Nanny&Me

1.     No distractions. Skype interviews already have inherent distractions due to the nature of video chatting, lighting, camera movement, potential lag time etc. so don’t create unnecessary distractions. If possible, have someone come over to look after your kid(s) in a separate space from the interview.

2.     Be prepared, but adaptable. Go into the interview with your interview guide prepared and notes on any additional information that you want to discuss, but be open to going with the flow if natural conversation takes you in a different direction for a moment, or if specific questions aren’t working for you.

3.     Take a screenshot. Taking a screenshot of each candidate and placing it in their folder will give you a visual cue when recalling your interview with them during the post-interview debrief/reflection. “You may not remember what someone said, but you will remember how they made you feel” is one of my all time favorite quotes. Having a visual cue will help you to bring back the feeling that you got during each interview. Speaking of not remembering what people said…

4.     Take a screen recording. Take an audio/video recording of the interview. Sometimes during the excitement of the moment it is easy to get swept up, but then difficult later on to remember exactly what was said. You’re excited, distracted by reading other cues (tone of voice, body language etc) and might not be taking the most thorough notes, so take a recording and that way, you can sit down later on when the excitement of it all has worn off and rewatch the interviews. You might be surprised by what you find.

5.     Be organized. Ensure that you have pre-added each interview candidate on Skype, and have all of your materials ready. You already have enough excitement without scrambling around at the last moment.

6.     Set up your physical space. Take the time to find the best room lighting and position for your camera. Setting the stage can go a long way in creating a comfortable and smooth interview.

7.     Invite others. Consider inviting people whom can offer you a third-party perspective. The great thing about Skype is that people can attend the interviews without attending the interviews. We had my mom sit in the living room, and sent our screen to the TV using our Apple TV so that she could watch the interview live. If having other people present would make you uncomfortable or serve as an unwanted distraction then consider sending them the video recording to watch afterwards.

8.     Don’t rush. Schedule adequate time for each interview so that you’re not rushed. It’s better to reschedule if need be than conduct a fast-paced interview where you skip over important questions and details.

9.     Take notes about more than what they said. Sometimes we get caught up writing down what someone answered to a question, but it can be helpful to write down other things like gestures or body language (for example: put an * next to an answer with “she smiled and got very excited” or “she didn’t seem confident with her answer”). Taking notes on personality, gut feelings, and gestures will help you to remember more details about the interview.

10. Paraphrase. It’s important to make sure that the interview candidate has understood the question that you’re asking. Sometimes there can be language barrier which is amplified by video conversation, so take the time to paraphrase your questions (and theirs) if you pick up on a lack of clarity in the discussion.