Read on…

For a Skype job interview you will need to dress up, be professional (no noises in the room or neighbors outside mowing the lawn).  Although it may seem informal, try to take it just as seriously as a real interview.

Tip: you can be the one to recommend to have a  Skype job interview.   If you think they’re techy enough to go for it, it’s a win-win-win for you.  Why?

• You’re being proactive.
• You’re offering to save them money.
• You’re also showing that you’re tech savvy.

Another plus: if you are the first one who have offered to do a virtual interview for them – this will indicate your initiative.

So what is Skype you ask?

Skype is a software application that allows users to make voice calls over the Internet. Calls to other users of the service and, in some countries, to free-of-charge numbers, are free, while calls to other landlines and mobile phones can be made for a fee. Additional features include instant messaging, file transfer and video conferencing.

To get started, download and install Skype and create a free user account.  Your computer should have a fast broadband Internet connection, and you need a USB headset and mic (cost is from $25 to $30).  If you have laptop, the built-in mic will work, but a headset sounds sound better. If your computer has a Bluetooth chip, you may be able to use the Bluetooth headset you use for your cell phone.

Now you are all set to make Skype calls from your computer.  The software will allow you to test out your setup with a  prompt asking you to say something. Skype will then play back what you said—if you can hear yourself, your setup is working.)

Calling other Skype users is free so arrange for your interview call in advance with an employer who is willing to use Skype for the intervew.

Calling people who don’t use Skype: This can be done but it is not free.  Skype can connect to the phone system so you will need to give Skype your credit card number (or your PayPal account). Then type in the phone number and press Call.

Bottom Line: Since you are already paying for an Internet service connection, there really is no need to pay for phone service, too. The Internet is already your phone. Use it.

a) Select this link to watch a short  Time magazine video entitled  How to Ace a Job Interview on Skype:

Time Video – Using Skype

b) Select this link to read the original  Time article entitled How Skype Is Changing the Job Interview:

Time Magazine Article

Blurb from the article:

“Get ready for a closeup: your next job interview might be on webcam. Looking to save time and money, companies are turning to video-chat software as a cheap, low-hassle way to vet job candidates. That means a growing number of people looking for work are meeting their prospective new bosses not at the office but in the comfort of their own home.”

Many people outside of the online marketing realm, unless they are under 25 years old, have difficultly understanding the concept.

In a nutshell, Social media is Web 2.0, or interacting with others online.  Web 1.0 was all about showcasing oneself, while Web 2.0 involves a sense of community and openness in which the line between author and reader is blurred.

Savvy businesses and organizations are beginning to utilize social networks to interact with current and prospective clients or customers, introduce new products and services, and launch viral campaigns to involve its market.  Businesses are able to communicate directly with target markets and monitor what others are communicating about its brand or service.

Most organizations are recognizing the value of social media but clueless how to use it.  A job seeker who understands Web 2.0 automatically can have an edge over the competition.  If a company is on Twitter or Facebook, job seekers can get a pulse on what that company values.

To understand what social media is, consider the six main categories:

• Social Networks. In general, these sites allow users to build a profile, connect with friends, and interact with others who have similar interests on the site.  The most popular social networks are MySpace and Facebook.  For business use, LinkedIn is a rapidly growing network of professionals.
• Blogs and Micro-blogs. Blogs are probably the most popular form of social media because they existed before Web 2.0.  Many people write blogs to convey their expertise on a subject, review products, report news, or simply as a diary for all to see.  On the flip side, blogs have become a recognized news source.  The social aspect of blogs involves reader comments and sharing.  Micro-blogs, like Twitter, allow for immediate posting and more interaction.
• Social Bookmarking. Social bookmarking sites such as Delicious, Digg, StumbleUpon and Diigo, allow users to access their bookmarks from any computer and share them with others.  Rather than bookmarking a Web page in your Internet browser, you can save it on Delicious to access it from anywhere and give your network access to your favorite articles and Web sites.
• Video Sharing. Popular video site, YouTube, has become almost synonymous with online videos.  Not only are videos entertaining, they are also highly searchable.  Other video sharing networks include Blip.tv, Dailymotion, Hulu and Yahoo! video.
• Podcasts. These include audio or visual files that are available through subscriptions.  Podcasts can be live presentations, webinars, teleseminars, radio shows or anything that contains and audio or video file.  iTunes is a hub for all genres of podcasts and anyone can submit a file to be heard around the world.
• Wikis. These websites contain user-generated content and allow people to add or revise information about a given subject.  Pages become communal documents in an online database.  The best know wiki is Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia that anyone can edit.  Other wikis include About.com and Squidoo.

The common thread in each of these social mediums is content creation and distribution.  New media users are not selfish with their ideas or work, instead they share their work with all of their networks through syndication.   Applications like Ping.fm make the distribution process simple, so that content can be disseminated to a number of networks at once.

You can become new media savvy if you remember the following steps: Create, Syndicate, Comment, Repeat.  Use this to your advantage during the job hunt to connect directly with your prospective employers or blow them away with your knowledge during an interview.

Source: Anne Carr, Account and Social Media Director at Bolt Public Relations

I have included this You Tube video – How to Ace a Telephone Interview and Get the Job:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Also, click the links for these 4 videos from Shannon Terry (resume writer and interview skills coach); a video transcript is included for reference.

How to Prepare for an Interview

How to Prepare for an Interview

Video Transcript

• “Abraham Lincoln said if I had eight hours to cut down a tree, I would spend six sharpening my ax. Hi, I’m Shannon Terry, I’m an interview skills coach and resume writer with Resume Confidence here to help you prepare for your job interview. The first tool, of course, is preparation. Research the company, use their website, use newspaper articles, network of course, friends, colleagues, neighbors, whoever might know something about both that company and the position. I want you to bring extra resumes so you can distribute them. You’d be surprised how many interviewers aren’t ready for you when you get there and it saves them from having to search through their desk awkwardly to look for your resume. Do a test drive to the job site beforehand so you know what’s the parking situation, how long does it take me to get there, things like that. And, I always want you to arrive early anyway because the best preparation, is not feeling rushed. Review the qualifications for the job before you get there and then plan how are you going to incorporate your skills and experience into what they’re looking for. Make sure you’re answering those questions for them. Last but not least, and most important practice, practice, practice, practice with a trusted friend, an interview coach, a trusted colleague. This will help you feel comfortable with the most common anticipated interview questions, so that when they throw you a curve ball or two, and they will, you don’t lose the whole game. Hi, I’m Shannon Terry, an interview skills coach and resume writer helping you prepare for your interview.”

How to Answer Questions in a Structured Oral Interview

How to Answer Questions in a Structured Oral Interview

Video Transcript

• “The best indicator of future performance is past performance. This is a key tenant to structured interviewing, or also called behavioral interviewing. Hi, I’m Shannon Terry. I’m an interview skills coach and resume writer with Resume Confidence here to help you answer questions in a structured interview. What a structured interview actually is is an interview in which they ask the same series of questions in the same order to all the participants and then the interviewers score your answers. The point here is to try to be fair to all of you, asking the same things. What they are looking for is specific examples of your skills and experience. In effect, by asking you for these stories, you are proving your skills and experience by explaining in detail these examples. Your answers all need to have the following information, kind of a structured answer, right, for a structured interview. First, give a description of the situation: when I was a…give a job title, at such and such company, here’s what I was faced with. Something like that. Next, state your objective. What was it you were supposed to accomplish. After that, make sure you spend most of the time in your, in your answer talking about your action. What did you do? These prove your skills and experience and therefore what you can actually do in the future as well. Lastly, but also very important, make sure you explain in detail the positive end results for the company and of course, the client. Every employer wants to know how you made something better for your fu, your past rather, your past employers. I’m Shannon Terry, an interview skills coach and resume writer with Resume Confidence, helping you answer questions in a structured interview.”

How to Follow Up After a Job Interview

How to Follow Up After a Job Interview

Video Transcript

• “So, you’re sitting at home after what you think was a good job interview, you got done, but you’re like what do I do now, how do I follow up with this company. Hi, I’m Shannon Terry, I’m an interview skills coach and resume writer with Resume Confidence here to help you learn how to follow up after a job interview. So, your follow up actually begins at the end of the interview. I want you to ask what are your next steps in the process, how can I follow up with you after this, I’m really interested in the job. Make sure you say that, state your interest. I want you do avoid saying things like, if I don’t hear from you, I will call you on, it seems like you’re being assertive but what you’re actually doing is implying by saying, I doubt, by saying if I don’t, don’t do that. Be a little more positive and confidant by saying well, I look forward to hearing from you, when can I expect your call? Something like that, that subtly implies of course, you want to hear from me, without being arrogant. Send those thank you notes. A lot of people don’t, so it’ll make you stand out. Send them within about a business day or so. If you used e-mail in the past to communicate with the employer, feel free to do that, otherwise, mail a note, in a time crunch, you can even fax it. If the employer gave you a specific time frame for follow up and they don’t call on that day, call them the next business day. If they didn’t give you a specific follow up time frame, then wait two or three business days till after the interview and call to follow up. Be brief in your follow up call, restate your name and the day and time that you interviewed, and the position to jog the employers memory. And, just simply say again, I’m interested in the job, just calling to follow up and seeing when I can expect to hear from somebody. Hear that? When can I expect, you’re assuming of course, they’re going to call you back. Last but not least, in the meantime, keep looking, it’s always good to have options. I’m Shannon Terry, I’m an interview skills coach and resume writer with Resume Confidence helping you learn how to follow up after a job interview.”

How to Do a Second Follow-Up After a Phone Interview

How to Do a Second Follow-Up After a Phone Interview

Video Transcript

• “They say that the squeaky wheel gets the oil, but in job searching you have to find a balance between being persistent and being annoying. Hi, I’m Shannon Terry, I’m an interview skills coach and resume writer with Resume Confidence, here to help you learn how to follow up after a second phone interview. The follow up actually begins at the end of the interview. Ask what the next steps are in the job search process. State your interests, make sure you do that, so they know that you want the job. Send a thank you note, yes, again, right away, and if they specified a time frame that they’re going to be getting back to you, and they don’t actually call you on that day, call them, the next business day to follow up. If they didn’t specify a follow up date, then I would wait two or three business days before you make your follow up call. Keep all of your follow up calls brief. Simply call say your name, hi, I’m so and so, and I’m calling to follow up on the, and list the name of the job that you’re applying for. I interviewed on and give the date and the time and this helps jog their memory. Again, repeat your name and your contact information for their convenience and then just simply end your call with I look forward to hearing from you soon, or I’m really looking forward to that call. In the meantime, keep on looking for other jobs, it’s always good to have options. I’m Shannon Terry, an interview skills coach and resume writer with Resume Confidence helping you follow up after a second phone interview.”