I’ve conducted a dozen or so interviews over Skype in the past fortnight and have looked up several noses, looked down on bald patches, spoken to cut-off heads and even been introduced to a cat …

So, given that Skype interviews are becoming increasingly common, here are a few dos and don’ts:

Do

• Adjust the height of the camera so it’s at eye-level when you’re sitting down.
• Practise speaking into the camera: the key is “to look through the lens”.
• Push the camera back a metre or so. It makes the whole experience less intense.
• Invest in a cheap extension microphone. It will improve the sound quality - but don’t forget to test the sound levels.
• Think about what’s behind you. A busy background can be a distraction.
   

Don’t

• Use backlighting.
• Wear a headset.
• Fall into the trap of not preparing for the call just like you would for a face-to-face interview.
• Put Post-its around the screen - it’s so obvious and shows a lack of confidence.
• Forget to make sure that you are fully dressed. You never know what might happen during the call.

Mark S Steed is the director of JESS, Dubai, and has been appointed the principal & CEO of Kellett School Hong Kong from September 2019