If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that businesses have faced more challenges than they first thought. Having to adapt their working environments has meant setting up people to work from home, provide additional equipment and even hire people via video interview.  

Previously, face to face interviews were the perfect way to get to know the person you were interviewing, finding out more about their experience and seeing if they were a good fit for your team. Nowadays, employers and interim recruiters are having to use new means to find employees for their businesses.

Many have found that video interviews have improved their overall recruiting efficiency, enabling them to conduct meetings faster and in a more streamlined manor. But how can you ensure you’re conducting a seamless video interview time and time again? 

 

 

Have a test run beforehand 

 

 

Let’s face it, it’s not going to be perfect straight away and that’s OK. First things first, you’ll need to decide which video conferencing tool you’re going to use. Will you choose Teams, Zoom or another platform? 

 

Once you’ve made your decision, run a few tests with existing employees. This may involve them logging on from their personal emails to make sure everything it set up correctly and that everything works. Check whether voices can be heard clearly and how much time you have before your session ends.  

 

 

Make sure your candidate has clear instructions 

 

 

You’ll want to send your candidate instructions with enough time before their interview. This will help them to prepare and ensure they have everything they need. They may need a password or direct link to the meeting as well as the time, date and a phone number in case they have difficulty accessing your virtual meeting. 

 

Sending this to them with plenty of time before their interview will ensure they feel as comfortable, confident, and prepared as possible. 

 

 

Prepare all the right questions 

 

 

Because you’re unable to meet them face to face to get an idea of their personality, make sure you have all the right questions prepared and ready to go. Ask questions that matter to both you and the brand (within reason of course).  

 

You may want to base your questions on the competencies you want your employees to have. These could be things such as honesty at work or working in a team environment.  

 

 

Be professional 

 

 

As you would do if you were in the office, dress appropriately, be warm and welcoming and don’t forget to smile! Because you’re on video, you’ll also want to make sure that you’re nodding throughout or acknowledging answers the candidate is giving so they know you’re listening.  

 

There’s plenty to think about when it comes to interviews, especially video ones. But by getting all of these points right, you’ll be employing successful candidates in no time!