How does that old saying go? “Judge not lest ye be judged yourself.” Sure, it’s old and timey, but it still rings true in a lot of ways, including the workplace.
Video-based interviews are no longer an alternative, they’re the normal. When one of those interviews doesn’t turn out so awesome, it’s easy to complain about the candidate, but did you ever stop and think that the candidate might be judging you as a company? I know, mind-blowing, right?
Truth is, there are a fair share of companies, and their hiring managers, doing “C” work at best when it comes to executing video interviews. Personally, we don’t have that problem, but it happens.
The last thing you want is a reputation in the biz for a poor interview experience as a company or a hiring manager. If an interview doesn’t go as planned, you still want to come out looking good. To avoid being judged harshly by the candidate community, here are 5 ways companies can shine in virtual interviews:
- Have a plan and prepare the candidate.
You don’t blindfold a racecar driver, right? The point is nobody should be going in blind. They need to know what to expect. Your candidate needs to get a feel for the job and work environment. Any basic list of job interview prep methods will tell you to cater to the candidate. If you’re not providing pre-interview information on the job that sells the candidate on your organization, then you’re already off to a bad start. At the very least, prepare them for what to expect. Agendas and collateral still matter.
- Train your hiring managers for virtual interviewing.
Your interview is only as good as your interviewer. That double applies to virtual interviews. How can you expect to find awesome candidates if you don’t have awesome hiring managers? Yeah, that probably got your attention. It should because it’s important. Interviews via webcam are still a new-ish thing. Train your hiring managers on how to frame themselves on camera, be well lit, speak clearly, and deliver the goods for a better video performance.
- Multiple interviewers need smooth transitions.
Look, don’t make this difficult for yourself and especially your candidate. If you need multiple interviewers, your candidate shouldn’t have to jump through rings of fire to speak with everyone. That is your job. Since it’s virtual, everyone’s probably rockin’ their own home office. Best course of action is to keep that eager candidate in a single channel and let your hiring managers come to them. Advanced companies know the value of transitions in this area with the incoming interviewer to the channel saying “Hi” to the outgoing interviewer, showing the vibe, culture, and teamwork to the candidate. Works for us, so it’ll definitely work for you.
- Share your screen. I repeat, share your screen!
At the end of the day, you’re selling a job. You can’t sell something well without solid visuals. Don’t be the car salesman pressuring the customer without a test drive. Be transparent and share your screen. Let the candidate see what they can look forward to. Pull up the tools or software they would use, show them examples of previous work, etc. It helps the candidate big time while making you stand out and look good.
- Record a “thank you” video.
You found that candidate who could be “the one”. You’re ready to bump them up to the next round. In the old days (pre-COVID), you would shake their hand, thank them for their time, and tell them you’ll be seeing them again soon. How do you do that virtually? Record a “thank you” video and send it to those worthy candidates. Think of it as a virtual handshake. You’re avoiding having to schedule a meeting time and it’s way cooler than a “congrats” email. Why not look better in follow up than 99% of the competition? That’s what we do.
If you plan on stepping up your virtual interviewing game, follow these recommendations for best results. Your hiring managers might not be the only ones with multiple interviews lined up for the week. These tips will make you look good to your candidates and help you compete for talent in a labor market that is rapidly getting tighter by the week.
Happy Hunting! Don’t forget to turn your camera on. Yeah, we said it, no excuses.
