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I'm in the process of recruitment for a kind of a graduate internship over the summer, in a city which is 3-4 hours away from mine (to which I'm moving regardless of whether I get the job).

During a phone call, which was one of the previous stages of the process, the HR specialist suggested they wouldn't mind to conduct a potential interview over Skype instead of in person. Ultimately, we agreed that I'll make a decision on that once we're closer to setting up the interview (I'm on a fixed-term contract ending in about a month and it's hard to say how likely my boss will be to give me a day off).

After the phone call there was a technical stage of the interview. After that, I received an e-mail (they tried to call me first) asking whether I'm up for a Skype interview at a specific date and time, to which I responded positively (this morning).

Should I insist on meeting them in person? I'd rather not do this unnecessarily, but I'm afraid talking just over Skype will limit my chances. If they presented me with a choice I'd choose coming over, but they didn't mention such possibility in the e-mail.

I'm really anxious to get the internship and I want to maximize my chances.

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Should I insist on meeting them in person?

At some point as the rubber meets the road, a face to face interview is best in most cases.

However, since the company offered up a Skype interview as an option, I don't think it will diminish your chances at all. If you asked for a skype versus a face to face it would be different IMHO.

Also, as Joe S. mentions in the initial comment on this answer, you already agreed to the Skype interview so I would suggest sticking to your plan.

Good luck with the interview!

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    If they offered it, it's not a problem. Just go with it, but treat it like a real interview and dress accordingly, make sure the lighting is good and do a test run to make sure your mic and camera work etc. The last thing you want is to get the call and waste 10 minutes of their time while you try to sort out some unexpected issue with skype.
    – leigero
    Commented Jun 1, 2017 at 16:44
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    Yeah, I suppose there's no changing my mind now. I'll try to do my best under the circumstances.
    – Jean Broc
    Commented Jun 2, 2017 at 6:57
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In person is always better than phone/skype. Mannerisms and facial expressions you may be able to get through video skype as well, but part of the experience is the environment you are coming into. Interview sets the environment in order to bring the employee into it and ask questions. This first impression says alot about the company and your future bosses. Values are often gathered through interactions like this which often helps get a feel for what kind of job your stepping into.

I would ask for an in person meeting. Even if you interview over skype, a tour of the building or meeting in person with the people is always helpful. If it's physically a long way off, then I would wait until after you know they are going to offer you and then meet and accept after you meet and get a good feel for them. Sometimes if it's remote though you can't do that and skype is as good as it gets till you show up.

Either way, the more personable the better and there isn't any substitute for in person hand shaking and the environment being received through your senses. If technology could do everything for us we would just be machines...we need that interpersonal connection and in person is best for that.

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In-person is definitely better if possible.

Having conducted a number of Skype interviews, it is harder to develop a connection with someone, and get a sense of what they are like, over Skype.

And that is before considering the downside of potential technical glitches: I have had interviews significantly hampered by bad connections, poor audio, etc.

Don't insist at this stage, but offering to come in person is a good idea.

They are the ones offering you the opportunity to interview, so you aren't in a position to dictate the circumstances around how that would happen.

But they might have offered you Skype in this case simply because they assume it's more convenient for you. So I would make it clear that you would be happy to come in person instead of Skype if possible.

Note: now that you have already agreed to do it via Skype, it might not be worth going back and revisiting that--I tend to agree with Mister Positive that this looks indecisive. But as a general answer, I think it would be good to offer to come in person in such a situation.

If you do go ahead with a Skype interview, prepare adequately.

Make sure you are dressed professionally in a location with good lighting and a decent backdrop (having done some Skype interviews, I was surprised that some candidates ignored normal standards of professionalism simply because it was not in-person).

Also, make sure that you are somewhere with a fast internet connection and have a good camera and audio, to reduce the chance of any technical hiccups...test this out beforehand if necessary.

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