<p>DS just got notified of his first interview for a summer internship. It would take him at least three hours, and a day of missed classes, to travel by public transportation to NYC on a weekday to appear in person, and Skype or phone interviews are offered as well. Is it so preferable to appear in person that he should make this effort?</p>
<p>I’m guessing that it shouldn’t make a difference. They are probably interviewing many folks from schools far away.
If he opts for Skype, remind him to head to a quiet location and be aware of what might be visually distracting in his background!</p>
<p>If this is something he really wants to do, I’d recommend going in person. He is likely to be competing for the slots with people who will show up in person. And I’d really not recommend using Skype for a phone interview. Skype is great if you’re trying to talk to someone on the other side of the world for free. But the quality is often not reliable, and you just don’t want frozen video, garbled audio, etc. on a phone interview. I’d actually recommend using an old school land line – even cell phones can have poor quality, and the quality of the call will influence the interviewer’s impression, at least on a subliminal level.</p>
<p>I think that you lose something using a computer screen for communications even though it is usually more efficient. In person, you can get a better feel for the environment and the people and I think that you can better read those that are interviewing you better in-person than over a video-chat. A trip to NYC might be fun too - it would give him an idea as to the environment that he will be spending the summer in - this could be a positive or negative.</p>
<p>Also vote for in person.</p>
<p>DH interviews recent college grads for positions with his non-profit. In person is better, but if he is missing important classes, that needs to be considered as well.</p>
<p>Practice first with you or someone else. Make sure he is prepared in a setting that does not have distracting noises or background. Determine a good distance from the camera and speaker, don’t lean in while talking, and be dressed appropriately. Practice doesn’t have to be with interview-like questions, this is a matter of lighting and clarity and professionalism.</p>