How to conduct successful remote interviews and hire top candidates remotely
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Are you new to remote interviews? Use these 9 simple tips to prepare for and conduct a remote interview, put your best foot forward, and recruit top candidates for your team. As COVID-19 protocols encourage more companies to hire employees remotely, HR managers and WFH teams need to learn how to conduct a successful interview remotely.
Remote interviews, whether by phone or video call, are much more complicated than in-person interviews. There is a higher chance of technical problems, miscommunication, and distraction on both sides. But as with anything, the right game plan will prepare you and your team to shine. And that's exactly what you'll find in today's quick guide.
9 tips for successful interviews and hiring top candidates remotely
A solid interview process helps your company gather information about applicants to determine whether they are qualified for the position and fit with your culture and mission. Finding the right candidate in the first few interviews will save you time and money.
However, an interview has both sides. It gives potential employees an insight into how your company operates. And it can ultimately decide whether you want to accept the job or apply to your competitors.
To ensure everything goes smoothly, consider these tips for remote interviews:
1. Don't even think about winging it
Adapting your current interview for a remote candidate requires planning - so don't think about improvising it at the last minute.
You need to communicate in advance what is expected of your team and applicants so that everyone has time to prepare.
Consider creating a one-pager template that includes fields for:
- whether the conversation is conducted by phone or video call
- Which video platform you will use (Zoom, Skype, etc.)
- Who will make the decision?
- Interview date/time (keep in mind different time zones)
- Links to the applicant's resume and list of approved interview questions
You can update the fields in this template for each conversation. Then send this form to your team members who should take part in the conversation.
2. Keep your candidates informed
Those : springworks.in
If you surprise candidates at the last minute or catch them off guard, they may not be able to give thoughtful answers. If you keep them guessing, you also deprive them of the opportunity to prepare in advance.
All of these negative feelings can stress them out and kill their desire to join your team even before the interview.
Candidates will feel more comfortable during the interview if you tell them what to expect and what is expected of them.
After you schedule an interview, you should email candidates with a brief overview of the hiring process and let them know what they can expect at each stage.
Then find out the details of the remote interview, e.g. B:
- Time and date (and which time zone)
- the phone number from which you will call, or
- Which online meeting platform you will use
- whether they should be expected to be in front of the camera
- whether they need to share their screen at any time
- Names and titles of the people who can participate in the conversation
- What they should prepare or send in advance (e.g. work samples)
Include a brief overview of how to set up the workstation for the video call, how to test the audio/video, and some tips for long distance calls.
3. Ask for additional information before the interview
While applicants can bring work samples or references to an in-person interview, emailing and reviewing them during a video call is a mess.
So if you need samples or a folder, have your applicants send them to you in advance. This gives your team time to review everything and formulate relevant questions before meeting in front of the camera.
If you don't require examples of previous work, consider sending applicants a short survey or fun quiz for them to complete about their experiences working from home.
You can find out each candidate's opinion on their issues:
- Discipline. How do they deal with distractions and deadlines?
- Work habits. What time (and time zone) do you prefer to work?
- Cooperation. Do you prefer to work alone or in a team?
- Communication. Are you okay with daily or weekly Slack check-ins?
- WFH technology experience. Have they used online project management tools, time tracking systems, etc.?
For some, the virtual office is new, others have been working in the WFH space for years. And having this information before an interview will help you target your questions.
4. Be the best video caller
Thanks to COVID-19, we all had to learn video conferencing best practices on the fly. What we have learned along the way is:
- Dress for success. Wear the same professional clothing that you would wear for an in-person interview. This will make you feel more professional and convey the same charisma to your applicant.
- Find a quiet, distraction-free place for your conversation. Move to a less busy place and close the door to minimize background noise. Clear the clutter on your desk and in the background.
- Locate your light. When you're backlit, your face appears like a silhouette. Try sitting near a sunny window or a front-facing light source to illuminate your face.
- Set alarms on your phone and computer to silent to avoid interruptions from messages, emails, etc.
- Mute your microphone when you are not speaking to avoid interruptions and reduce background noise for other participants in the conversation. If you're typing notes during the conversation, muting prevents the keys from clicking in other people's ears.
You also need to practice active listening. These subtle cues show applicants that you are engaged and paying attention:
- Speak calmly and clearly, pausing every now and then to ensure your candidate doesn't miss anything due to delays, buffering, or other interlocutors.
- Make eye contact by looking directly at the camera rather than at yourself or the applicant.
- Smile and laugh (if applicable).
- Nod your head or give a thumbs up to show approval.
5. Always test the technique
Test the online meeting platform you will be using during the conversation. Become familiar with the menus, buttons, features, etc. enough to be able to help others troubleshoot problems if problems arise.
Do a test run with a colleague, friend, or family member to make sure your camera, microphone, and credentials are working and correct. Make sure you have a good internet connection/strong cell phone signal in the room you plan to use.
Test everything at least a day or two before the event so you can make adjustments. And charge all your gear the night before.
6. Prepare a contingency plan for poor connections and technical difficulties
Those : codequotient.com
No matter how well you prepare, technical difficulties always arise at the worst possible time. Therefore, you should have a backup plan to fix the problem and continue the conversation. Have the applicant's email address and phone number ready so you can contact them if your plans change. Tell them to do the same.
If your candidate has bandwidth issues during the video call, the delays and delays in communication will ruin the conversation. And you might inadvertently judge a candidate based on their poor connection. Stay flexible here and make a phone call or reschedule the appointment. This gives every applicant the chance to show their best side and make an excellent first impression.
7. Assemble a team of interviewers
A core team of interviewers provides multiple perspectives for hiring decisions. And because video software allows multiple employees to join a call and share the screen, speaking to potential candidates has never been easier. Try to include team members with HR experience and those who will work directly with the candidate. They can explain daily tasks, communication rules, etc. while the candidate gets to know their potential colleagues.
Tell all participants their “roles” in advance, e.g. E.g. which employees should observe silently and which should ask questions or take notes. This prevents participants from speaking out to each other and causing awkward moments of silence. Send each employee a personal evaluation form that they can use during the interview. In it they record their initial opinions before sharing them with the team. After the interview, give your team a 15 to 30 minute window to debrief and discuss while each candidate's answers are still fresh in their minds.
8. Showcase your company culture and commitment to DE&I
Remote applicants do not have the opportunity to tour your office or interact with your team before the interview. Therefore, you need to give them a sense of your company culture and mission. When candidates are looking for signs that a company is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), they want real-world examples of how to implement the mission statement on your website.
So inform us about your DE&I initiatives and how you plan to expand them further. Talk about DE&I employee training and what you expect from your team members. Discuss your involvement in the community. It's not about bragging about how fun your company is, it's about showing applicants that they are welcome no matter who they are. And of course it can exclude applicants who reject your mission.
9. Send out post-interview experience surveys
Those : journalofaccountancy.com
At the end of the interview, tell the applicants what happens next. Ask them if they have any questions and thank them for their time. Sending out a survey about candidates' post-interview experiences will help your team adopt inclusive hiring practices. In this short survey, applicants are asked how the process went for them.
It should contain quantitative questions (e.g., How likely is it that you will apply for a position at our company in the future? ) and qualitative answer fields (like, Please describe the high and low points of your interview ).
This feedback can help your team determine what's working and what's turning candidates off (e.g., an inappropriate comment or question). These valuable insights into your hiring process will help you avoid these mistakes.
Find the best remote candidates to interview
With these nine tips for a successful remote interview, you can better prepare for a smooth process. They will represent your company well and get the most out of every conversation.
If you follow these tips, the interview will leave a positive impression on candidates and entice them to complete the next phase of onboarding at your company. For more best practices, check out our guide to remote hiring.
