As more people move to working remotely and your day gets busier, holding interviews in person may seem impossible. Virtual interviews can help you save time as well as connect with job candidates that live far away. Transitioning to virtual interviews can be difficult, especially if you’re used to in-person interviews. There’s new technology to learn and different problems to worry about. Here are the most important things to do for a virtual interview:
Take Time to Prepare
Everyone involved in an interview wants it to run smoothly. One way to make it more likely to run smoothly is to prepare beforehand. Have your questions ready and review the candidate’s resume, application, and anything else applicable. Also, make sure to test out the technology a few times before the interview. This will help you fix problems and get comfortable before the interview.
Be sure to give the candidate all the information they need before the virtual interview starts. Tell them how you expect them to dress (ex. Business casual), the technology you will be using, and send the link/invite to use to get into the virtual interview. This will help the candidate feel better prepared and more comfortable.
Remember Virtual Etiquette
Virtual etiquette is different than in-person etiquette. On most video conferencing platforms, making any noise while someone else is talking will cut them off entirely. This can make it difficult to carry on conversations the way you would in an in-person meeting. When you ask a question give a clear end so the candidate knows when they can start talking. Wait until you’re sure the candidate is done answering before asking follow–up questions or clarifying. Consider taking notes during the interview so after the candidate is done speaking you know what you want to talk about next. This will keep the meeting flowing smoothly.
Try out these tips during your next virtual interviews to make it run more smoothly.