6 Ways To Ace A Video Job Interview

Video job interviews are an increasingly popular way for employers to talk with prospective employees. If you are not prepared for the intricacies of video chatting programs, you could find yourself left in the dust.

While having an interview on a program like Skype can save you time, it can take some time to get used to talking through a video camera. There are other hurdles to get past once you get over the initial awkwardness. One of those potential problems is not knowing the full capabilities of the technology. For example, did you know you can enable screens sharing so that you can show the hiring manager your resume or other important documents?

Here are some other tips to ensure that your Skype interview goes smoothly:

• It can be tempting to look at the screen during the whole interview, but you should really be looking directly at the camera. It's the same principle as making eye contact during an in-person interview: You want the person on the other side to feel you are paying attention to what they are saying.
• Be sure to get rid of all potential distractions. That means closing the door to your room, turning your cell phone off, and telling your family or roommates not to bother you for the next hour.
• One of the more jarring things about a video interview is being able to see yourself while you talk. In order to better prepare for this experience, talk in front of a mirror beforehand so you are familiar with your own facial expressions.
• Conduct the interview behind a plain background. You don't want the interviewer to be distracted by any "colorful" posters or objects.
• Just because you are at home doesn't mean you can wear shorts and a t-shirt. Dress the same way you would if you were going into the employer's office.
• Do a dry run with one of your friends to iron out any technical issues with your connection or computer. Disconnections are going to happen occasionally but you can still ensure your mic and audio are working properly.

Is Telecommuting An Option?

Today's technology has allowed for a number of advancements in the workplace. One of those that is becoming more popular is telecommuting. Since a lot of work now is done on computers, there's not a whole lot you can't do from home. And if you do need to access your work computer, there are programs, like LogMeIn, that allow you to do that from the comfort of your home.

Yes, saving money by removing your commute sounds great, but is it really the right choice for job seekers?

The answer to that question really depends on who you are. Speaking during the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) 49th International Conference on Fundraising, Jill Dotts of the American Heart Association pointed out that there are certain employees who are good matches for telecommuting. Those employees fall into the following types:

• Top performers.
• Results focused.
• Strong communicators.
• Disciplined.
• Self directed, self driven.
• Entrepreneurial.
• Proficient in high technology.
• Administration proficient.
• Possessing a sense of urgency.

If most of those terms describe your personality, you should consider applying to jobs that offer telecommuting as an option. I personally think there is something to be said for working in an office with other people rather than staying at home all the time, but it is an option if you are having a tough time finding traditional nonprofit jobs.

Adapting To Job Search Trends

The employment landscape is changing.  Whether it's for the better or worse is up for debate, but there is no doubt that employers are using new tools to streamline the hiring process.  It is up to you to adjust to some of these new job search trends if you want to move ahead in this market.  Let's go over how you can adapt to these new fads:

Resume Scanning.  Many organizations are now employing resume scanning technology to quickly parse through applications.  These devices will search resumes for specific keywords.  Those that don't contain them will be rejected.  You need to put these words into your resume, but you can't just insert them at random.  Each of your employment descriptions should have keywords strategically inserted to make the best impact.

Social Media.  You won't get ahead in this job market if you don't use social media.  You should have accounts on all the major social networking sites.  Some of the best candidates are found on these sites, so companies are increasingly searching them for potential employees.  An added benefit to this is you will gain more expertise in using these sites.  Nonprofits are increasingly looking to move their services into this new realm, so having social media knowledge will give you more marketability. 

That's all I have for now.  Have you noticed any other trends in job seeking?  Feel free to list them in the comments section below.

Professional E-Mail Writing

Where would we be without e-mail?  Things that used to take days to be sent can now get out in a matter of seconds.  E-mail is an especially useful tool when it comes to the job search.  Whether you are sending a following up on a job application or sending a message to a networking contact, this technology makes things a lot easier for job seekers.  This doesn't mean it's without its perils.  If you don't know the basics of professional e-mail writing, you could end up with some big problems.

Abbreviations and so-called "text-speak" have become a huge part of our society.  Why say "you" when you can simply type "u?"  It's perfectly fine to use this lingo when e-mailing friends or family, but it should have no part in professional e-mails.  That seems like a no-brainer but you'd be surprised how many job seekers don't follow this rule.  Just check out this example from a job seeker posted by About.com:

i would like to put an ap in are u able to fax me a ap i didnt do up a resume yet i am working on it u think we could work somthing out thank you!

Yikes.  Besides the obvious punctuation and grammar errors, note that this person is using an abbreviation for the word "application."  Just because something is obvious to you doesn't mean it will be obvious to your reader.  It shouldn't take more than a second for the reader to understand what you are trying to say. 

When you are e-mailing about something as important as job, there simply is no excuse for there to be errors of any kind.  Have someone else read your e-mail before you send it out.  The best way to make sure your writing is error free is to have an outside party look it over.  If it passes the smell test with that person, you should be good to go.

Nonprofit Technology: Jump on the Bandwagon

The great thing about the nonprofit sector is that there are a wide range of positions for different experience levels and skill sets.  While fundraising and marketing jobs are some of the more popular positions available, nonprofit technology jobs are also on the rise.  For example, there are over 30 jobs listed on our job board that fit this category.  This includes the standard IT positions, as well as graphic design.  The trend here is clear: it's time to jump on the online and technology bandwagon!

The need for job candidates skilled in technology should come as no surprise.  With the growing popularity of the Internet (including the phenomenon that is social media) and the increased reliance on computers, nonprofits are increasingly on the look out for tech savvy employees.  In the 2010 IT Staffing and Spending Report by NTEN and The NonProfit Times, it was reported that expenditures on IT remained steady or even increased.  That the spending did not decrease despite the economic recession should show how important IT is to nonprofits. 

Although IT or HTML jobs aren't the only technology positions available, I would say they are the most valuable skills to have when looking for a nonprofit job.  But if you aren't really up to learning HTML (though I would highly recommend at least considering taking a basic HTML course), you should consider becoming very proficient in social media.  With the rise of Twitter and Facebook, many nonprofits are looking to take advantage of these mediums to reach new audiences.  If you can show you know the intricacies of these tools, it can go a long way to helping you secure employment.  There are plenty of free resources online explaining concepts like search engine optimization (SEO) and more, so take advantage of these and learn as much as you can.  You should also look into seeing if there are any courses on social media available at your local colleges.