So, you're going to be interviewed over Skype. And you want to look better than this.
Well, here are four easy keys you can apply to look good in Skype interviews.
Key 1: Sound
Having good sound is just as important as having good video.
Basically, the more stuff that's in the room to deflect the sound, the less echo.
And make sure there's no loud noises in the background. Loud office conversations,
construction, an air conditioner—these will make your interview painful to listen to.
Key 2: Location
Create a good background. This one is not good. It makes me look like a total slob.
This one is too distracting. What's that guy doing back there? And this one...just
make sure you don't have anything embarrassing in the background.
Keep it neat and simple. A white wall is usually too plain, so I set up a bookshelf like this.
You can also use a houseplant, a lampshade, a piece of art, etc. If you're at the office,
you can set up a clean desk with a computer in the background.
Now you're probably using a laptop with a built-in camera or a webcam like this. Notice
how the camera is actually several inches below my eyes. So when you're looking through
the camera, if you angle it at your face, it shows the ceiling. So you want to stack
it up on a box like this.
Basically, you want the camera at eye-level, because this is the way people are used to
seeing you.
And you want to be a little more than arm's length away from the camera—so you're
about this size in the frame. And you want your eyes to be about two-thirds of the way
of the way to the top.
Key 3: Lighting
Good lighting makes a huge difference.
Professional lighting uses four light sources. But you really only need one.
If it's daytime, you can just use a window. If it's too bright, pull the shades. You
need the window to be pretty much in front of you—not to the side or behind.
Wow, I think I've found the worst interview setup ever.
If it's nighttime or there's no window nearby, grab a lamp.
Don't use overhead lighting like this. It makes you look terrible. And definitely don't
light yourself from below, unless you're telling scary campfire stories. What you want
is a lamp in front of you, like this one, with the light slightly above the height of
your eyes while you're sitting down. Of course this one is great because I can adjust the
levels, but pretty much any lamp will do. If it's too bright, try moving it back. It
it's too dim, just move it a little closer.
Key 4: You
Now that everything else is set up, make sure you look good.
Dress appropriately. At least on top.
You might want to wear makeup—yeah, even some men do it.
And don't look down at the computer screen while being interviewed—look directly at
the camera. Now, this might feel a little weird to you at first, but to the people watching,
it looks like you're looking directly at them, which is good.
And try not to move around. Even just a few inches back and forth can be really distracting.
So to recap: Find a quiet place without distracting sounds.
Set up a good background Set your camera at eye level arm's length
away. Make sure you have good lighting
And make sure you look good
Now, I've put all this into a checklist for you, and you can find it in the link below
the video.
That's it! Good night, and good luck.
By the way, I'd love to hear about your experience being interviewed by Skype, or
what you think about this video. So please leave your comments down below.