Skype Interviews

Preparing for a Skype Interview

Skype interviews seem to be rising in popularity with many recruiters these days. This article by Jenny Foss provides some helpful tips on what to expect and how to prepare for one! Enjoy!

10 Tips to Shred the Competition in your Skype interview (by Jenny Foss)
You may already know this, but allow me to reiterate: corporate HR has discovered Skype. And they’re using it with increasing frequency to interview candidates. It’s cheaper than flying you in, and it’s more personal than a phone call.
Welcome to your huge advantage in the job search. Do use it accordingly. Even if you’re not job searching, these tips are helpful for any Skype calls you do, including informal interviews and networking.
If you’re competing with older candidates for your dream job, they may very well have the “years’ experience” edge. But if you’re already comfortable using Skype? You really, truly could outshine that senior level candidate if he or she is “green” with this technology.
Of course, you must then make this your mission. Outshine, friend. Outshine.
To ensure this mission is successful, here are 10 tips to help you shred the competition on your next Skype interview:

1. When confirming the interview, provide your Skype account name. Show the interviewer that you’re comfortable with the technology right from the start. Also, ask if you are to dial them, or if they will call you. No sense starting off on this weird note.
2. If your Skype name is cutesy or unprofessional, set up another account. And not MadSkillz or HireMaddie. Just your name, please. Or something close to it if yours is already taken.
3. Practice first. I recognize that this might sound obvious, but you’d be amazed by how many people don’t do it. Dial up a friend, relative or professional mentor and run through a few mock questions. Check the audio levels, make sure the room lighting looks normal
4. Get the eye contact thing down. This can feel a little strange on Skype, but eye contact is VERY important in an interview. Be sure and look into the webcam a large portion of the time. You’ll be tempted to stare at the screen, because that’s where the interviewer’s image appears. But if you look there the whole time? It will come across that you’re looking down the entire time. Eye contact. A must
5. Don’t even think about doing it in a coffee shop. Quiet, clean room. Absolutely no environmental hustle and bustle, none. Oh, and when I say “quiet, clean room?” Assume I mean “quiet, clean room with no weird crap in the background.
6. Silence any other phone or potentially interrupting technologies before the interview. That’d be your cell phone, your land line and any other audible alerts that could pop up on your computer during the call.
7. Go professional, but remember you’re probably sitting at home. Some professionals will argue me on this, but I think that, for most positions, it’s unnecessary to get all spiffed out in an “interview suit” for a Skype interview. “Hi, I’m sitting in my apartment in pinstripes. Just a regular old day here.” It just seems odd to me. Absolutely look polished, ironed and professional (and wear pants, for heaven’s sake,) but I say suit is not required (unless, of course, you’re in the running for some big Wall Street or CPA gig, then yes, probably.)
8. Prepare in the exact same way that you would for a face-to-face interview. Research the company, the industry and the players with whom you’ll be interviewing. Come to the interview with thoughtful questions related to these. Listen. Listen. Listen. And then answer questions calmly and succinctly. Smile. Just like you’d do in person.
9. Don’t panic if you have a dropped connection. More than likely, the interviewer already knows that this happens sometimes with a Skype call. In the event it happens on your interview? Take a couple of deep breaths and wait for him or her to re-connect. If five minutes passes and he or she doesn’t? Redial.
10. Say thank you. And do so while you’re looking at that webcam.

Finally: pat yourself on the back when it’s over. Your comfort level with newer technologies like Skype may well help you land the dream job!

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator: Some insights

I love the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)!  The more I learn about it the more excited I am to share the information with students and professionals.  It can be a real benefit for you to know your "type" when working with people because it provides an insight that helps you to also understand others.  I plan to give our readers some insights into the MBTI for the next few blogs I post, but I would recommend reading more about the MBTI or talking to a career counselor to take the assessment.  Public libraries have many books on MBTI and can give you some more in-depth background information which I don't have space for in a blog.  You can also check out the MBTI website at www.myersbriggs.org.

SIXTEEN DIFFERENT TYPES
As you learn about the 16 different types you'll typically identify with one specific type more than others, this is called your true-type.  You can also determine your assessed-type by taking an MBTI assessment.  Even when someone has taken the MBTI I still discuss what they think their true-type is before disclosing their assessed-type.  The reason for this is that sometimes the true- and assessed-types are different due to stress in the person's life or if they were thinking of a specific environment for the different scenarios.  All scenarios should be considered as preferences, meaning environment and other people aside what would you prefer to do or what is most comfortable for you.

Below is a table with the 16 different types, which I found at the Myers-Briggs website.  You'll notice they only use 8 different letters, but rearrange them into the 16 different types.  Each type has it's own unique characteristics and each person that identifies as a certain type is different from the next.

ISTJ	ISFJ	INFJ	INTJ
ISTP	ISFP	INFP	INTP
ESTP	ESFP	ENFP	ENTP
ESTJ	ESFJ	ENFJ	ENTJ

Here is some technical information, so hold onto your seats... the MBTI was developed with Carl Jung's theory and his 4 different "dichotomies" or basic preferences.  These 4 basic preferences are split into two opposite preferences.  Each type has one opposite preference from each of the 4 basic preferences.  Here's how it breaks down:

Introversion (I) vs. Extroversion (E) - These opposite preferences coordinate with the basic preference of "Favorite World."  I also explain this basic preference as where you prefer to get your energy.  Do you re-energize by being alone or do you get your energy from those around you?  This preference seems to be the most well known, and the most misunderstood.  Remember that Introverts are not always wall-flowers and Extroverts are not always the party-animals.  Actually each preference can act like the other when the situation arises, just ask yourself... After a long day and you need to re-energize would you rather call friends and arrange a dinner/game night (E), or go home and do your own thing (I)?

Sensing (S) vs. Intuition (N) - These opposite preferences coordinate with the basic preference of "Information."  I like to think of how you prefer to gather information, or your preferred learning style.  When learning something new (gathering information) do you need to experience it will all your 5 senses, or prefer minimal information and then draw inferences related to that information and your personal knowledge?  This preference can be the hardest to understand because of how abstract the concept is.  One give-away for Intuitives is that they always seem to have a story for everything.  This is because they're relating to the topic at hand to what they already know and sharing stories helps them to understand the topic better.  To help you understand which preference might be yours, ask yourself... When your boss or instructor is giving you a new task or assignment would you rather they provide you with all the details up-front (and then you typically will still have questions) (S), or be given just the basics and you'll figure it out on your own (N)?

Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F) - These opposite preferences coordinate with the basic preference of "Decisions."  This preference is also often misunderstood as some people think that Thinkers don't feel and Feelers don't think.  It's not about how kind you are, but about how you make decisions when a situation presents itself.  Thinkers tend to focus on the data of the situation first and then considers how others will be affected by the decision.  Feelers tend to focus on everyone's feelings and values first to make the decision and then considers the facts.  To help you understand which preference might be yours, consider this scenario... You're the boss and have been monitoring a certain employee's progress for weeks.  You know you have to fire the person because they haven't improved even after all the meetings & work you've done with them.  How do you feel about this? ...Comfortable and ready to handle confrontation (T) or less comfortable and wanting to get more information about the employee's situation; maybe there's something going on with his/her life that's causing the poor performance (F).

Judging (J) vs. Perceiving (P) - These opposite preferences coordinate with the basic preference of "Structure."  I like to think of how you organize your environments either at home or at work.  When you're organizing your life do you prefer things to be "in their place" and organized, or does that not matter to you?  Do you value making decisions and sticking to those, or can making decisions too early stress you out because you want to remain open for new opportunities.  Remember when choosing one preference over the other, choose the one that you are most of the time and will feel most comfortable with the majority of people.  To help you understand which preference might be yours, consider this scenario... When you're getting ready to go on a trip do you prefer to have everything planned out so you know what's going to be happening when and you feel a sense of control (J)?  Or, do you prefer to "fly by the seat of your pants" and enjoy any last minute adventures that may come your way (P)?


STAY TUNED...
Now that you have a brief notion of what the different types are all about stay tuned for more insights into the specific types.  I'll be posting more about each of the 16 types throughout the year.  You'll read about funny stories, facts, and things to consider to help improve yourself and the way you interact with others.

Passive Job Search VS Assertive Job Search

Passive Job Search VS Assertive Job Search

I have met many people who tell me that they have send out 20, 50, even over 100 resumes and they have not landed an interview yet. I understand their frustration. It takes a lot of time and energy, not to mention some money, to market yourself when you are looking for the next, or the first, opportunity.

I will not give you something easier to do. In fact, I am going to give you something more time consuming and more difficult to do. With that said, with strategic effort and commitment, hard work pays off. The key words, strategic and commitment. Hard work is worth it if there are results.

I want you to think of your job search in a different way. When I used to manage sales teams and I had people who were struggling month after month to meet their goals this is what I would challenge them to do:

“Forget about your sales goals and quotas. What I want to know four weeks from now is not how many sales you closed, but how many you opened. I don’t even want to know how many sales calls you made. All I want to know is how many new friends you made. Intentional friends, but friends non-the-less.”

From intentional friends come opportunities. Your job search is the same way. When sales people get stressed about the lack of sales, they panic and try so hard that they overcompensate and lose potential sales. When job seekers get frustrated they sometimes try too hard and seem too desperate. They lose interviews and job offers.

So, what are you to do if you are sending out resume after resume and not getting an interview? Well, keep doing what you have always done and you will always get what you always got. Change it up.

The passive job search is when a job seeker waits for some action to happen and then they react to that action. This is usually what people do when they are job searching. They wait until a job is posted and then apply for it. I encourage you to do this as a tool in your job search tool belt. But I would encourage you to have a few different tools. Right tool for the right job as my Grandfather used to say.

The assertive job search is making a prospect list, identifying the decision-makers, and creating a plan to make some intentional friends. Remember, the decision-makers know what they are planning two, three, and six months ahead. Many jobs today are not published. They are filled before they get published. This is called the “hidden job market”. As a job seeker, you need to tap into this market.

When I was a hiring manager I would meet people who I thought would be a good addition to my team if I had an opening. I would keep their information and when I had an opening I would go to my file drawer where I kept this information and start calling.

My challenge to you, get in as many files drawers as you possibly can, don’t quit, and realize rejection is part of the process. Seriously, every no does lead to a yes. And one good yes is all you need.

Good luck in your job hunt.

Congratulations Graduates!

The Office of Career Services would like to congratulate all of the students who graduated this year! We hope that you enjoy IPFW's Commencement Ceremony tonight!

Career Spots Videos

Check out our Career Spots Videos!

We have 20 career videos for you to view and learn more about the following topics:

The Cover Letter, Making Your Resume POP, Finding a Co-op / Internship, The Elevator Pitch, Career Fair Success, Top 10 Interview Mistakes, The Interview, Interview Dress for Women, Interview Dress for Men, Informational Interviews, Importance of Networking , Researching Companies, Perils of Social Networking, Ask the Experts, Career Center Benefits, The Salary Question, Follow Up with Employer, Art of Saying THANK YOU, Advice from Graduates and How Do You Get THAT Job.

To view the videos, just CLICK HERE! 

After watching the videos, test your knowledge by taking our Career Spot Videos quiz: http://ipfw.edu/offices/career/resources/index.html

Or, make an appointment with a Career Counselor to talk about what you learned in the video! Call Career Services at 260-481-0689

Job Fair and Small Business Summit

Job Fair and Small Business Summit

Sponsored by: Indiana Third District Congressman Marlin Stutzman and IPFW

Thursday, May 19, from 1 to 5 p.m.

in the IPFW Walb Student Union Ballroom

For tips on how to work a job fair please view IPFW Career Services Career Spots Videos:
http://ipfw.edu/career/

Confirmed Employers for the 2011 Job Fair:

Parkview Health

Pro Resources Staffing

Briljent LLC

Comcast

Coca-Cola Refreshments

Freedom Academy

Small Business Administration

Stella and Dot

Daves Diesel Angola LLC

BF Goodrich

Indiana State Police

Lutheran Social Services

Symmetry Medical

Investment Advisors International

Oak View Tool Company

Knight Mechanical Testing

Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce Graduate Retention program

United States Army

United States Marine Corps

Women's Enterprise

Shuttleworth Insurance

Huntington University

Fort Wayne Metals

Steel Dynamics Incorporated

Indiana Wesleyan University

Allen County Government

Homewood Suites by Hilton

UPS

Indiana Tech

University of Saint Francis

VA of Northern Indiana

Heritage Food Service Equipment

Harrison College

Bright star Healthcare

Millers Health Systems

WestPoint Financial Group

Wayne Fasteners

Cellular Connection

For additional information regarding this event, please follow this link: The Fort Wayne Chamber's Daily Dose Blog

3 Rivers Federal Credit Union- Young & Free Indiana

3 Rivers Federal Credit Union- Be the Young & Free Indiana Spokester!

3Rivers credit union was on the IPFW campus today looking for a young, creative, social-media savvy person for a once in a lifetime opportunity. The job comes with some sweet tech gear including a MacBook Pro, HD video camera and 30k a year. If you missed this opportunity to talk to them, go to YoungFreeIndiana.com for more information!