Skype/Video Call/Phone Calls - The Future Of Interviewing

Video calls are the way forward with hundreds of candidates and clients carrying our pre-interview calls before the face-to-face interview. You can interview from anywhere in the world, all you need is a device and an internet connection! According to the Guardian jobs article, 82% of hiring managers have used skype.

Skype can, however, be unpredictable when you are in your own home, unaware of phone calls or someone ringing the doorbell. But we have put together some of our top tips and how to approach your skype interview.

Just like a face-to-face interview, you want to look smart. Put on a smart shirt and take your time to polish up. This also means dressing properly from head to toe, what if you stand up to adjust your equipment or need to grab a drink? You don’t want to be in your favourite joggers. Think of the psychological aspect too, dressing smartly will switch your mind into professional mode!

As mentioned, it can be easy to get distracted when you are in your own environment. Actively listen, whether you’re a candidate listening to questions and feedback or the interviewer listening to the answers. Interjecting listening sounds such as ‘yes’ or nodding your head can be an easy way to show this.

Another must thing to remember is to not be clicking or tapping away at your computer. If you are the interviewer and making notes on a word document, make sure to tell the candidate beforehand so they are aware you are doing this and not presuming you are distracted.

One advantage of video and phone calls is you can have a word document of a piece of paper on what to cover in the interview without it being noticeable. This can be notes from your CV, news about the company, questions you want to ask and potential talking points. Of course, don’t read from it word for word or stare at it too long but use it more for a quick glance.

Ask someone you know whether it’s a family member or a friend to have a quick skype call with you to make sure everything is in working order and the other person can hear you. preparation is key, and this call beforehand can put you at ease.

Don’t worry about finding the perfect spot in your house! Simply turn on background blur so you don’t have to worry about your surroundings. It’s so simple, check out the skypes official website here to find out how to implement this

With the candidate’s consent, you can save and review the recording later. Skype will automatically save your interview in the chat for up to 30 days.

To check the sound and video is working properly go to

Settings > audio & video. This will allow you to verify your camera is working and microphone is set up without any pre-interview blips!

A common mistake is that your privacy settings are refined so people can’t find you by your username, check these out before you give over your skype name so you can easily be found. You can always change these back at a later date.