Within COVID-19’s infancy in the United States, businesses have either already transitioned virtually or are still in search of ways to continue and run their businesses remotely.
Our way of life has changed rapidly in only a matter of weeks, and as we enter another week of #stayhome, #socialdistancing and #flattenthecurve, it seems that our new normal is starting to be established. Once we’ve dealt with the larger things: employees transition, planning, organizing, leading, and managing, we need to get a little inventive - and adaptable - to adjust on how we handle business in the time of COVID-19.
While everyone is engaging with what the online world is offering, businesses and organizations are pondering as to how to continue with job interviews. As we are #socialdistancing ourselves, many businesses are still looking to move forward with adding or revamping their staff and teams. Giant companies like LinkedIn, Google, Facebook, and Amazon have made all their job interviews virtual these past weeks.
Big thanks to the digital age, there are now several alternatives to conduct successful interviews and get to know potential hires virtually. Although interview mediums have a huge difference vs each other (face-to-face vs. online meeting), the goals of the interviews are the same: discover whether the candidate has the knowledge, skills, qualifications, and abilities to operate adequately within the role.
What digital tools are businesses using to conduct their online interviews and meetings?
Here are 7 tips for conducting an effective online interview:
Propose the Online Interview
Schedule the online interview properly, as you would with an on-site interview. Notify the candidate of your availability and set a specific time and day that works for you both. Make sure to ask if your candidate can accommodate an online interview. Share with your candidates the necessary information, like the technology to be used for the interview and expected interview duration.
Optimize your Tools and Environment
Prepare your hardware and software tools. Since you are depending on your technology to interact with your candidate, you need to make sure all of your hardware and software works and runs smoothly. It’s best to conduct a sound check hours before your interview to ensure your camera and microphone work well. Designate an interview area, choose a quiet corner in the office(or home), or a private room with the most minimum noise and distractions.
Set up a Strategy
Think meticulously about the skills and attributes you’re looking for in a candidate and form questions that dig into each one. Both you and your candidate have to be ready to answer and ask questions and should have a list of relevant ones ready. Be ready to answer questions about your company. If your candidate didn’t have any questions for you, then they likely didn’t set aside ample time to prepare and research or they are not as interested in this role as you’d probably like.
Communicate Openly
Keep your candidates informed at each stage of the interview process. While online interviews are convenient, it's more challenging for the candidate to build a personal connection with their interviewer over video. Without being able to give them a friendly, in-person treatment, it’s important to show them their time and efforts are valued.
Give Undivided Attention
Don’t multitask during the interview. Remove distractions — Be attentive to the candidate and place yourself away from distractions, including your phone, just like you’ll do on an onsite interview. Give your candidate the time to answer questions. Pause to ensure the candidate is done with their response, before moving onto the next question to account for time lags and lack of usual social cues.
Dress Appropriately
It doesn’t only make you feel great and confident, it also bolsters your brand as the employer — Ensure interviewers at all stages of the recruitment process convey a consistent message about the company’s mission and values.
Record the video interview (for the rest of the hiring team)
Record the video interview so you won’t have to brief your hiring team about the call. It is also important to get your candidates’ permission before recording the call in compliance with privacy laws. Send an email and get written consent for the recording before the call to evade legal issues.
RED FLAGS:
Informal Appearance or Behavior - An unsuitable dress code and behavior indicate that the candidate is not taking the interview – and possibly your company – very seriously.
Tardiness - A highly interested candidate will log into the interview or respond to your video call during the scheduled time (if not 5 minutes earlier). It is a common courtesy notice to let you know if something urgent has come up at least 4 hours before the scheduled call.
Suspicious Employment Gaps - You would want to find someone with some consistency in their work history. Remember though that it is only suspicious, not damning to have gaps. Ask questions about it and see how they explain - do they learn or admit mistakes, or do they blame?
Complaining or gossiping about the previous company - This is a shift-the-blame game and no one ever wants to start out by bringing on a team member that engages in destructive communication.
Poor listening skills - Do they ask you to repeat a question more than once? Do they misspell your name on the thank you note, or not know what they are interviewing for?
Not asking questions - Often this means the candidate doesn’t understand the role or is just looking for “a” job. If the conversation was dynamic enough of exchange and you feel confident in the candidate, there may not be questions.
If you have unresolved questions or doubts about something about the candidate - ask them about it! If they were late to the call, ask them if they have other responsibilities that require a bit of flexibility on work shift start time? If you can’t get a read, invite them to get personal a bit. Where are they from? What do they do for fun? What excites them about the role? By giving someone permission to open up, you get to see a side of them, their human side that we’re all so longing to connect with, especially now.
One of the best ways to keep up with your hiring needs, and properly screen appropriate candidates in a time of high applicancy is to work with a professional recruitment team. By working with an experienced Recruitment team, you can ensure that you get the best candidates among the herd.
Don’t let the Covid-19 pandemic hold you back from growing your team and your business capacity. Professional staffing is a skill The Hire Standard has honed, to empower companies, helping them grow faster and smarter. Schedule an appointment with our recruiter and learn about the costs of searching the San Francisco metro for your next hire.