A successful video interview will require the right technology,\u00a0strong verbal and non-verbal\u00a0communication\u00a0skills\u00a0and\u00a0a solid\u00a0cultural pitch to engage candidates and uncover\u00a0who has\u00a0the\u00a0personality, communication\u00a0style, confidence level and experience to perform the job.<\/p>
Research indicates that 60 per cent of hiring managers and recruiters used video technology in their talent acquisition process even before the pandemic, yet remote, work-from-anywhere and hybrid work models have ensured video interviews are now a standard part of the recruitment process. While the goals of video interviews are the same as in-person interviews, there are slight differences in how to achieve them.\u00a0<\/p>
Candidate experience should be at the core of the modern recruiting process, and this applies more than ever in video interviews. To maximize engagement and convert more candidates, interviewers should:\u00a0<\/p>
The Human Resources and Procurement team should provide centralized documentation to guide how video interviews will be run \u2013 including recommended platforms, company policy on video interviews and an FAQ section.<\/p>
As your processes change, it\u2019s important to ensure that everyone involved in the hiring phase is on the same page about how your organization will source, screen, onboard and effectively manage talent. You also want to ensure that the person you video interview is the person you hire!\u00a0<\/a><\/p> Your team<\/strong> Organizations like LinkedIn, for example,\u00a0created a shared document where remote workers from around the world could post questions about the new video interview process and leadership\u00a0would respond\u00a0with answers and resources\u00a0about how the\u00a0company\u00a0will be conducting their video interviews.<\/p> Your candidates<\/strong> First thing\u2019s first: Do you have a strong\u00a0WIFI or internet connection for video?<\/p> Some areas in your home or remote working location will have better signal strengths than others, so make sure to test which\u00a0area has the strongest\u00a0one to perform your video interviews.<\/p> To minimize disruption and maximize the candidate experience during video interviews, it\u2019s important to ensure you\u2019ll have no hiccups with your\u00a0audio\/video capabilities\u00a0or video conferencing tools.\u00a0On your device, this means testing things like your microphone, camera and screen sharing capabilities.<\/p> Microsoft Teams and Zoom, for example, allows\u00a0a\u00a0user to\u00a0choose a virtual background,\u00a0effectively transitioning any space into\u00a0a\u00a0more\u00a0professional\u00a0setting.<\/p> When conducting a video interview, choose a quiet space where you and your candidate can communicate with the least amount of interruption and distractions as possible. If you don\u2019t have a home office or virtual backgrounds as an option, choose a well-lit room that has a plain background that\u2019s devoid of things like photos or posters. It\u2019s important to also be aware of how much light is in the room. Both too much or too little indoor or outdoor light can make it difficult to see during the video interview , and therefore, connect with your candidate.<\/p> Social distancing and working\u00a0remote\u00a0do\u00a0present\u00a0some\u00a0challenges when\u00a0it comes to advocating for\u00a0the company culture of your organization or your clients\u2019. As\u00a0candidates will not have the opportunity to be onsite and get a\u00a0firsthand\u00a0experience\u00a0of\u00a0the office,\u00a0working environment\u00a0and employees,\u00a0it\u2019s important to take extra time to prepare an attractive and engaging pitch\u00a0for what it\u2019s like to work there before the video interview takes place.<\/p> Telling a great\u00a0story is always an effective\u00a0way to do this. Take into consideration\u00a0the organization\u2019s values, vision\u00a0and mission and how they tie into your candidates\u2019 experience, values and goals.<\/p> EVP often spoke for itself when interviews were conducted at the office, as candidates could see it demonstrated in action. But online, the interviewer\u2019s pitch must do the heavy lifting.\u00a0<\/p> Organizations should consider offering candidates a company virtual meeting background to eliminate bias and increase candidate comfort.\u00a0<\/p> Candidates may not own devices that are compatible with Zoom or Teams backgrounds or could be sharing living space with limited private quiet areas. Be aware of how video background and noise (out of a candidate\u2019s control) influence your perception of their ability to do the job.\u00a0<\/p> When it\u2019s time to interview candidates, it\u2019s important to\u00a0give the impression that the video interview is just as serious and professional as an in-person interview \u2013 even if you\u2019re\u00a0conducting it from your kitchen with a virtual background. This means dressing just like you would in an office environment with your phone off and resources (like their resume, the job posting,\u00a0culture pitch,\u00a0your interview questions, list of participants, etc.) ready. Close all tabs and have unnecessary devices turned off.<\/p> To provide the best candidate experience, remember to take notes and\u00a0use\u00a0the same body language and verbal\u00a0communication skills you would in person.<\/p> Video interviews broadly widen organizations\u2019 talent pools to find the best knowledge\u00a0workers\u00a0on the global market. But they can also open employers up to additional risk: especially candidate fraud.\u00a0<\/p> To reduce the chance of getting fooled by a fraudulent candidate, interviewers should look out for these red flags:\u00a0<\/p> The Voice of Talent: Return to the Office Report<\/p> Procom recently surveyed over 1,000 knowledge workers to discover talent priorities and how employers can engage and retain talent right now.<\/p> The Voice of Talent Report offers actionable insights into what workers expect in relation to mandatory vaccinations, remote work preferences, The Great Resignation, COVID-19 safety measures and more.<\/p> Access your complimentary copy to discover how to attract talent right now: \u00a0<\/p>\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDownload report\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\n
For you and your team, an effective strategy may include documenting and sharing process changes in a central environment to provide guidance and minimize confusion on how to conduct a video interview.<\/p>
When extending a video interview, give a detailed rundown of the meeting and share the expectations, timelines and the names of the participants who will be involved in the video process.<\/p>Line up and test your tech<\/h4>
Choose a distraction-free area<\/h4>
Craft a compelling culture pitch<\/h4>
Hone the Employee Value Proposition pitch<\/b>\u00a0<\/h4>
Consider sending a company background<\/b>\u00a0<\/h4>
Be aware of bias on video<\/b>\u00a0<\/h4>
Act as you would in an in-person interview<\/h4>
Resume red flags\u00a0<\/h4>
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