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How to Ace that Skype Interview – Virtual Interviews – II

How to Ace that Skype Interview – Virtual Interviews – II

by | Feb 8, 2015 | Interview

Virtual interviews are the norm today given the globalization of the world of work. We have put together a few pointers on acing telephonic or Skype interviews for you.

Skype is a largely preferred medium for interviewing in the current times. Here are some interview tips for getting the process right!

1. Your Environment: It doesn’t matter whether or not you believe in being orderly and organized when it comes to your surroundings. You have just got to pull up your socks (well, in this case pick them up too!) and tidy up the room you choose for your video interview. The last thing you want is for the interviewer to get distracted by the sight of last night’s stale pizza on your bed or the unconquerable pile of clothes on the chair. Your safest bet is to sit against the background of a blank wall, if at all possible. Choose a spot which has good lighting and minimum distraction.

2. Take care of the noise: Have babies? Put them to sleep. Dogs? Leave them at the neighbor’s. Spouse? Make sure you’ve done all your chores! The microphone really does pick up a lot more background noise than you would think and is extremely distracting.

3. Dress up suitably: You might be giving the interview at home, even then, a t-shirt and boxers would be absolutely inappropriate for the same. Wear a suit or at least formal clothing for the call. Yes, it does make a big difference!

4. Your Skype Name, Display Picture and Status                                                                                             

a) Change your skype name to something professional if it already isn’t. You don’t want your prospective employer to be talking to “ZombieBethany” or “HunyBunch4U”. Or do you?

b) It is better to have no display picture at all than a curiously distracting one, you know the kinds we mean!

c) To avoid getting other calls at the same time, make sure to put up a DND/Busy status for your profile.

5. The Basics: Adjust the webcam/camera. You don’t want to be too close or too far away from it. Make sure you have a good and steady internet connection which doesn’t break off every few seconds. A “can you hear me now?” every now and then is very distracting!

6. Body Language: Remember to treat this just like a personal interview. Your body language would certainly count. Remember to not gesticulate a lot and remember to smile! Maintain a good posture and appear relaxed. These things always score you brownie points! Also, remember to look at the camera, and not at the screen. It might be tempting for you to shoot glances at the screen to see yourself, but avoid that. If it was a personal interview, maintain eye-contact would’ve been a must. Same goes for your Skype interview.

7. Practice Makes Perfect: Once again, a mock skype call with a friend or a colleague will give you an idea about how you appear on video, how stable your internet connection is, the body language you use and the sound quality. Go over the predictable questions you might be asked during the interview. Based on the feedback you receive, work on what didn’t work for the mock interview.

 8. Unforeseen tech glitches: Even after all the preparation, there might be some technical glitches and here is how Forbes Magazine suggests we deal with it:

“When you’re relying on video or phone equipment, there’s a good chance you’ll experience a technical glitch: a weak connection, interference or garbled signals.

You may hesitate to draw attention to the problem, but you don’t want to give an inaccurate answer because you didn’t understand the question. A simple “excuse me?” works fine. But if the problem persists, bring it up.

If you’re getting too many blips, it’s good to stop the call (and redial). The future employers may take away that you’re a problem-solver, and you would provide top-quality service if employed by them. Not to mention that fixing this kind of issue is just plain polite.”

9. On screen distractions: Close all web browsers, or any other program that might have been running prior to the interview. We would also suggest you putting up a blank wallpaper so that you have absolutely no distractions on screen and the interviewer has your complete attention.

10. Follow up: Send across a thank you letter post the interview (the next day) and enquire about the course of events to follow.

 

All the very best !

Preparing for an Interview – The Day Before the Big Day !

Preparing for an Interview – The Day Before the Big Day !

by | Jan 21, 2015 | Interview, Office Etiquette

When appearing for an interview, most people hardly ever plan out for the interview before the big day. This is a tragic mistake for we all know preparedness is the key. When you go prepared for your job interview, it speaks volumes about your professionalism and your enthusiasm for the job. Here are a few pointers that you can use to groom yourself before that big day of the interview.

Practice makes for perfection

Plain and simple, you cannot be good at something if you don’t practice—and this goes for interviewing as well. It is helpful to review potential interview questions a day before by yourself or with friends and family members so that you are confident during the interviews. In addition, the more prepared you are, the better equipped you’ll be for interview success.

Do your research 

Before you go on any job interview, it is extremely important to find out as much as you can about the company, the position, and the person/people who will be interviewing you (if possible). In other words, put in the time to research. Google the company and read up as much as you can about it. Understanding the company’s mission and history can not only help you in determining the sorts of questions to ask, but can also help you decide whether it’s the right place for you.

The more you know, the better equipped you’ll be to give an intelligent answer. You can also strike up a conversation with the interviewer and calmly describe how you fit in with the principles and agenda of the entire company and how you can help the company grow if you’re given the job. To start preparing questions to support your application, try and take out the job description, details about the interviewer or any other material you have and see if you can find something in those to ask cracking, awesome questions.

If not, think like an interviewer. What would you love to be asked about the job or role if you were interviewing?

Go back to the job description and ask yourself, what problems are they trying to solve with this position?

Dress to impress

Clothes count. Appropriate attire is not only respectful, but refreshing. So what’s the appropriate dress code for an interview? Dress code may vary depending on the formality of the workplace or the job. If you’re not sure what to wear, it’s perfectly acceptable to check with the person scheduling the interview. You want the first impression you make on your potential employer to last. So, deciding on an appropriate attire is important, so don’t forget to spend some time planning your outfit accordingly. Avoid non traditional clothing, heavy jewelry, strong perfumes and loud colours.

Ammunition

Bring in the heavy guns! You’ve practiced your interview answers, done your research, and prepared a series of questions, what’s next? Now is your time to shine. Make a list of your skills, certifications, abilities, experiences, and professional or personal qualities that are critical to the position, and review your list, and the job requirements, prior to the interview so that you are fully prepared to share with the employer your qualifications.

Everyone loves a good show-and-tell. If you have concrete examples that demonstrate what you can do for the role, like a personal website you designed, or a business project you created in college, definitely share it! You can try and tailor examples of your qualifications to the company and the position you’re applying for, like preparing a simple audit of the company site and preparing a list of recommendations the company can use for improvements. The more specific these examples are to the position, the more the hiring manager will see that you have the skills needed to do the job.

Know your way

Such a simple concept, yet many of us still manage to get lost on our way to our interviews, which is totally understandable. You might get delayed or even lost looking for the office and the clock ticking down on your scheduled interview time,  Not the best situation to be in, but an avoidable one at least, if you know your way. That is why it is recommended reading over the google map directions and writing down the number of the front desk (or anyone within the company willing to help if you are lost) before you head out of thedoor. Being late even before you join the workforce isn’t a good sign. Also, do carry a bottle of water, its life saving potential is under rated!

Lastly…

Smiles are contagious. Go into your interview with an enthusiastic and positive attitude, and sure enough your interviewer will feel the positive vibes. Your resume gets you through the door, and the ability to communicate your skillsets and personality gets you hired. So don’t forget to be your inherent awesome self!

How to Answer Common Interview Questions – Breaking the Ice – II

How to Answer Common Interview Questions – Breaking the Ice – II

by | Jan 5, 2015 | Interview

There are some standard questions that are asked in most interviews. We have put together a series of posts to help you prepare for these interview questions and answer them like a boss.

“What do you know about our company?”

Companies like to know that you took the time to research them and learn about what they do, and perhaps something about their values and stated mission, if they have one. The last thing you want to do is show up and say that you don’t know much, but are very willing to learn. That tells them you’ll have the same passive attitude as an employee.

“Why do you want to work here/why are you right for this job?”

Once again, find a way to use your career story to point to exactly this job at this time. Really think about this ahead of time. You don’t have to prove that this is all you’ve ever dreamed about since you were a little kid – unless that’s true. But even then, try not to be too over the top.

And try not to make your answer completely about what this generally represents (I’ve always dreamed of working in the hotel industry), as opposed to explaining why this company in particular fits so well with your career goals.

Again, doing your research ahead of time can make all the difference. And remember when you answer to keep their needs in mind. “I would love to help you to ___.” (Fill in the blank based on your research.)

“Why did you leave (or are thinking of leaving) your last job?”

If you’re still in a job, then your answer can say something about looking for a more challenging job, or realizing that what you really want to do is what this new job offers, or you’re looking for advancement, etc. The main thing is to make it positive and NOT knock your current (or former) employer.

If you were fired or quit your last job, it’s especially important to think about your answer ahead of time. You don’t want to badmouth the last employer, because it makes the interviewer think that one day you’ll be saying this about them, even if you assure them it’s not true.

If something went wrong that they may hear about, be honest (you don’t need to go into great details here), and follow up with what you learned from it and how you’re more determined than ever to do a great job now. If it’s just that it wasn’t a great fit, you can say that – adding something about why you think this job is what you are looking forward to.

“What would your former co-workers / boss tell us about you?”

You’re going to want to look for some things that not only were positive experiences in some prior job, but that point to the new job as well. Some interviewers will be happy with just the experiences, but they would probe you more to understand how well you would fit into the work culture of the company. It is always great if they get to hear that you have been able to build relationships through work and that your colleagues haven’t felt threatened by you. It’s great to be competitive, not ‘fiercely’ competitive. 🙂

Think about things that show how cooperative, resourceful, determined, talented (without sounding too boastful), and pleasant to work with, you are. You don’t have to hit all these points – and we urge you to come up with some of your own – but this should at least give you a good idea where to go with your answer.

Have a few more minutes ? Read our two other posts in this series.

Salary Negotiation Tips – Talking Numbers – Part II

Salary Negotiation Tips – Talking Numbers – Part II

by | Jan 5, 2015 | Interview, Job Offers

Continuing with the previous post about salary negotiation, we talk about bonuses, flexibility and the two super hit, tried and tested methods for negotiating your salary – the Noel Smith-Wenkle Salary Negotiation method and the Jack Chapman Salary Negotiation Method.

Regarding the Bonus

At times, a large chunk of our salaries are our bonuses. Different companies have different ways of paying bonuses to their employees. Terms and conditions being attached is not unusual. The employer might say that the bonus is discretionary. However, make sure you seek clarification about what the discretion is going to be based on – group performance, individual achievements or achieving targets? Also, some companies have a rule of revoking the bonus of a certain time period when you put down your papers (resign). Ensure you have complete knowledge about all these aspects.

Be Persistent Yet Flexible

Rarely would an employer accept the numbers you quote at the first go. If you know exactly what you are worth, be persistent. However, if the company does not wish to negotiate at all and this is the job you have been waiting for, be flexible and try making up for your in-hand salary through other incentives like extra leaves, travel or communication bills’ reimbursements, remote-working, better health insurance, etc.

The two most popular practices for salary negotiation are the Noel Smith-Wenkle Negotiation Method and the Jack-Chapman Salary Negotiation Method.

The most basic rule of the Smith-Wenkle method is to never tell the employer how much you are expecting. This is the first question the employer would ask you. Here are four steps which comprise the Smith-Wenkle Method:

  1. If the company asks for the expected salary on the job application you submit, leave it blank.
  2. When you reach the interview stage and the employer asks how much you are expecting, be diplomatic with a response to avoid it by telling them you are more interested in the type of work.
  3. When they ask you for a second time, saying “I will consider any reasonable offer” works as a stalling tactic.
  4. When they ask you yet again, telling them that they are in a position to gauge how much you deserve almost always works.

Thus, your motive when you employ this method is to never quote the salary first. This works nine out of ten times!

The other method is the Jack Chapman Salary Negotiation Method by career coach Jack Chapman who states five rules for negotiating your salary.

  1. Postpone salary negotiations until you have been offered the job: It can get embarrassing if you start talking numbers even before you have been offered the job. It is important to first secure the job offer before negotiating your salary!
  2. Let the other side make the first offer: Use the Smith Wenkle method to accomplish this. Also, here is a short video by Chapman to face awkward questions regarding salary history – http://salarynegotiations.com/Video.htm
  3. When you hear the offer, repeat the number – and then stop talking: Termed as “the flinch” by Chapman, the almost immediate effect of this tactic is a raise. It also helps you buy some time while pressurizing the employer.
  4. Counter the offer with a researched response: Like we have mentioned before, you should do your home-work regarding what salary you are expecting. Your counter response to their offer should be well researched and balanced.
  5. Clinch the deal some more: Once you have frozen on your salary offer, negotiate the additional perks like extra leaves, company transport, etc.

This is all that there is to negotiating your salary. Finally, we would say practicing a mock negotiation with a colleague, friend or relative is the final touch up for your preparation to negotiate your salary and you are good to go! All the very best! 🙂

Salary Negotiation Tips – Talking Numbers – Part II

Salary Negotiation Tips – Talking Numbers – Part I

by | Dec 29, 2014 | Interview, Job Offers

Now that you have cleared the initial interviews, what comes next? The next step, and perhaps the most crucial one is negotiating your salary. Here comes the step when you need to sell yourself in order for the employer to recognize your worth! Before you start talking numbers though, make sure you have established that you would indeed be a resourceful addition to the company. This way, negotiating your salary becomes easier. They would be willing to go the extra mile, to match your expectations and get you on-board.

  • Always ask for some time to consider

    If we get a job offer which we have been waiting for, for the longest time, saying “YES!” immediately can hardly be called an impulse. However, after the initial elated moment, breathe, and then ask for some time to consider the offer. This time that you ask for is when you do your homework about how much you think you should be offered as against what you have been offered. Do your math and get back to them.

  • Always let them quote the numbers first

    During salary negotiations, it is always best to let your prospective employers quote the numbers first. This spares you the mistake of quoting a salary too high or too low. Also, what one must be careful about is, this is the exact same trick the other side employs during the salary negotiation. Have an expectation in mind, but wait to respond.

  • Deciding a base salary:

    Use websites like salary.com, www.glassdoor.com, www.careerbliss.com, www.payscale.com, to help decide the appropriate base salary for the job position being offered to you. Ask colleagues or relatives who might have prior experience. The base you decide is crucial and that is what you would build on. Ensure a realistic and comfortable amount. Not too low, not sky-high.

  • Know your Strengths and Differentiators:

    This is what career coach Lisa Quast’s (contributor at Forbes.com), advice is -“What makes you special and unique from everyone else? Conduct a personal SWOT (Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities and Threats) analysis to understand your differentiators and the special skills or experiences that make you a more valuable employee. Ensure you have these differentiators written down, as this information can then be used as leverage to negotiate a higher starting salary with the hiring manager.”

  • Selling yourself:

    As clichéd as this may sound, we all know this is the age of survival of the one who is able to persuade the best. Once you have done your homework about how much you ought to be paid, convince your employer that you deserve it. Mention your accomplishments and work experience, highlight relevant achievements and gather credible references. Make yours a strong case.

Tune in for our next post which talks a little more about talking numbers and being on the top of the salary negotiation game! We have exactly what you want!