How to Have a Successful Skype or Virtual Interview

Tags

career advising series, interview prep, interviewing, Recruiting, Virtual Interviewing

By Laura Myers, associate director of student career advising, serving students in the School of Communication and Bienen School of Music.

Congratulations, you landed an interview! You’ve been practicing answering interview questions but you just found out it’s not over the phone, or in person, it’s virtual! Whether it’s a Skype interview or a digital interview using a program such as HireVue, it’s important to plan ahead and present yourself in the best way possible for ultimate success.

Preparation

Practice: Mock virtual interviews with a friend or career adviser can help you gain confidence, improve your interview skills, and get familiar with the technology.

Location

Make your space interview-appropriate. A quiet room free of distractions with a neutral wall to serve as a backdrop is best. Ideally, this is a space that you have to yourself, but if others will be nearby, let them know in advance so that they can give you privacy for the duration of your interview. The last thing you need is a knock on your door in the middle of your interview. (If you’re in need of a quiet space for your virtual interview, interview rooms are available for Northwestern students in NCA’s Interview Center at 630 Lincoln St. Email recruit@northwestern.edu to reserve a room.)

Think about lighting. You want to try to look the same virtually that you would in person. Place a lamp at either side of your desk (at the same height as your webcam or higher) to ensure the room is well lit. At the very least, make sure you don’t have a light shining behind you.

Consider the location of your webcam. I think we all know by now that the selfie shot from above, though annoying, is a really flattering angle. The best position for your webcam is at your eye-level, pointing slightly down.

On-Camera Presence

Present yourself professionally. Dress in business professional attire for a virtual interview, just as you would for an in-person interview. Also, be mindful of your body language. A smile and good posture convey confidence and enthusiasm!

Make eye contact with the camera. Instead of looking directly at your computer screen, focus on the camera to maintain natural eye contact with your interviewer. It may help to place a post-it note with a smiley face above the camera hole.

Technology

Test your connection. Confirm that audio and video are clear prior to your interview for both you and the person with whom you’re connecting. Make sure that you have a strong Wi-Fi connection (or, even better, connect to a router with a network cable to avoid a disconnection).

Update your profile. When doing a Skype interview, your interviewer will see your Skype username and picture, so it’s important that both are professional.

Minimize interruptions. Shut out of other computer programs beforehand so that the video screen is the only window open during the interview. This especially includes applications that make noise, such as social media and Gmail.

Post-Interview

Send a thank you note. Make sure to get your interviewer’s contact information, if you don’t already have it, and send a note within 48 hours. Find tips for writing a thank you note on the NCA website.

Sources and Additional Information on Virtual Interviews

• USA TODAY College: http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/personal/2013/08/01/13-tips-for-a-great-skypeinterview/2608915/
• Big Interview: https://biginterview.com/blog/2014/11/video-interview.html
• The Muse: https://www.themuse.com/advice/skype-hype-the-key-to-acing-yourvirtual-interview

Advertisements

Consulting internship recruitment while studying abroad

Tags

career advising series, consulting, internship, Northwestern, recruitment, Study Abroad, Virtual Interviewing

By Liz Abello, Assistant Director, Employer Strategy & Jose Santos, Associate Director, Student Career Advising

If you have chosen to study abroad this fall and are interested in consulting internship recruitment, you’re on the path to developing skills that consulting firms value! Adaptability and global competency are key to being a successful consultant.

Consequently, going abroad should not prevent you from participating in consulting internship recruitment. Recruiters have shared that, like on-campus candidates, quality of application is the determining factor in whether or not a student gets an interview.

We would be misleading you if we said that consulting internship recruitment while abroad is easy. Being abroad will require additional preparation, but it is possible; students have successfully secured a consulting internship while abroad. We know you can do it, and NCA is here to support you throughout the entire process.

Employer Perspective
Consulting firms handle study abroad candidates in one of three ways:

1. Most firms will have study abroad candidates apply through the normal fall recruitment process and will interview the candidate virtually for first-rounds.
2. Some firms will have an accelerated process for study abroad candidates. For those studying abroad, a firm will have an earlier application deadline, will conduct in-person interviews in a regional office during the summer, and will extend an offer before a student goes abroad.
3. Rarely, consulting firms will choose not to interview a study abroad candidate because they value an in-person experience.

Preparation
Since you will most likely be leaving for your study abroad program in August, it is imperative that you start preparing early! NCA has created a Consulting Internship Recruitment Preparation Timeline for Study Abroad Candidates (PDF) to help you maximize your summer. You do not need to inform consulting recruiters that you will be abroad since this will be on your resume. Remember, your career adviser is available to meet with you via phone, Skype, or in-person.

Interview Logistics
First-Rounds
NCA can technologically support first-round interviews and will work with you and the recruiter on logistics. If you are selected for a first round interview:

1. Sign up for an interview slot in CareerCat that works with the time zone in which you are living or will be travelling.
2. Email the recruiter and Liz Abello (liz.abello@northwestern.edu) to remind them that you are studying abroad; share your Skype account and international phone number in case there are issues with internet connections.
3. Review NCA’s Best Practices for Consulting Virtual Interviewing (PDF).
4. Log into Skype at least 5 minutes before your assigned interview time, and NCA will call you via video conference to start the interview.

Second-Rounds
For second-round interviews, companies typically do one of the following:

1. Interview you virtually, much like the first round.
2. Bring you to a nearby international office for an in-person interview.
3. Fly you to a domestic office for an in-person interview.
4. Wait until you are home in December to interview you in-person.
5. Continue the interview process in-person during winter quarter.

Second round logistics are at each company’s discretion. NCA is always available to help you navigate this process.

Next Steps

1. Make an appointment with your career adviser to discuss consulting internship recruitment while abroad.
2. Review NCA’s Consulting Internship Recruitment Preparation Timeline for Study Abroad Candidates (PDF).
3. Review NCA’s Best Practices for Consulting Virtual Interviewing (PDF).

Good luck!