Acing the Skype Interview

In this world of corporate cost cutting, you may find yourself facing your computer camera rather a hiring manager. Treat the cyber interview as you would a personal interview with a few twists.

· Establish a “clean” background, clutter free. Tidy bookshelves work well, no nick-knacks. Don’t use a background with any moving “traffic” such as passerbys or vehicle traffic. You don’t want anything to distract the interviewers from you.

· Do you best to light your set. Turn on all available lighting, both lamps as well as overheads. You don’t want a spotlight effect with your face popping out of a black hole. That can make you look sinister. Work on your back lighting first, then use lamps to brighten up your face. Your goal is to come as close as you can to what you see on network news interviews, achieving a warm and open feeling.

· Just because you are at home, don’t be casual. Confidence is key! Professional clothes, tidy hair and make up are important. Men should use a touch of powder to avoid that shiny look which can translate to fop sweat from the other side of the camera

· Check your broadband speed well ahead of your interview. If it’s sluggish, your image on the other side will be jerky. Not good. If you’ve got a problem, use a friend’s home instead.

· Practice makes perfect. Do a practice run with a friend or family member on the other side.

· Lastly, look directly into your computer’s camera and don’t glance off. That will make you look shifty, distracted and disinterested.—the last impression you want to make with the hiring manager.

Internships and Co-Ops Deadlines Now!

Attention all college juniors! Don’t miss out on that coveted paid junior summer internship. The most highly regarded companies are accepting applications and interviewing NOW for summer 2012. Don’t wait until spring break to get your act together—if you do you will miss out on the best opportunities. Remember you are only a little more than a year from joining the ranks of the newbie job seeker. You will have a strong leg up on your competition if you have real world experience with one of the best companies in your field.

Internships are where you establish important first career relationships. These relationships could lead to a job when you graduate, or provide sources for the letters of reference when you begin your career outside of college.

Many internships are posted on companies job boards and websites. If you have a connection at a specific company, now is the time to use it.