Landing your next job interview using Skype |

My daughter recently had an interview for a job in Mexico. Did the company fly her down for the interview? No. Did they pick up the phone and call her for an interview over the telephone? No. Her interview was conducted via Skype.

How is preparing for an interview on-line different than preparing for one in person? There are many things to consider – one of the biggest being, how do I look on camera? Check out these tips from a media expert interviewed on time.com.

Some things to consider include:

The background behind you. Instead of a blank wall, perhaps have a nice print or a book case behind you.
Lighting – natural light is best. If that isn't possible fluorescent lighting to frame your face.
Clothes – Avoid patterns and white as they can either be distracting or make you fade on screen. Try a darker color, like black with a jacket perhaps? Dress up from the waist down as well, in case you have to get up during the interview – no jockey shorts!
Be more aware of your facial expressions and make eye contact with the web camera. A couple of articles suggested putting a photo of a friend by the camera so you have a friendly face to look at during the interview.
Framing yourself – turn your body to one side and turn your face to the camera – like having a professional photograph taken.
Practice! Send a friend a few sample interview questions and do a dry run of the interview using Skype.
Have an electronic and print copy of your resume handy, in case your have to send it along during the interview.
Be familiar with the features of Skype so you can handle any technical glitches that may come up.

A few other websites with good advice on this topic include:

"4 tips for conducting a job interview on Skype"

"Video interviewing with Skype"

"Ace your Skype interview – 14 Smart Tips"

"How Skype is changing the job interview"

There are sections of a number of books that include Skype and online interview tips. Check out a few of these available at TPL branches.