distinctions;
printed resume;
a list of questions you plan to ask the employer;
notes you made while preparing for an interview and looking for information about the employing company (for example, a best-selling quote from a top manager that you cleverly turn in during an interview).

Force majeure

No one is immune from “pleasant” surprises during a Skype interview. Let's say that a minute after the start of the meeting, you realize that you can't hear the interlocutor well. Or the quality of communication deteriorates in the midst of an interview. Or some other trouble is happening (for example, you hear that the cat has fallen into the aquarium, or you feel that the youngest is plotting evil).

In all cases not covered by the protocol, it is better not to be silent, gritting your teeth and pretending that everything is fine (leave this to the superheroes of American films).

Explain that you need to take a break and that you are ready to continue the conversation after 1-2-5 minutes. This is more reasonable than being nervous and confusedly answering questions, squinting your eye in the direction of a drowning cat.

We hope that our tips on how to successfully pass a Skype interview will be useful to you. We wish you as many successful interviews as possible, regardless of the form of communication, and the most tempting job offers.

Elena Nabatchikova

: we will talk about the features of communication using the most popular Skype program, which, due to its convenience and versatility, is increasingly used for business purposes. Has your potential employer scheduled you for a Skype interview? In our article you will find some tips, following which you will feel at your best.

We tried to cover all aspects of a professional Skype interview- from optimizing the quality of communication to psychological preparation for an interview.

Consider the time difference

The reason why you are going to have a Skype interview is most likely due to the physical distance of your potential employer: often he is in another city or even in another country. Suppose you are going to Skype with a foreign employer (this is where the conversational skills acquired during the course will come in handy more than ever!). First of all, ask about the time difference between your countries and find out the exact local time of contact, otherwise, you risk missing the interview and ruining your first impression.

If you have a conversation with the UK, make sure you calculate the time difference correctly: many believe that the United Kingdom has a GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) time zone, however, do not forget that in the summer the British switch to summer time(British Summer Time) - keep that in mind.

The image on the screen is your business card

Before contacting your future interlocutor, find out if you will need a video camera. Often, professional interviews are conducted without it - for example, among IT specialists, it is usually not customary to “call with video”. But if you're going to have a video call, try to properly prepare for it.

Primarily, take care of how you will look on the screen of your interlocutor. Needless to say, your clothes and hair should be neat, but it’s still worth considering what background will be the most advantageous: if you are calling from home, it will be ridiculous to call from the kitchen or from the bedroom - it’s better to go to the living room or another room with a neutral interior.

Think carefully about your suit: depending on the type of job you're applying for, your attire may be business attire or less formal if your "dream job" doesn't have a dress code (although it's likely that if you're taking the call at home, formal office attire will inappropriate - but then decide for yourself).

Of course, you may not care much about clothing if the camera does not capture the area below neck level. However, experienced "negotiators" do not advise placing the camera too close to the face: it is better that the camera captures the shoulders as well. When positioning the camera, try to put it not directly in front of you, but a little obliquely so that the interlocutor does not feel uncomfortable under your gaze (if you still want to “make eye contact” with your interlocutor, just look through the webcam eye).

Provide silence

Before the proposed Skype interview, you should take care of the issue of audibility: this is really very important. An ordinary city apartment is a surprisingly noisy place. Someone is listening to loud music, a TV is on in the next room, children are making noise ... during your conversation, silence should reign in the house.

Disable all programs on your computer that can interrupt your call with unexpected sound alerts (for example, about a new comment on a topic, etc.) - this can distract and unnerve the interlocutor.

If you have a desire to choose a status in Skype busy, so that you are not distracted by extraneous calls, do not do this: your potential employer will also not be able to get through to you. If during the interview they still try to call yours, you just have to ignore them.

Optimize call quality

A special issue is Internet connection. Speaking of working on Skype, mobile phone or iPad - not the best choice for you: computer or laptop have more high performance. Generally speaking, in last years the quality of communication is steadily improving, but, nevertheless, you can optimize it: for the duration of the interview, refuse to download large amounts of data, ask your family not to load the home computer network at this time.

Next, before the communication session, check the audio settings: in the main Skype window, click on the menu heading Calls and in the drop down list click Sound settings. At the bottom of the sound settings window that opens, click the inscription Make a test call toSkype- so you check the sound level on the microphone and headphones / speakers. If you can hear your speech during the test call, everything is in order, you are ready to call. If not, to adjust the sound settings, use the prompts of the program itself - the Skype interface is simple and, as they say, user friendly. Checking your audio settings before a call is very important: the appearance of such small problems during an important interview can throw you out of the saddle.

If communication problems appeared already during the call, it is better to hang up and call again(however, if you have done a preliminary test call, you will at least know that the problem is not with your settings or headset). With the consent of your interviewer, instead of a video call, you can use regular Skype audio: a call without video requires slightly less computer and network resources.

Needless to say, your webcam should display a sufficiently high-quality picture, and headphones, speakers and a microphone should clearly reproduce and transmit sound - this should be taken care of in advance when choosing these devices.

With poor sound on the speakers, sometimes the problem is solved by choosing good headphones - you will not solve communication problems by increasing the volume.

Also before the interview, go over the functionality of Skype to remember all its features - it may well be that during the interview you will have to perform actions in it that you do infrequently (for example, send or receive files, with several subscribers at once, etc.).

Peace, only peace!

Now let's talk about your voice. Many people feel insecure when talking on the phone or Skype: their voice trembles with excitement, breaks down, which makes an unfavorable impression. If you are "from a timid dozen", tune in to overcome your fear, restore your breathing, try to control your voice. Anxiety during a professional interview is natural, but often we are worried about empty place just because of the non-standard situation, because not every day we have an interview via Skype. Calm down, concentrate - and everything will work out!

Skype interviews are becoming more and more popular every day. They are especially relevant for the primary selection of candidates for a position. For example, companies and universities conduct interviews for potential employees and students. Today I will talk about my experience of interviewing online and share some tips.

Introduction

About my experience

I had to go through two different interviews for English language by Skype. I prepared for these interviews, so in both cases the result was positive. I want to note that people from different countries different pronunciation. The English language of people from African countries will be very different from the pronunciation of Spaniards, Russians, Germans, etc.

But if you communicate for a while with a person or people from a certain country, you begin to understand their pronunciation and the meaning of sentences quite easily. For example, I talked a lot with guys from African countries: Tanzania, Ethiopia and South Africa, they all had about the same pronunciation.

Now, even after some time without communication, I will understand the speech of people from these African countries and some other countries thanks to my previous experience. Here are some of my tips for preparing for an online interview.

If you need to be interviewed in English, I recommend watching videos of people with the pronunciation you need on the service in advance YouTube to get used to and understand their speech in advance.

If you have a friend or acquaintance who knows English well and has good conversational practice, you can ask him to help you. The meaning of help is as follows, your friend sits in the same room as you and listens to your conversation. If you do not understand the question that you were asked or some phrase, ask her to repeat, for example:

Please repeat your question (Please repeat your question) .
I'm having communication problems. Please repeat your question. (I have a problem with my Internet connection. Please repeat your question).

During the time that they repeat the question or phrase to you, your friend sends you a translation of the question in a few words in Russian, for example, by sending a message to social network. You receive a message on your monitor in a separate window, read it and are ready to continue to communicate :). You don't even have to turn your head or listen to your friend's clues :).

Conclusion

I will be glad if my advice is useful to someone. Somehow I already wrote an article in which I talk about different services and ways to improve the English language. If anyone hasn't seen it yet, be sure to read it.

Good luck!

I invite you to subscribe to the news of my public page

The biggest mistake you can make when going to an interview is not to prepare. Realize that most of the questions (and they are pretty typical, you can read about the whole process on the internet) are pre-specified answers with slight variations. That is, the interview process itself is planned, and everything that the HR manager will ask you is asked not just out of curiosity, but in order to get certain answers. Interviewing in English is a little more difficult, because you not only need to impress with your experience, knowledge and irresistible desire to devote your whole life to enriching this company, but also do it in beautiful English so that your jaw drops. I offer you my thoughts on the direction in which you need to move when talking about yourself at the interview, as well as a few examples of answers to the most frequently asked questions (I will highlight in bold beautiful words and expressions that are worth remembering and using in speech).

For an employee of the company conducting an interview, a dry knowledge of the resume is not enough, he needs to introduce you to this position, understand from your conversation and how you present yourself, whether you are suitable for it or not.

1. Tell me about yourself...
The stupidest question that brings down most candidates. Prepare for this question. This question is almost always raised at the beginning of the interview. Between this question and the question "Why should we hire you?" you can put an equal sign. Write two or three sentences about yourself in the form of the so-called USP (Unique Selling Point) - a description of your greatest strengths and the benefits that your experience and knowledge of this company will bring. For example: "I"m a seasoned Retail Manager strong in developing training programs and prevention loss techniques that have resulted in revenue savings of over $2.3Million for (employer"s name) during the past 11 years."

2. What is your greatest strength?
Try not to overdo it. "I work too hard" is a lousy answer that promises trouble. Know the measure of your own praise, because the company wants to see you, not the picture you paint. Describe only those qualities that are relevant to this company and represent you as the most suitable candidate.

When I "m working on a project, I don't want just to meet deadlines. Rather, I prefer to complete the project well ahead of schedule. I have exceeded my sales goals every quarter and I "ve earned a bonus each year since I started with my current employer. My time management skills are excellent and I"m organized, efficient, and take pride in excelling at my work. I pride myself on my customer service skills and my ability to resolve what could be difficult situations.

3. What is your greatest weakness?
Here you should highlight your weak side and talk about what you are doing to fix it. For example, if you are an accountant, then no one will be surprised if you say that your forte- numbers, but communication with people is weak. But customer relationships are one of the most important aspects of running a business, so you work hard at it.

When I "m working on a project, I don"t want just to meet deadlines. Rather, I prefer to complete the project well ahead of schedule.
Being organized wasn't my strongest point, but I implemented a time management system that really helped me organizational skills.
I like to make sure that my work is perfect, so I tend to perhaps spend a little too much time checking it. However, I've come to a good balance by setting up a system to ensure everything is done correctly the first time.
I used to wait until the last minute to set appointments for the coming week, but I realized that scheduling in advance makes much more sense.
Sometimes, I spend more time than necessary on a task, or take on tasks personally that could easily be delegated to someone else. Although I"ve never missed a deadline, it is still an effort for me to know when to move on to the next task, and to be confident when assigning others work.
I "ve learned to make my perfectionism work to my advantage at work. I am excellent at meeting deadlines, and with my attention to detail, I know my work is correct.
I used to like to work on one project to its completion before starting on another, but I"ve learned to work on many projects at the same time, and I think it allows me to be more creative and effective in each one.

4. How do you handle stress/pressure?
Examples from your experience will be appropriate here. So the company will get an idea of how you function in stressful situations. Another popular question is "What are the most difficult decisions to make?" or "Describe a difficult work situation / project and how you overcame it." Be sure to tell us about real situations (clearly things that ended in a happy ending for you), about how you resolved certain problems. Prepare yourself so that you don’t sit and frantically remember right at the interview! Also in the same category is "Tell me about a time you made a mistake", which is more aimed at finding out how you feel about criticism. Say that criticism is important to you because it helps you improve and correct mistakes, but you also need to consider who it comes from.

Stress is very important to me. With stress, I do the best possible job. The appropriate way to deal with stress is to make sure I have the correct balance between good stress and bad stress. I need good stress to stay motivated and productive.
I react to situations, rather than to stress. That way, the situation is handled and doesn't become stressful.
I actually work better under pressure and I"ve found that I enjoy working in a challenging environment.
From a personal perspective, I manage stress by visiting the gym every evening. It's a great stress reducer.
Prioritizing my responsibilities so I have a clear idea of what needs to be done when, has helped me effectively manage pressure on the job.
If the people I am managing are contributing to my stress level, I discuss options for better handling difficult situations with them.
I find that when I "m under the pressure of a deadline, I can do some of my most creative work.
I "m not a person who has a difficult time with stress. When I" m under pressure, I focus, and get the job done.
I find it exhilarating to be in a dynamic environment where the pressure is on.
I find a past pace to be invigorating, and thrive when the pressure is on.
I "ve done some of my best work under tight deadlines, where the atmosphere was very stressful.
I "m the kind of person who stays calm under pressure, and handle stress fairly easily.

5. Why are you leaving your job?
Don't badmouth your previous employer. Emphasize the positive points, experiences and knowledge you have learned from previous place work. Focus more on the future.

There isn't room for growth with my current employer and I "m ready to move on to a new challenge.
I was laid-off from my last position when our department was eliminated due to corporate restructuring.
I "m relocating to this area due to family circumstances and left my previous position in order to make the move.
I "ve decided that is not the direction I want to go in my career and my current employer has no opportunities in the direction I "d like to head.
After several years in my last position, I"m looking for an company where I can contribute and grow in a team-oriented environment.
I am interested in a new challenge and an opportunity to use my technical skills and experience in a different capacity than I have in the past.
I am interested in a job with more responsibility, and I am very ready for a new challenge.
To be honest, I wasn't considering a move, but, I saw this job posting and was intrigued by the position and the company. It sounds like an exciting opportunity and an ideal match with my qualifications.
This position seemed like an excellent match for my skills and experience and I am not able to fully utilize them in my present job.
The company was cutting back and, unfortunately, my job was one of those eliminated.

6. How do you evaluate success?

I evaluate success in different ways. At work, it is meeting the goals set by my supervisors and my fellow workers. It is my understanding, from talking to other employees, that the GGR company is recognized for not only rewarding success, but giving employees the opportunity to grow as well.

7. Why do you want this job?

I want this job because it seems tailored to my competencies, which include sales and marketing. As I said earlier, in a previous position I created an annual growth rate of 22 percent in a flat industry. Additionally, the team I would work with looks terrific.
This job is a good fit for what I "ve been interested in throughout my career. It offers a nice mix of short- and long-term activities. My short-term achievements keep me cranked up and the long-term accomplishments make me feel like a billion bucks.
The work I find most stimulating a llows me to use both my creative and research skills. The buzz on this company is that it rewards people who deliver solutions to substantial problems.

8. Why Should We Hire You?
This question is necessary in order to understand whether you understand all the responsibilities future position, as well as in order to find out what you can offer this company.

You have explained that you are looking for a sales executive who is able to effectively manage over a dozen employees. In my fifteen years of experience as a sales manager, I have developed strong motivational and team-building skills. I was twice awarded manager-of-the-year for my innovative strategies for motivating employees to meet and surpass quarterly deadlines. If hired, I will bring my leadership abilities and strategies for achieving profit gains to this position.

9. What Are Your Goals for the Future?
One of the most important points in the interview. Do not talk about the family, the possibility of continuing education, etc. Talk only about what is connected with this company and work in it. Of course, you may not imagine yourself working for this company in 5 or 10 years. But don't mention it.

My long-term goals involve growing with a company where I can continue to learn, take on additional responsibilities, and contribute as much of value as I can.
I see myself as a top performing employee in a well-established organization, like this one. I plan on enhancing my skills and continuing my involvement in (related) professional associations.
Once I gain additional experience, I would like to move on from a technical position to management.

10. What Are You Passionate About?
Again, a question necessary for your employer to know what is important to you in life. For example, playing sports represents you as a disciplined person. The most important thing is that your hobby does not take away the time that can be used for the benefit of this company.

One of my greatest passions is helping others. When I was younger, I "ve enjoyed helping mom with household repairs. As I grew older, that habit grew and I desired to help others as well. I like helping people find solutions that meet their specific needs.
I "m passionate about painting. I take an evening art class once a week and try to find time each weekend to paint. Painting is a good way for me to relax and even though I don" t have much talent, I do it enjoy it.
I'm passionate about making a difference. When I "m involved with a project at work I want to do my best to achieve success. I feel the same way about what I do in my personal life.
I "m an avid skier and I like to spend weekends and vacations on the ski slopes.

. Thanks to English classes with our professional teachers in a special interview preparation program, their experience and knowledge will help you successfully pass the interview and get the desired position! Sign up for a free trial lesson!

Working with a teacher on answers to recruiter questions and self-presentation to a potential employer, you do not just play the most typical questions and answers, but find yourself in real situations that can happen SPECIFICALLY with YOU when passing an interview for the position YOU want. You learn specific vocabulary that is used in the field of activity of the company in which you will be interviewing, as well as learn how to speak in a business style. Also, the teacher will help you write (adjust) a resume and a cover letter.

Convenient course length

Our short-term interview preparation course in English via Skype is designed for the shortest possible time, because the dream job will not wait long. You yourself choose a convenient number of lessons for full preparation for the interview, and the teacher selects materials and workload for the lesson for you.

Personal teacher

In our School, you will take a course of preparation for an interview in English via Skype with a personal teacher who will devote all the time of the lesson only to you. He, just like you, is interested in fast and high-quality preparation, and will worry about you and keep his fingers crossed on the day of the interview. And he will be glad if you tell him personally about the results. In a free trial lesson, you will tell the teacher what industry you are going to work in and when you will be interviewed. Knowing this information, the teacher will be able to prepare the necessary vocabulary and educational materials, as well as develop the pace of learning and the load in the lesson.

Fast process organization

We understand that preparing for an interview in English should take place as soon as possible, because you are tied to a specific date. We take into account your needs and select a teacher for you within 12 hours, after which you can immediately start classes. This is the advantage online course because regular courses foreign language they don’t have such a speed, and live lessons with a tutor will cost 2–3.5 times more than online lessons.