Tips for and What to Expect from Skype Interviews

[thedig13]

Naturally, I've noticed all the interviews (both formal and informal) being posted on the results board here. Having not been contacted for one myself, I'm extremely nervous, but it occurs to me that I have no idea what to expect from an interview. I've chatted with two POIs via telephone around October, but am unsure how an October phone chat resembles/differs from a January Skype interview. It also occurs to me that this might be helpful for the batch of UPenn interviews coming up.

 

So, have at it.

[catsandscarves]

I would definitely appreciate any advice as I have an interview this Friday. What questions should I be expecting? Any advice on questions to ask them?

Thank you so much in advance for all of your help!

[lafayette]

I wrote this last year: 

 

Good luck! It won't be that bad, I promise. (Also if you haven't gotten any interview requests, don't panic; I had one last year and it was only because my specific POI wanted to speak with his potential advisees.) 

[Carthage32]

Great advice, Lafayette!

 

I had a Skype interview during my admission cycle a couple of years ago, so I will add some thoughts about that.

 

First, this almost goes without saying, but get a quiet, comfortable place in which to do the interview. You want to make sure that you won't be disturbed during it. If you're going to be in a room on campus or at work, put a "Do not disturb" sign outside the door. If you're going to be at home, make sure it's a place that is free of distractions. If the wall behind you still has your playboy bunny poster on it that will be visible through the webcam, you'll want to take that down.

 

Second, test out your computer / internet connection beforehand! Nothing is more frustrating than having your computer freeze up two minutes before the interview. Obviously, technical problems can't always be anticipated, so make sure you have a back-up option. Maybe provide your phone number when you're setting up the interview, in case there are technical difficulties, so you can continue over the phone instead, if need be.

 

In terms of the content of the actual interview, I pretty much agree with everything lafayette said. It's a great idea to create concise "narratives" about your research interests, previous academic work, etc and have them ready to go. Writing things down that you may forget is a good idea too. Obviously, in a Skype interview you don't want to be seen reading off a sheet. But, having something there to glance at quickly does provide a sense of safety, at least for me.

Edited January 30, 2014 by Carthage32