PhD/PsyD Skype Interview Tips?

[fritolay]

Hi everyone. I received an invitation for the first round of interviews at one of my top doctoral programs! Does anyone have any tips or advice for a Skype interview (i.e. what should I expect, how to prepare, etc.)? I saw another thread asking the same, but it wasn't referring to Psychology PhD/PsyD programs.

Thanks!

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[singasongofjoy]

If you're using a laptop, put it up on a box or something so that it is closer to eye level- you don't want to be looking down the whole time you're interviewing. Have a phone number at the ready to call them in case you have trouble connecting. make sure your computer has a good charge or you have it plugged into the wall if you're using a laptop And (learned this one from experience, though not with a grad school interview) if you have cats, make sure they're shut in another room so they don't step on the keyboard, haha. Good luck!

 

[fritolay]

I'm planning on keeping my dog entertained in another room with a bone so I don't have any noisy interruptions I'll be using a tablet so I need to figure out the best way to hoist it up so it doesn't fall. Thanks!

 

[calimich]

Do a practice call with someone who will give you honest feedback about lighting, angles, voice quality, etc. If you use notes, make sure they are out of view!

 

[CheetahGirl]

First impressions count...make sure the environment behind your screen looks professional...and wear a nice outfit up top but down below be as free as you want.

Edit: @WisNeuro...mind reader...I was for sure thinking this:

 

[WisNeuro]

Wear pants.

 

[deleted343839]

+1 to all of the above. Also, look at the screen while the interviewer is talking, but look into the camera while you're talking. It feels weird but it's the closest thing to eye contact you'll be able to give.

 

[niceman]

Do a practice call with someone who will give you honest feedback about lighting, angles, voice quality, etc. If you use notes, make sure they are out of view!

Second this. Try to ask that person to ask you questions as well so they can comment on your speed of talking as well as the content of your answers.

 

[fritolay]

these are awesome everyone (especially the pants tip)!

Should i expect any typical questions like "what's your strength/weakness" or will it mostly be focused on research interests/ideas?

 

[Indiana_Jane]

I had a Skype interview and phone interview, and they asked the same questions as the in person interviews. Research fit/interest, prior experience, etc.


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[cara susanna]

I'd actually suggest wearing a full suit like you would for an in-person interview. IMO it puts you into a different mindset. At least, it does for me. I did that for all of my Skype post-doc interviews.

Also, make sure that you have stable internet! I actually reconfigured my apartment so my laptop could reach an ethernet cable, so I didn't have to deal with my sometimes-spotty wifi service.

 

[psych.meout]

I know this is a few steps ahead, but if there are conflicts between dates for in-person interviews for programs, how acceptable are Skype interviews? I know many programs list them as "acceptable" if in-person interviews are impossible for whatever, but are they still looked down upon and put you at a disadvantage acceptance-wise compared to in-person interviews? Or do they mean what they say and skype interviews are fine and it's more that you don't get as good of a look for yourself at the program compared to in-person interviews?

 

[WisNeuro]

If you're in the top applicant group, skype interviews are fine. My sites have taken people who have done phone and video conference interviews. I think it mostly hurts those people in the middle tiers. Doesn't give them too many opportunities to really shoot up in the rankings since they have limited exposure. So, IMO opinion, doesn't really hurt an application, but limits the ability to improve chances above and beyond the application.

Additionally, I'd say the biggest downfall is for the applicant and their own decision making. Not being able to visit and see the site is huge. There were a few sites that I had ranked very highly pre-interview, but after visiting, they plummeted in my personal rankings. You'll lose out on getting a good feel for a place. Both the program, and the community, if it's an area you are not familiar with.

 

[Justanothergrad]

Be aware of what's behind you.

This includes mirrors

 

[fritolay]

Hi everyone thanks for all the tips!

Interview went really well.

I ended up dressing semi-formal from head to toe (blouse, dress pants, and leather shoes) just to get me into the mindset. I didn't want to add a blazer because I get extremely sweaty when nervous LOL

Added textbooks and a lamp light in front of me so I could be seen without problem. Sat in my dining room with a nothing but a white wall and white curtains in the back. Also disconnected all the house phones and had my dog stay in a room upstairs with a family member. Made sure to eliminate as many distractions as possible.

However, I had one minor slightly horrible hiccup... my webcam was rotated incorrectly so I was basically sideways the whole interview (I turned my tablet at the beginning and end for introductions and goodbyes, so hopefully that didn't hurt me TOO much). I'm really upset about that though because I did a test run with a friend to make sure everything would be okay but **** happens so #1 tip is to stay cool in these type of situations and make sure your discussion with the POI stands out more than a technical difficulty.


Other tips I can add
- take pauses between sentences. it's easy to get nervous and start to ramble, especially on the first question, but it's better to pause than say Umm or look up at the ceiling.
- Have a class of water next to you. my mouth gets really dry in these type of situations so it made me feel more comfortable knowing that I could reach for a drink if I needed to.
- BREATHE seriously
- don't be a robot! yes i got really nervous at first but I was able to calm down quickly and keep my cool. remember that your POI, no matter how amazing and respectable they are, are still human! they expect you to be human as well. have a thoughtful and honest discussion with them.
- this should go without saying but HAVE QUESTIONS READY! unfortunately we almost ran over time (or maybe fortunately since that may mean we had a good time speaking with each other), so I was only able to ask one 2-part question, but you want this to be your chance to interview the person. and make sure your questions are NOT yes/no questions. you want this to be open-ended to continue a discussion.

I hope that helps anyone who needs it

 

[psych.meout]

Hi everyone thanks for all the tips!

Interview went really well.

I ended up dressing semi-formal from head to toe (blouse, dress pants, and leather shoes) just to get me into the mindset. I didn't want to add a blazer because I get extremely sweaty when nervous LOL

Added textbooks and a lamp light in front of me so I could be seen without problem. Sat in my dining room with a nothing but a white wall and white curtains in the back. Also disconnected all the house phones and had my dog stay in a room upstairs with a family member. Made sure to eliminate as many distractions as possible.

However, I had one minor slightly horrible hiccup... my webcam was rotated incorrectly so I was basically sideways the whole interview (I turned my tablet at the beginning and end for introductions and goodbyes, so hopefully that didn't hurt me TOO much). I'm really upset about that though because I did a test run with a friend to make sure everything would be okay but **** happens so #1 tip is to stay cool in these type of situations and make sure your discussion with the POI stands out more than a technical difficulty.


Other tips I can add
- take pauses between sentences. it's easy to get nervous and start to ramble, especially on the first question, but it's better to pause than say Umm or look up at the ceiling.
- Have a class of water next to you. my mouth gets really dry in these type of situations so it made me feel more comfortable knowing that I could reach for a drink if I needed to.
- BREATHE seriously
- don't be a robot! yes i got really nervous at first but I was able to calm down quickly and keep my cool. remember that your POI, no matter how amazing and respectable they are, are still human! they expect you to be human as well. have a thoughtful and honest discussion with them.
- this should go without saying but HAVE QUESTIONS READY! unfortunately we almost ran over time (or maybe fortunately since that may mean we had a good time speaking with each other), so I was only able to ask one 2-part question, but you want this to be your chance to interview the person. and make sure your questions are NOT yes/no questions. you want this to be open-ended to continue a discussion.

I hope that helps anyone who needs it

What kinds of questions did they ask you and what did you ask them?

 

[fritolay]

What kinds of questions did they ask you and what did you ask them?

It was a pretty short interview (30 min time slot) so it was more specific to the program itself. but on the general side:
- what helped me decide to get into the field
- how past experiences shape current ideas
- if i had to pick one research interest to focus on what would it be
- in what ways would i like to get funding (teaching, research labs)
- what long-term career goals are
- what other kind of programs did i apply to (i.e. PhD vs PsyD, combined programs, etc)
- why am i interested in this particular program
- what do i like to do outside of work for fun (that was a nice question)

I can't remember all those questions, but what i asked at the end was 2 parts
1) what is your mentoring style (how easy is it to get in contact with you, what can i expect in first year)
2) what can you tell me about the program, something that can't be found by reviewing the website, that makes it stand apart from others

 

[psych.meout]

It was a pretty short interview (30 min time slot) so it was more specific to the program itself. but on the general side:
- what helped me decide to get into the field
- how past experiences shape current ideas
- if i had to pick one research interest to focus on what would it be
- in what ways would i like to get funding (teaching, research labs)
- what long-term career goals are
- what other kind of programs did i apply to (i.e. PhD vs PsyD, combined programs, etc)
- why am i interested in this particular program
- what do i like to do outside of work for fun (that was a nice question)

I can't remember all those questions, but what i asked at the end was 2 parts
1) what is your mentoring style (how easy is it to get in contact with you, what can i expect in first year)
2) what can you tell me about the program, something that can't be found by reviewing the website, that makes it stand apart from others

Thanks, that's interesting. Do you mean they asked how your past experiences shaped your current, specific research interests or was it more about your interests in grad school in general?

 

[fritolay]

Thanks, that's interesting. Do you mean they asked how your past experiences shaped your current, specific research interests or was it more about your interests in grad school in general?

No problem! Moreso how it shaped my current specific interests. But i will say i touched on how these positions solidified my decision to continue in to graduate studies