Five Ways To Handle An Interview Video Call

In today’s corporate world, companies are taking help of technology to erase geographical barriers. Many now conduct job interviews through video conference or over Skype. This also has made preparing for such interviews in advance essential. One wrong step and a candidate can end up losing a great job. Shreya Biswas helps you get ready for such an interview. 

Core remains the same Prepare for this interview like any other. Read about the company, do some research about the management, figure out what the job entails, what the company is looking out for in the person they will hire and get an idea about those who would be interviewing you. “The basics of an interview don’t change. The medium changes, but not the purpose,” says Naresh Chand Gupta, MD, Adobe India.


Get tech-savvy Technology can be unpredictable, and it’s important to be prepared in advance to avoid any disruption. Learn how video conferencing equipments work. If you are planning to take the interview from home, check to see if the equipment is functioning. Practice on Skype or with video capsules. Ask a friend to review it. Spend time setting the right projection. Camera angle, light and sound should be perfect. “The conversation can get disrupted if these things are not taken care of. It can spoil the entire exercise,” explains Mr Gupta.


Dress for the occasion Dressing casually for the interview might suggest to your potential employers that you are not serious about the process. Wear bright colours that would be distinguished on camera. Do not go in for stripes as monitors tend to create fluctuating patterns. Don’t fidget, and look into the camera constantly. By not doing so, a candidate lost a plum opportunity to be the procurement head of Schneider Electric India. “The person spoke fluently but never looked into the camera. For someone who could head an important division like procurement, he needed to be trustworthy. His lack of eye contact did not instill confidence in us,” says Shalini Sarin, head, HR, Schneider Electric who was part of the interview panel.


Cut the noise levels The microphone can pick up the smallest of sounds, so try and give the interview in a sound-free environment. “Also, keep your phone switched off or on silent mode and avoid checking your phone messages or e-mails, even during a break. Keep a notebook handy, take down quick notes if there a series of complex queries. Reply to them slowly but don’t read out from the note pad. Pay close attention to the conversation,” says Sanjeev Duggal, CEO & executive director, Centum Learning.


Keep to time limit Be aware of the time and make sure to cover your agenda and ask relevant questions in the allotted interview time. Don’t request information which is already available on the company website. Keep your queries precise. Remember to focus on your goals during the interview. You might just bag a great job offer. 


(The Economic Times, Mumbai, 20-05-2011)

FIVE WAYS TO GET OVER INTERVIEW ANXIETY (Economic Times, Mumbai)

SWEATY PALMS, DRY AND RASPY THROAT AND butterflies in the stomach. If that’s how you usually feel before an interview, take heart in the fact that you’re not alone. Although there are no statistics, HR professionals estimate that almost six out of 10 candidates who appear for a job interview, are nervous and tense. But here’s a little secret — a candidate who appears nervous, dramatically reduces his or her chances to make it to the final list. So take a deep breath, pull yourself together and let Writankar Mukherjee tell you the golden rules to overcome interview fears and bag your dream job

Do your homework 

Do ample research on your role, the company and the industry. HR heads say an unprepared candidate starts to fumble and stutter, and appears anxious when asked questions about the industry and how the company is performing. You can get the latest news from the company’s annual report, its website, press releases, and of course the internet. “An applicant who has done his or her research well, is more confident and gives out the positive vibe to interviewers that s/he is serious about the job. This automatically also reduces the candidate’s anxiety,” says Elango R, head of HR at MphasiS. 

Rehearse your answers 

Rehearse answers to the possible questions you may be asked. There are always some stock questions applicants face during interviews — Tell us something about yourself; Why do you want to change your job; how do you see yourself growing in this organisation; what are your strengths and weaknesses and such. It pays to rehearse the answers either in front of the mirror, or with someone else. “The IQ portion is on the CV anyway, so during the short duration of an interview, a candidate must offer interviewers a peek into his or her emotional intelligence and softer skills, like teamwork, which could be a differentiator,” says Future Group business head (private brands) Devendra Chawla. 

The first 5-7 minutes are crucial 

First impressions matter. Be extremely careful, in the first five to seven minutes of the interview, about what you say, how you conduct yourself and what impression you allow the interviewer to form of yourself. A candidate should be careful about his way of speaking, posture, attitude and the way he carries himself. HDFC Standard Life Insurance executive VP (HR) Rajendra Ghag says a candidate should pitch himself in the best way in the first few minutes, by talking about his experiences in the current job and the factors that attract him to the organisation he is applying to. “If one can handle this carefully, the battle is half-won. A candidate should avoid giving the impression that he is leaving his present job because of problems,” says Ghag. 

Don’t appear desperate 

When you want something too much, you get more nervous. HR heads say interviews should be seen as an opportunity to meet and interact with new people, and not as a do-or-die situation. This will dramatically reduce stress. Asking a question or two in return at the end of an interview, also gives the impression that s/he is not scared or desperate for the job. 

Follow interview hygiene 

Follow some basic interview hygiene rules. Dress neatly and don’t look tired and sweaty. This will boost your confidence. Never look sleepy or stare at the interviewer. Elango says when he encounters candidates wearing weird hairdos, jeans and a casual attitude, he rejects them right away. And definitely be on time — or even a little early, so you don’t stress yourself out looking for the office. Ghag of HDFC Standard Life says candidates should wear comfortable clothes, but not be overly fussy with their attire. “There are several instances when the clothes become a distraction, and this gets in the way of a better quality of interaction,” he says.