16 Sep 11 Essential Tips for Video Conference Interviews
These days interviews are no longer limited within face-to-face meetings where both parties are seated at two ends of a table. Interviews have taken altogether different approach these days. Traditional interviews have been replaced by telecommunication interviews and interviews via video conferencing on the web. Such modern interviews require different approach, attitude and practice altogether. New trends require new techniques. Here are some tips for your help.
Don’t forget it’s LIVE
At times people forget that they are giving interview through video conferencing and that is mainly because of the ease in which they give interview right from home, sitting in front of their PC while the pet dog is sitting at a corner. But don’t forget video conferencing is no different from the face-to-face interviews. In video conferencing you are not only seen but also heard just like any face-to-face interviews. You are observed carefully, your actions and reactions are noticed and you are very much LIVE. It’s just that your half of the body is seen and the interviewer doesn’t come to know if you are formally dressed at the bottom or not. They won’t even realize if you stink or if you are wearing a dirty pair of socks, as they can’t touch, smell and feel you. But since entire attention is on the part that’s visible, it’s even harder to convey the best possible message.
You don’t have a second chance to get back
Always remember, in case of interview through video conferencing you may not get another chance to get back to the interviewer and explain your point. Videoconferences are generally scheduled with a limited time frame in mind. Once you have been asked a question you need to answer immediately. In case of physical face to face interview you may still afford to buy some time under the disguise of arranging presentation or taking out resume from the folder; but in case of video conferencing you need to be prompt and you can’t escape their eyes on you, since they are unable to see the surrounding distractions and every eye is just on you. In physical form of interview if you forget to present some assignments and projects or convey a message you can again knock at the door and come back for a minute. But in case of video interviewing the call may end abruptly and your chance of re-appearance will go off forever. Similarly your every expression will count and will be observed since your face is in center of their attention. Try to sound genuine, look genuine and always answer with firm voice yet humble approach and a smile.
Now, go for it. The world is all yours.
Tags: Actions And Reactions, Attitude, Dirty Pair, Disguise, Face To Face, Interviewer, Limited Time, New Trends, Pair Of Socks, Resume, Second Chance, Telecommunication, Time Frame, Traditional Interviews, Video Conference, Video Conferencing, Video Interviews, Videoconferences
08 Sep 10 Should You Write Free Sample Articles for a Client?
Quite often in the beginning of your writing career you will encounter a client who will ask you to write a sample for him for free on his chosen topic before he could make his mind about your suitability to his work. Such requests put a beginner freelance writer in a fix.
The freelance writer gets confused whether he should write a free sample or not. He knows that refusing to write a free sample will mean losing the client, and writing a free sample may result in client’s disappearance, which is not unheard of in the business. Many clients, under the disguise of asking for free samples to evaluate the candidacy for a fictional big project, just take samples from various freelance writers and disappear.
The question is what should a freelance writer do, in situation like that?
There is not one single answer to this. You may or may not write a free sample. It all depends on you and kind of sample being asked to write. I cannot tell you that you should write or not, but I can tell you about the process I go through when deciding on whether to comply with the wish of getting a free sample or not.
Client authenticity checklist
Indeed, you need check the person’s authenticity before saying yes or no to his wish to have a free sample, and you can do this by doing the following things, at least I do these things:
- Run a Google search with the client’s name, nickname along with the words like scam, cheat, fraud, scammer, etc., one at a time. This is done to find whether there is any reported fraudulent activity related to him. If he has done anything mischievous to people or service providers, you may find something. Well, this does not happen always, but most of the time, you will get what you are looking for.
- I check the reviews and rating of a client, if I have been approached by him through a freelance exchange websites or forums. If there is enough positive reviews about a client then I think favorably of his request
- Is the client giving me too rosy a picture to be true? A cheater will often show you a grand, often unrealistic, view of the future, in case you get the work, for which you will have to submit a free sample custom written on topic given by him. I stay away from such bait.
- I never write a sample, if a client asks for a sample of 500+ words. From my experience I can say that such demands often come from clients with dubious intentions. I often offer to write a sample of not more than 250 words, and occasionally 300 words.
These are steps I run a client through before accepting or rejecting his offer. I think this will work for you. At least you should try this strategy, if you do not have any. Something is always better than having an absolute zilch.
Tags: Authenticity, Candidacy, Disappearance, Disguise, Exchange Websites, Fraud, Fraudulent Activity, Free Articles, Free Sample, Free Samples, Freelance Writer, Freelance Writers, Google, Google Search, Nickname, Sample Articles, Scammer, Service Providers, Suitability
21 Jul 10 How to Handle Client’s Objections?
No matter what business you are into, and what is the nature of clients you have, every client or customer (whichever term is applicable for you) has certain objection that needs to be handled before it open his wallet for you. This is one fact of any business, whatsoever.
There is another fact, and it is related to objection handling. No matter what objection your clients have, or what problem they say they have, you can handle it and that too by following a set of steps given below.
Sincerely listen to what he has to say
Do not object or stop your client from speaking his heart out. Cutting him short is a sign of weakness. Let him speak not only and try to understand his point of view on the matter at hand. More so because he may himself tell you the answer to the objection he has raised.
Make him talk
If your client is not the kind who bares his heart out then make him talk. Ask questions that will make him reveal more about the objections. More often than not clients reveal the solution when talking about their objections, so make them talk.
Ask questions related to the objection your client raised
Ask questions to unearth the reason behind the objection raised by your client. Quite often, the issue raised by the client is mere a disguise (or external appearance) of the real objection he has. You need to ask relevant questions so that you can unearth the real reason behind his denial to make a purchase now.
Do not try to prove them wrong
Proving your clients wrong is the worst thing you can do in a sales situation. You are not there to win a debate, so do not go with that mindset. Let you client speak about his problem, and except that whatever he says is write, after all he is the one who is there stuck in a problem.
Be gentle to him, and even if you have to say that your client is wrong, say it in a way that it does not hurt his ego. It should not appear that you are playing the one-upmanship game. Make him realize that you are trying to solve his problem by understanding his point of view of the situation.
Take notes
This is vital, and notes taken when the client was talking will also help you in addressing his concern. Take notes, but not in a way to break is stream of thought. Your note taking should go undetected.
The things I have discussed above about objection handling are very important. You need to cultivate yourself in such a way that the above given objection-handling technique becomes part of your nature. Inculcate these into yourself, and practice it until it becomes your nature.
Tags: Debate, Denial, Disguise, Ego, External Appearance, Game, Heart, Mindset, Objection, Objections, Point Of View, Real Reason, Relevant Questions, Wallet
