0
30
As a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, a number of firms have dispatched their entire workforce to work remotely, putting recruiters in a peculiar position. Video interviews are necessary if you want to stay in touch with prospects and continue the hiring process.
While you may have conducted video interviews before, the transition to a totally remote recruitment strategy is a significant change. The concepts of interviewing apply to video conferences as well. There are a few peculiarities to have knowledge of. Our top suggestions for preparing for and executing successful video interviews are described below.
Whether or not your team has prior experience with video interviews, it's critical to fully prepare for the particular challenges and complexities of transitioning to a digital interview process. A sloppy procedure can appear unprofessional and potentially harm your company's reputation.
Putting in the effort upfront to record and test procedures, on the other hand, will go a long way toward ensuring a favorable applicant experience. It's important to remember that failing to prepare is planning to fail. To create a strong video interview process, follow the guidelines below.
First and foremost, collaborate with your entire hiring team to create a written plan. Will you be needing to prepare a slide presentation to put on screen now that the interview is being held remotely? Are there any preparation activities that candidates should take ahead of time, such as submitting additional work samples or taking a pre-employment test? What is your contingency plan if the internet connection — yours or the applicants' — fails?
In times like these, try to communicate excessively. You don't possess the luxury of walking over to their workstation to ask for clarification when the majority of your staff is remote. In your essay, include obvious information and details.
Notify candidates as soon as possible
When done appropriately, video interviews can be just as powerful as in-person interviews. Remote interviews may also benefit you because candidates don't have the added stress of organizing interviews with their in-office job schedule when working from home.
Nonetheless, it is a transition for which they must prepare. Provide clear instructions on the equipment they'll need to participate in the interview — internet access, software or video conferencing applications, a quiet space, etc. — and emphasize that the change is being made out of concern for their health and safety, as well as the health and safety of your employees.
Set up
Instruct your interviewers to choose a calm, well-lit location for their sessions. The video quality of the interview has a big impact; if the candidate can't hear or see the interviewer, they'll have a hard time connecting with your organization. Provide applicants with guidance on how to test their audio and video, if your program allows it, so they feel comfortable using the equipment and can concentrate on preparing for the interview.
Test your equipment
Before conducting an interview, regardless of whatever interview software you choose, it's critical to learn and practice with the subtleties of your equipment. Do some research ahead of time to actually see if the candidate requires specific log-in credentials, an email address, or to download a platform in order to participate in the chat. Make sure to give them all of this information ahead of time so they can test out the software on their own.
Also, conduct a few practice interviews with your team to ensure that everyone knows how to use the video and audio functions, mute themselves, share their screen, and chat all throughout the interview.
Go the extra mile and look closely into the problems that other software users have encountered in order to rehearse answers for typical blunders.
Fortunately, video conferencing is not a novel concept, and there is numerous excellent software available. Several suppliers are giving extended free trials and better services in response to the current circumstances.
Feedback
Request that candidates complete a feedback survey after each interview so that you may learn from them. Keep the survey basic by asking generic questions about how candidates believed the session went, whether the software worked well and whether there was anything further that could be done to improve the video interview experience. As you move through the process, use the information from these surveys to improve it.
A few tips and tricks to conducting a video interview:
When you're ready to begin the chat, keep the following ten ideas in mind to ensure a professional and fruitful video interview.
Body language
Consider a video interview as if it were just like an in-person interview. Just because you're separated from the candidate by a screen doesn't mean you can't provide common courtesy. Nonverbal communication holds up almost 55 percent of the conversation, along with the tone of voice and the way you speak accounting for another 38 percent; your words account for only 7%.
In short, even in a video interview, the way you present yourself is critical. Make eye contact, sit up straight, and nod to demonstrate that you're paying attention to what the candidate is saying. Do not forget to put a smile on your face!
Appropriate outfit
Dress formally even if you're not at the office. Unless it's standard business clothing for your company, showing up to the interview in sweatpants and a t-shirt will give the impression to the candidate that the dialogue isn't that significant. Put on a shirt and tie if that is the most appropriate attire; you can change after the interview.
Dressing professionally provides the candidate with a sense of your company's culture and makes a video interview feel more like an in-person interview. Of course, your clothes are normally only seen from the waist up, so a blouse, collared shirt, or good sweater would suffice.
Company culture
Candidates would not be able to experience your company culture firsthand during a video interview, so emphasize it throughout the session. Emphasize your company's basic values and mission, tell anecdotes about team outings, and discuss how your office is organized and why.
Give a detailed description of what it's like to work for your organization. Above all, bring your company's culture onto the table during the interview by demonstrating your fundamental principles and treating the candidate as a colleague.
Review past interviews
Review your notes from earlier conversations with the candidate before the video interview so that the next one is as productive as possible. During each interview, take notes on what the candidate says, how engaging they appear, their efforts, and their overall manner. It's vital to let the interviewee know that you're taking notes for later reference and that you're still paying attention to the talk.
They won't be able to tell what you're writing, and it may appear to them that you're not paying attention.
Most platforms generate meeting transcripts, making it easier to capture the whole discourse and share it with other parties.
Join the meeting early
Don't let your prospect wait around for you to join, unsure if they've arrived at the correct time or attended the correct meeting. Be there five minutes early for your video interview and turn off your camera while you wait. This will showcase that you arrive on time for the meeting, but you can work or organize your workspace while you wait. Your candidates will appreciate your preparedness and punctuality.
