Schedule And Confirm The Interview
Use a scheduler.
To be sure that you’re on the same page for the interview time, use scheduling apps like Google Calendar or Calendly. This is especially important if you and the interviewee are living in different time zones.
Confirm the remote interview.
Be sure that your candidate knows it’s going to be a remote interview, and that they have access to the internet on a computer or phone that has a microphone and video.
Have A Tech Backup Plan
Since you’re relying on technology which can be finicky just when you need it most have your computer plugged in and charging.
You’ll also need a back-up plan, in case you have issues with your Wi-Fi internet connection. If you have an unlimited plan on your phone, you can connect your computer to its hotspot. Or you can download the Zoom app on your phone and have the meeting there. While this isn’t ideal, it should work.
Prepare Your Own Questions
In addition to preparing answers to some common interview questions, it is also advised that you prepare several questions of your own. Ask the interviewer about job requirements, the benefits and salary or what they think of the company. Any questions that allow the interviewer to share additional information about what they expect from the ideal candidate will help you in the next stage of interviewing.
Related: How to Introduce Yourself in an Interview
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How To Prepare For Video Interviews
Image via Shutterstock
Again, whether your team has experience with video interviews or not, its important to thoroughly prepare for the unique challenges and nuances of adapting to a digital interview process. An unpolished process can come across as unprofessional and even damage your employer brand.
However, putting in the work upfront to document and test procedures will go a long way in maintaining a positivecandidate experience. Remember, failing to prepare is preparing to fail. Use the following tips to implement a strong video interview process.
Capture The Data Accurately And Immediately
Record and transcribe the groups. Not only can you share the conversation with people who werent in attendance, but youll also have a way to review the discussion points and look for patterns, keywords, and direct quotes that will be helpful in decision-making.
Have a sound strategy and an open mind. A great strategy, a seasoned online moderator, the right participants, easy-to-navigate technology, and a combination of exercises that keep people engaged all make for a terrific online focus group experience.
And recording and transcription are the keys to ensuring your results are clear and put to best use in developing products and services that meet the true needs of consumers and businesses.
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Prepare For These Online Interview Questions Related To The Pandemic
You are likely to be asked some online interview questions related to the COVID pandemic. The world of work has changed and this will be referred to in your interview. Here are some pandemic-related interview questions that you can prepare for ahead of your online interview:
How have you adapted to working from home?
What have you found to be your greatest challenge during the pandemic?
How have you handled stress associated with the pandemic?
What have you learned about yourself ?
Video Interviews: The Pros And Cons
One of the advantages of video interviewing is that it lets you see applicants anywhere in the world, which gives you a huge pool of talent to draw from.
Video interviews can make recruitment faster and more flexible. No travel is required, which cuts costs and is kinder to the environment. You also create a level playing field for people with disabilities who might otherwise find it difficult to visit you.
More of your people can get involved in the interview process. And tools such as Artificial Intelligence , and the ability to rewatch prerecorded videos, can further improve the decision-making process.
But technology has its downsides, too. Technical problems, or a poor data connection, can turn the most promising video interview into a frustrating and dispiriting experience for both parties.
And video interviewing can impair the performance of some applicants and interviewers. Youll need to find new ways to build rapport , as well as to use and read Body Language
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Select The Right Moderator
As with in-person groups, the role of the moderator is to keep things moving, probe deeper on specific discussion points, and summarize key points. Some research professionals suggest having two moderators, which keeps the group interesting and allows for a division of responsibilities and roles. You may want to select a moderator who has direct experience in your product or service category.
Dont Cut It Short Or Let It Drag On
Make sure you allocate the right amount of time to get to know your candidates better.
Short interviews are fine for low-level positions, such as seasonal or temporary hires. However, if youre planning to make a permanent or long-term hire, its best to set aside a bigger block of time to properly assess how well they fit your team.
Remember, the cost of a bad hire can be huge. Not only have you wasted money and company hours from advertising to the interview and hiring, but you also have to account for future expenses such as training costs, productivity disruption, or worse, reduced morale.
With this in mind, take your time interviewing candidates who are applying to important positions within the company.
That said, dont let it drag on for an unnecessarily long time either. Beyond a certain point, long interviews can feel draggy, making your candidate uncomfortable. Its also a waste of precious time.
To make sure that youve properly allotted time for each candidates interview, its helpful to have a built-in interview scheduling tool right in your Applicant Tracking System . With SeeMeHireds native interview management, you can ensure that everything goes to plan for both you and your candidate.
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Understand Your Connection Speed
When preparing for an online interview most men are concerned with the download speed of their internet connection
Many forget about upload speed.
Upload speed is important as it’s the direct signal you are sending out to recipients during an online meeting. Not having enough upload speed during a video call can make you seem pixelated or worse lower the quality of the audio resulting in a communication mess.
You should also know what your peak times are in your neighborhood to avoid slow internet times.
If you have a really important interview coming up, you can setup a backup internet source such as a tether from your smartphone.
Schedule Enough Time For The Interview
Once youve shortlisted your best candidates, its time to schedule the interview!
Depending on the role, youll have to decide between an interview thats in person, over the phone, or over a video call. Youll also have to decide how much time to allocate for an interview. Junior roles may only take 30 minutes, while more senior roles may take over an hour.
Its best to have more than one person interviewing the candidate, so be sure to invite a co-worker too.
Tip: Leave yourself enough of a gap in your schedule before and after each interview. You want to be in the right headspace to give your full attention to the interview, and you also dont want to risk being late. Remember, youre also trying to impress the candidate.
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What Is A Virtual Interview
Virtual interviews happen with help of any tool and software or sometimes through a phone. It means an interview that takes place remotely. And the whole communication process happens online without any physical appearance.
A virtual interview often follows the style of a common, in-person interview, although there are several key factors to keep in mind.
What Do You Think About Virtual Interview Software
Now its your turn: What do you think about this video interview software list? What video interviewing platform does your hiring team use? Is there a video interviewing solution you would add to this list if you could? Let me know in the comments.
Geering up to make some new hires? Make sure you check out our new hire checklist and our sample new employee welcome letter. These are just a few onboarding tools that can make the process easier and more human for you and your crew.
Be sure to sign up for the People Managing People newsletter to connect with a community of thought leaders and HR professionals in the people management space.
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What To Wear Choose The Perfect Online Interview Outfit
If you managed to find employees, and are about to interview them, clothes are a matter of relevance. What you are wearing is very important it is the first image the employee will take of you and the company, so make sure it is appropriate.
If the company usually wears formal clothes, wear them during the interview. If not, you can dress more casually. Anyway, consider the background and how it will interact with your clothes. Prioritise darker colours, which look better on camera. Always do a pre-test to check how the whole image looks.
And make sure you wear formal pants! Even if you are home, and sitting during the interview, you may have to get up. You dont want them to see your pyjama trousers.
Now you know how to do the best online interview for hiring employees. Its time to find them. Jobstoday.world gives you the opportunity to upload your job offers with the best job posting costs. With a 100% application guarantee, theres no need to wait!
Lets work together now.
See more:
- In a job interview, finding your candidates hard and soft skills is one of the basics. Brush it up with our blog post.
- The first step in getting to an online job interview with the ideal candidate is having a great job description to reach him! Make sure you check our advice.
- If the perfect candidates are not arriving at your company, you may be taking the wrong approach. Our 5 ways to attract candidates will make you shine again.
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Know Where Your Mute Button Is Just In Case
In case of an emergency, you will want to know that your mute button is located in the bottom left corner of your Zoom window. Because you’re interviewing at home, keep the mute button handy just in case the dog starts barking, the kids start screaming, or the fire alarm starts ringing.
The mute button is also a great way to help eliminate any background noise on your end while the interviewer is talking, especially if you live in a big city or on a busy street where sirens are commonplace.
Of course, in an ideal world, your Zoom job interviews will go flawlessly and be distraction free, but while everyone is at home during COVID-19, there are no guarantees. Just make sure you know how to properly use Zoom and do your best hiring managers understand this is an unusual time for everyone.
Feeling nervous about your upcoming Zoom interview? Practice your virtual-interviewing skills with one of our professional interview coaches.
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Set A Process For How Interviews Will Be Run And Communicate Clearly And Thoroughly With Your Teammates And Candidates
As your policies and procedures gel while you draft your return-to-office plans, make sure you and your talent acquisition teammates are all on the same page about how youre going to conduct interviews moving forward when will they be in-person and when will they be done remotely.
One of the most sizable challenges when going remote, says Darren Murph, head of remote at GitLab, which is 100% remote, is keeping everyone in the loop in an efficient way. Put concerted effort around systematically documenting important process changes in a central place to minimize confusion and dysfunction.
After LinkedIn announced that all of our job interviews would go virtual at the beginning of the pandemic, our talent acquisition team created a shared document where team members from around the world could post questions about the interview process and leadership could post answers and share links to resources.
Be Considerate And Compassionate
Give your candidate the respect they deserve by minimizing background noises and distractions. However, life happens especially at home and there may be interruptions. Before diving in, take a moment to acknowledge and appreciate the candidates flexibility in moving the interview to a video conference and ask them for their patience if things pop up. Additionally, dont fault candidates if the same happens from their end.
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Body Language Is Essential When Conducting An Interview Online
Weve all become accustomed to informal video calls, Zoom chats and social gatherings on FaceTime, but when conducting a virtual interview, it is important to remember your body language and maintain professionalism at all times.
They can feel more casual than in-person interviews, but it is crucial to treat online interviews the same way you would if held in the office.
Virtual interviews mean your body language is restricted largely to your face and shoulders. Your everyday body language and gestures will likely be off-camera and could be distracting when confined to a small screen, so its worth bearing this in mind as much as possible.
Sit up straight, dont slouch, maintain eye contact, look directly at your camera without getting too close and smile genuinely!
Focus On Emotional Intelligence
We frequently base hiring decisions on skills and intelligence or our perception of a candidates IQ. But emotional intelligence, or EQ, is often more critical to success in the workplace. At a time of enormous uncertainty, when workplaces are announcing grand reopening plans one day and abruptly reversing them the next, EQ is arguably more important than ever. EQ determines a persons ability to relate to others, roll with the punches, navigate difficult situations with grace, and read the room .
When conducting a virtual interview, it can be tempting to give up on the EQ aspect since it seems like a quality thats best assessed in person. But this can lead to poor decision making. When honing your interview questions, consider what each one might tell you about a persons EQ. Here are some of my favorites:
- If you were starting a company tomorrow, what would be its top three values?
- Tell me about a workplace conflict you were involved in, either with your peers or someone else in the company. How did you manage that conflict, and were you able to resolve it?
- If youve previously reported to multiple supervisors at the same time, how did you get to know each persons preferences and juggle conflicting priorities?
- Tell me about a time when you received feedback on your performance and you disagreed with the feedback. How did you handle the situation?
- What inspires you?
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Introduce Prospective Employees To Key Members Of Your Organization
You wont be able to do this in the office, so devise a way to do it remotely. Consider putting together a digital multimedia package that includes things like recent articles about your companys successes, a list of the hiring managers expectations for the position and how it fits into the goals of the team and business, employee profiles of relevant team members, and short videos from potential colleagues.
Review Past Interviews And Take Notes
Ahead of a video interview, review your notes from previous conversations with the candidate so the next one is as productive as possible. Take notes on what the candidate says, how engaged they seem and their general demeanor during every interview. Note that its important to inform the interviewee that youre taking notes to reference later and that youre still paying full attention to the conversation. They cant tell what youre writing, and to them, it may seem like youre not paying attention.
Most platforms generate transcripts of meetings, which makes it easier to capture the entire conversation and share it with other stakeholders. Still, jot down notes on things that stand out to you during the interview
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Interviewing Online Via Zoom Or Skype
Yales preferred video chat tool is Zoom. If you do not have a Zoom account, please visit the Zoom website to set one up. Virtual Private Network connection is not required.Video chat is also available through Skype for Business. Those with a Yale email account already have a Skype for Business account and can access it through their desktop. VPN connection is not required. For support with Zoom or Skype for Business, contact the ITS Help Desk.
Frame The Right Questions For Online Research
This list of 53 sample questions is a great place to begin. Make sure your language is simple and jargon-free. Limit your questions to only those that will elicit the information and perspectives you need . If youre researching a product, logo, or other concepts that require feedback on a design, incorporate imagery into your materials. According to branding/thought leadership company B2B International, Online focus groups are likely to incorporate high resolution, moving graphics, particularly as stimulae for respondents. This will make online focus groups even more viable for product development research in particular.
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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. Its 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 a private room with the most minimum noise and distractions.