The coronavirus pandemic has meant many businesses have had to adapt quickly to a new way of working. People across the country have swapped their daily commute and 9-5 in the office for home-based operations, which has transformed many working lives. Of course, this has and will continue to have a huge impact on the way companies recruit and interviewing over video.
In usual circumstances, managers might invite candidates for a face-to-face meeting – but many are now turning to tech to help them carry out video interviews from their home office. If you’re going to be interviewing over video for the first time, here are some tips to help you.
1. Test your technology before you start interviewing over video
Check your webcam, microphone, and software is set up and working correctly before the interview. This will reduce the likelihood of potential tech issues on the day, which can be disruptive and put yourself and candidates on edge. You should also provide instructions to interviewees detailing which software you’ll be using, how to download it so on, so they can prepare in advance.
2. Set the scene
Many people will be unfamiliar with interviewing over the video, so it’s worth setting the scene for candidates beforehand. For instance, you could let them know whether to dress formally or casually, whether they need to prepare anything such as a PowerPoint presentation, and if so, how to share this with you during the interview. You can also reassure them that you understand they’ll be interviewing from home, so as not to stress about children or furry friends interrupting the conversation.
3. Make eye contact
It’s important to treat a video interview as much as a face-to-face interview as you can. One of the best ways to do this is to try and make eye contact with the other person. While you’ll be unable to do this in the same way you would if you were in person, you can look directly at the camera where possible and avoid flicking between different windows or screens. This will show the interviewee that you’re listening attentively to what they’re saying.
4. Ask relevant questions when you are interviewing over video
As with any interview, it’s important to prepare ahead of time and have a list of questions to ask the candidate. There are many different types of questions you can ask depending on the role you’re interviewing for. As an example, you may want to introduce hypothetical scenarios to understand how they would handle certain situations or ask questions focussed on specific experience or capabilities.
Hopefully, these tips will help you to conduct a smooth and efficient video interview with your prospective candidates. If you need assistance finding the best person for the job in these unprecedented times, it may be worth seeking professional support from an interim management provider who can help you build a successful team.
