As the pandemic has just surpassed a full year of impacting our lives, many businesses have adapted to working from home and contacting each other virtually. When it comes to new employing new staff, employers are relying on remote interviews.
If you are an employer and in need of some advice on how to conduct yourself in the best way on the digital stage, then be sure to read on below and find out how to perform the best remote interviews.
Use Familiar Technology
It is essential that when conducting one of the remote interviews that you use technology that you are already accustomed to. Some of these familiar technologies may include:
- Skype
- Zoom
- Microsoft Teams
These three remote access platforms are great for conducting interviews as you can still have a one-to-one interview with a candidate as you would if it was a face-to-face interview, yet the only major difference is that you won’t have to make an extra cup of tea!
Consider One-Way Interviews
As an employer, all your time is sacred, and you may not be able to find a slot in which to conduct remote interviews with candidates. If this is the case, then you may want to opt for a one-way interview. One-way video interviews are pre-recorded, where candidates solve the questions while recording themselves over the video. Once done, they can submit the test, and on that basis, you can assess the candidate and decide whether the candidate is a job fit or not. In one-way remote interviews, the candidate will be asked questions such as:
- Describing themselves
- Their strengths and weaknesses
- Their future ambitions
- Previous work experience
One-way interviews are also great for those days where you just do not have the energy to directly talk to someone, we all have those!
Make Sure Your Processes Are Communicated Clearly
Ensure that when conducting your remote interviews, that all candidates are aware of the interview processes and procedures.
You may create an in-depth document on your recruitment process, which you can share with all your candidates to keep them in the know. This way you can alert them of the date and time of the remote interview as well as specific instructions like:
- Who will be attending the interview
- How to download and use the chosen technology tool
- How to reconnect if there are technical issues
Find the Best Space
It is vital that when conducting these remote interviews, that you pick the correct location. An incorrect location such as a loud and crowded office space may deter or stress a candidate as instead of easing them into a conversation with a calm and private one-to-one chat, they are instead being thrown into the deep end, surrounded by sharks.
Examples of an ideal location would be:
- Alone in your office
- In your front room (whilst working from home)
- Adding a non-offensive virtual background to your screen.
Practice Makes Perfect
Be sure to practice all that you are going to say in your remote interviews. As an employer, you should be the lead in the interview as you will be asking mostly all the questions. If you do not prepare, this will come across as unprofessional and candidates may be discouraged from working for your business as this puts a negative reception on your name.
Your preparation for these remote interviews may include:
- Writing out all the relevant questions to the job role.
- Write down some personal questions to try and get a gauge for a candidate’s personality.
- Test out your chosen technology tool to decrease the chance of any problems occurring.
Contact our Team of Recruitment Experts at Pure Staff
Looking for a job that will suit your needs? If so, Get in touch with our team at Pure Staff to discuss your businesses recruitment requirements and job-seeking needs.
Contact us through our contact form or on 0121 237 4840.
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