I have conducted scores of interviews of Delhi NCR and from other state candidates who have applied for admission to the Asia Pacific Institute of Management, New Delhi, one of the leading b schools in Delhi NCR region – both in person and over Skype. Interviews over internet are one of the recent trends that are very popular in B school admission process and also in getting jobs. One such method is Skype interviewing. It has become easier for MBA candidates to shortlist B schools and appears for the interview via skype for the same. This saves a lot of money and effort of the candidates and their parents. Skype Interviewing may sound very casual but it is very much a formal, professional procedure and is taken seriously by the Institutes/companies. In an era where MBA applicants often come across as overly packaged and polished, an increasing number of MBA programs have started using online video-interview platforms in order to get a better sense of your personality. They’ve seen what you have going for you on paper; a video interview can help them judge whether or not the “real you” matches the impression you’ve built through your other materials. Following are some minor yet important points which need to be considered before you appear for a Skype interview.

1. Make sure your user Id/username is a professional one.
2. Internet speed and connectivity should be high.
3. Should have good quality audio/video equipments (camera, earphone).
4. Be aware of your visual background (No open bathroom doors, open closets stuffed with clothes, generally unkempt surroundings).
5. Don’t refer any notes during the conversation.
6. Maintain Eye contact.
7. Don’t make excuses if you don’t know the answer (e.g. sorry I can’t hear you).
8. Should be alone in the room (no distraction).
9. Handle technical glitches with grace (if any).
10. Use chair for sitting. Don’t sit on bed or move around.
11. Prepare (and practice) succinct responses for all of the typical MBA-related questions: Why Program X, Why an MBA overall, Why now, what are your career goals, Summarize your career to date, and so on.
12. Record yourself answering these questions. Have a trusted friend review your responses and tell you how you’re coming off. Tweak your style accordingly.

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Anand Prakash

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