Let’s face it – we never thought we would be in the position to hire team members strictly through video interviews, but here we are! After the initial screening of the candidate, you may decide that your next step is a full or half day of video interviews with key members of the hiring team. Here are a few recommendations for how to make the process seamless and comfortable for everyone:
Scheduling – whether you use Zoom or Google Meet or any other video conference tool, HOW you schedule the interviews are very important. Be sure to allow a buffer between interviews to make up for lapses or interviews that go longer than scheduled. (Think about when you had to wait outside a conference room while the interviewer wraps up their appointed time). Put at least 15 minutes between each interview AND be sure to schedule a break for your candidate. Even though they are calling in from home, they still need a chance for a bio break and to stretch, just like an in-person interview.
Use one “room” – You know what it’s like when you are in-person and the candidate gets dragged from room to office to cubicle to accommodate each interviewer? Don’t do that with video! Create one room or zoom link and have the candidate stay put. This will ease their anxiety about making sure they have the right link for the next call and/or being on time.
Keep your video on – Even if your home office aesthetic isn’t great, it’s important to keep your video on and make it “face-to-face”. It can be unnerving to speak with someone when you’re on video and they are not. If your hair is a mess or your office is a pit, just poke fun at it and then get down to business. The candidate will appreciate your authenticity and believe me – they can relate!
Give the candidate interviewer details – Give the candidate the names and titles of the folks with whom they will be speaking and give it to them at least one day in advance. Let them do their research prior to meeting each person – it will provide a robust conversation and put the candidate at ease.
A beginning and end – Just as when your candidate is greeted in the lobby, have a host for the video interview day. Consider scheduling the host for the first and last 15 minutes of the day. Otherwise, at the end of the day, the candidate may be left feeling a lack of closure and unsure of next steps.
Video interviews could be the future as times evolve and technology gets better. Be sure to prep your interview team ahead of time as we discuss in the article: Preparing your interview team.
Do you need help with a contingency, retained or consultant search? Contact me today and let’s talk about your requirements.