Phone and webcams interviews are used as a first screening tool and you will be usually in contact with a recruiter, an assistant to the HR manager, or one of the paralegals of the department or firm for a first discussion.

—— The basics ——

• Be prepared and have your resume in front of you and a list of your accomplishments.
• It is probably better to use a land line, and disable call waiting, as interruptions caused by dropped or incoming calls could just add stress that you don't need.
• According to some seasoned recruiters, it can be useful to have a photo of your interviewer on your computer screen to make the interview a little more like an in-person conversation, or you can simply have a mirror in front of you since it seems that having a human face to talk to may help you to speak with more passion and conviction.
• During the interview, take your time, and answer all questions completely, take notes and ask questions yourself.
• When the interviewer speaks, let him finish his phrases and thoughts and answer calmly, as too much enthusiasm, especially when it leads to cutting the other person off, may work against you.

——The specifics of webcam interviews ——

With today's economy, companies are being forced to cut corners, and more and more companies are seeing webcam interviews as fast, cost-effective ways to screen potential job candidates.

Most of these interviews are very similar to phone interviews except for the fact that you have to schedule some time with your preferred hair salon beforehand and make agonizing decisions as to what to wear!

—— Some tips we found useful... ——

• Many people haven't done a video interview before and it's okay to tell the recruiter or hiring manager that you are new to the process. This may even be a good way to relieve some of the stress and create a kind of open conversation.
• On the technical side, make sure you have a good quality webcam and microphone and that good lighting is available, so that you do not look like an interrogation subject. According to experts on the subject, you should face the brightest light source and use diffused lamps. Do not forget to check your background, a bookshelf being probably the best, as it communicates knowledge and expertise.
• Furthermore, as your webcam interview can be watched over and over and analyzed for substance, it is really important to remain focused and succinct. Having several talking points prepared -like a seasoned politician- with examples of times you've overcome challenges and your achievements in past jobs can be very useful.
• Practice specifically for this kind of interview: a good tip is to try to minimize your movement and to keep your eyes from wandering all over the room. If you watch TV interviews, you can see easily that persons who do not move too much while on camera come across as much more credible and pleasant that those who move a lot. Keep also in mind that posture is probably more important in this situation than it is during in-person interviews.

—— Good questions for a first interview can be: ——

• what makes a paralegal successful in your department?
• what will this paralegal be responsible for on a day-to-day basis?
• when are you looking to fill the position?
• who will this paralegal report to? and
• try to avoid answering the salary question (use terms such as "negotiable", "fairly", "like other paralegals in your office with the same skills and experience" etc.)

Finally, as your goal is to set-up a face-to-face interview, after thanking your interviewer for his/her time, ask if it would be possible to meet in person.

→Follow up with a thank-you note, just as you would do after an in-person meeting.

Ask questions and share your experience with webcam interviews in the comment section below!

Good luck to all of you and we will address the main hurdles of the in-person interview in the next issue!

—— For more information: ——

Andrea Wagner, How to land your first paralegal job (2009).
Van Devender, Savy Interviews: How to Ace the Interviews and get the Job (2007).
Tara Weiss, How To Interview Over The Internet, Forbes (2008).
Karen Burns, How to Ace the Phone Interview, Us News (2010).
Rusty Weston, Your Next Job Interview – Via Webcam? Fast Comapany (2007).
Alison Doyle, Phone Interview Tips.