As a human resources executive, I have been recruiting talent for over 20 years across multiple industries, including Entertain-ment, Tech/IT & Personal Management.

Below are some hot tips for both sides of the hiring table. In this article we look at Remote Interviews.

Hot Tips for Job Interviews:Remote interviews

by Andrea Doven

Technology has afforded us many luxuries in today’s world, especially in the in-terview and hiring process. People can now be interviewed remotely via Skype or Facetime, Google Hangouts, etc.

It is just as important to convey a professional attitude and presentation of your-self, perhaps even more so in this setting. And minor failures like not setting up your end of the Skype interview professionally, can lose you a job.

Here are some tips to help navigate this process:

Technically speaking…

If you don’t have a Skype account and don’t have a camera and haven’t ever really chatted via Skype, don’t tell the hiring manager!

Do what you can to get up to speed. If your computer doesn’t have a camera, purchase an external one – cheap and easy to install.

If you don’t have a Skype account, create one and download the app to your computer. Skype video interviews are more and more commonly used.

A technically savvy candidate is a plus, so present yourself this way. Google is your friend! Everything and anything you need to learn more about is searchable on the Internet. There are instructional videos available on YouTube for pretty much everything nowadays.

Staging

Having interviewed hundreds of people via Skype, I’ve seen everything in terms of quality of presentation.

Make sure it is a distraction-free space that is quiet. Remember, you are mocking up an “in-person interview” and helping the hiring manager make this happen smoothly.

I had interviews where the person was practi-cally in the dark, like a convict who didn’t want to show his face.

When the person hiring has to take the time to help get the lighting right, it’s a waste of time. Also, do what you can to have a very serene organized, minimalist background in the frame. If you have clutter and a wall of family photos and a big bulletin board filled with stuff… either move it or pick another wall. Stage your interview correctly.

Dress professionally, at least from the waste up! (you can wear your PJ bottoms if you really need to be comfortable), but a shirt and tie for men or a nice blouse for the ladies.

A note about wardrobe

Dress professionally, if anything over dress! Do a little homework and gauge the company culture you’re in-terviewing for.

If it is a young, modern company culture then you wouldn’t wear a tie. But the women should still wear a clean blouse. If it is a more tradi-tional office culture then ties for men and blouse and jacket for the ladies.

Camera technique

Treat the camera as the person you’re speaking with. Look at the camera. On the other end of the Skype call, it will translate as if you’re looking at the person you’re speaking with.

- Andrea Doven

Andrea Doven is an Executive with an extraordinary record of establishing and effectively managing/handling personnel at any level (excellent people skills).

To this day she is called upon by professionals in a variety of industries to help them hire and place qualified employees in their organizations.