Though the COVID-19 pandemic has changed a lot of things this year, there’s one thing that hasn’t changed – people are still applying for jobs. In the past, the job application process was pretty straightforward – potential employees would fill out a job application, a hiring manager would review the application, an in-person interview would be conducted, and a decision would be made on whether or not that applicant is a good fit for the job. Nowadays, this process looks a little bit different, especially when it comes to the interview portion. Many companies are now opting for virtual interviews with potential hires instead of in-person interviews due to the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing. This is a big change for companies who have been only conducting in-person interviews for years, and some old-school businesses may not know how to properly conduct a virtual interview.
If you’re looking to add to your team virtually but aren’t sure how to start, don’t panic! Here are some tips on how to properly conduct a virtual interview:
Make Sure That There Are No Distractions
Maybe the most important thing that you need during a virtual interview is peace and silence. Find a spot around your home or office that’s quiet and where no one will interrupt you. Make sure that there’s no music playing in the background, the television is off, and the door is closed. There’s nothing worse than trying to talk to a potential hire and not being able to hear them properly because of noise in the background.
Test Your Connection
As great as the internet and technology is, they still have their flaws from time to time. This is why you should always check your internet connection at least 30 minutes before it’s time for you to conduct a virtual interview. You can do this by making sure your computer’s wifi is on and has a strong signal, then, navigate to the website (such as Zoom) that you’ll be hosting the interview. The final step is to make sure that you can login to the website. If you can complete all of these steps without your computer giving you any trouble, you should be ready to conduct your interview!
Write Down Questions Ahead of Time
Asking the right questions during an interview is essential to hiring the right person for your company. Too often are employees hired that aren’t fit for the job due to not being asked important questions during the interview process. If this happens too often during the interview process, you’ll notice that there’s going to be a lot of turnover. In fact, according to Harvard Business Review, 80% of employee retention problems are linked to poor decision making during the hiring process. To avoid hiring someone that isn’t fit for the job, write down your interview questions ahead of time and review them. Doing this will ensure that you’re asking the right questions, which can help you avoid hiring people who aren’t qualified for the position.
Send the Candidate a Virtual Invitation to Interview
The last thing that you need to do in order to properly conduct a virtual interview is to send candidates a virtual invitation to interview. Doing this helps both you (the interviewer) and the candidate keep track of when the interview will take place, and gives the candidate the option to interview at a time that’s convenient for them. Furthermore, sending a candidate a virtual invitation will only speed up the interview process as 84% of candidates schedule their interview within 24 hours of receiving a text invite, according to Modern Hire.
Making the right decisions during the hiring process is vital to your company’s overall success. Doing things such as asking candidates the right questions during a virtual interview, and having candidates participate in hiring assessments is key to finding the right fit for your team, and will help to weed out anyone that may not be suitable for the role. If you’re looking to send hiring assessments to prospective candidates, you can contact us today to get started.
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