Advice for skype interviews

[hanguk]

I have a few upcoming skype interviews, and haven't heard much about them. Are there any relevant threads? What should be avoided, and what questions should one prepare for? 

[Monk_Fudge]

So I write this after having done not so great on a skype interview recently. Here is the advice I wish I was given. First, be prepared to give clear and short answers to questions. With skype as a format its a lot harder to catch the non-verbal cues that you've answered a question sufficiently and its a little hard for your interviewer to interrupt you if you're droning on (which is easy to do when you're nervous). I would spend no more than 1-2 minutes answering a question. Better to give them the opportunity to ask follow up questions than to appear as if you're giving a lecture. Don't try to convince your interviewers you know enough or are smart enough. Resist quoting things or making as many references as possible. In short, don't ramble. 

Second, in regards to questions. Be prepared to explain your area of interest. Don't give a long background story on how you came to be interested in it (unless its relevant). Mention the topics/thinkers that are relevant, why they interest you, why you consider it important or exciting and some specific things you'd like to expand on. Don't simply reiterate your statement of purpose, but give it a bit of a personal touch. 

On that note, be prepared to answer questions about your statement of purpose or your CV. I had one interviewer quote a section of my statement verbatim and asked me to clarify something I hadn't thought about much since writing it 5 months ago. I would recommend reading through your statement point by point and jot down a few notes. Along with that I'd recommend outlining some general themes which link your various application materials. I had one interviewer ask how my thesis (which is not in my stated area of interest) was connected to my current interests. I'll admit I blanked on this question despite the fact there is a general thematic relation between them and I ended up sounding a bit scattered. 

Lastly, and this is the most obvious, be confident. If they asked for an interview it means they are serious about you as a candidate. Your statement and sample peaked their interest. Show that you're excited and be personable. This is their opportunity to see if they want to work with you. This means being friendly, polite, and good-humored. ( on the topic of humor I'd maybe stick to only making 1-2 jokes. I find skype really makes it hard for humor to come across and if you're not careful it could come across as arrogance or just fall flat thereby confusing the interviewers). 

Hope this helps.. 

[Marcus_Aurelius]

This post has lots of suggestions for what to ask the interviewers about their program: 

 

[redsubywa]

7 hours ago, Monk_Fudge said:

First, be prepared to give clear and short answers to questions. With skype as a format its a lot harder to catch the non-verbal cues that you've answered a question sufficiently and its a little hard for your interviewer to interrupt you if you're droning on (which is easy to do when you're nervous). 

I did a Skype interview a couple of weeks ago (and since received an offer from that institution) and this is what I noticed after the fact - it is incredibly easy to ramble because you don't know when you've sufficiently answered their question. 

But I'd also say that you don't have to worry too much about delving into your research / potential project. I could tell that my interviewers (about six people at once) had specific issues they wanted to cover, but they also wanted to get a general sense of your personality: Are you someone they'd get along with? Would you be decent in a classroom? Would you fit the department from a social and not merely academic perspective?