How to conduct a video interview

With the spread of Coronavirus globally, workplaces have experienced huge changes. From working at home, to reductions in hours, work has completely transformed for many of us. One of the key ways you may find your business is affected, is in recruitment. How can we continue to recruit through periods of self-isolation? Video interviews. Ecruit have put together some tips and tricks on growing your business while keeping your employees healthy and safe, by using video interviews for all your new recruits.

Now that the government is recommending social distancing to all, we obviously cannot conduct in-person interviews. Phone interviews are an easy and quick option, but cannot replace the feeling of face to face communication, so we highly recommend video interviews.

Is now a good time to recruit?

Yes! The Coronavirus outbreak has meant that many companies are having to make serious cutbacks to make up for the marketplace right now. Unfortunately, this has meant a lot of redundancies, so there is a multitude of candidates out on the marketplace looking for new work. Moreover, as everyone is at home, people have a lot more time to visit job boards and fill out applications, so this is a great time to recruit.

So, it’s definitely a good time to start recruiting, it may just be that your interview and selection process will need some altering – starting with a video interview process instead of face to face.

Here are our top tips on how to conduct a video interview:

Invitations and instructions

• A video interview can be a little nerve wracking for candidates, so make sure to have extremely clear instructions set out beforehand.
• We always recommend to call first when inviting candidates to interview, and then send a confirmation email with instructions and times.
• Make sure that the candidates know what is expected of them, what kind of questions you will be asking, if there will be any follow up tasks or psychometric testing and the approximate length of the interview.

Get your tech together

• Before you conduct your interview, you will need to choose a video platform. If you would like to use a simple communication tool we recommend Skype or Google Hangouts, or if you would prefer video interview software, we recommend HireVue or Jobma.
• Before you call your candidate, try a practice run to make sure everything is set up properly. You should double check your internet connection, audio and visual quality, microphone sensitivity and set up. If possible, we recommend using a headset to cut out feedback noise and make audio as clear as possible.

Location, location, location

• Pick a well-lit, quiet location to have your video interview. You do not want to make your background too distracting, and you also want to make sure that it looks appealing to your candidate.
• Make sure the people in your home know that you’re conducting an interview and shouldn’t disturb you, and turn any phones on silent to avoid distractions.
• When you set up your webcam, make sure it’s an arm’s length away from where you will be sat and at eye level – top tip use a couple of books under your laptop to get it to the right height.

Set the best impression

• Even though you are video interviewing, you should still dress as if the interview were face to face to make the best possible impression on your candidate.
• Speak slower than you would ordinarily to make sure all words are heard, and try and keep a calm demeanour to relax any nervous candidates.
• Try and sit still and comfortably during the interview, as fidgeting or moving around can be really distracting for candidates. Make sure you have everything you need nearby on the table infront of you, including their CV or any questions you may have written out before.
• Make sure to take notes during the interview, or record the interview if the candidate gives consent, as this will allow you to have a clear memory of the candidate when it comes to shortlisting.

What should you be looking for in a video interview?

As an employer, there will be slightly different things to look out for in a video interview than a face to face.

Their environment

• Consider the environment they’ve chosen to interview in – it’s tempting for candidates to be casual and less professional when they aren’t in the same space as you.
• Have they called you from a relaxed location like a sofa or bed? If so, this may insinuate the candidate is not taking the interview seriously.

Their communication skills

• Since you are speaking over video, this is a great opportunity to assess the candidate’s communication skills. Are they speaking informally or professionally?

Their presentation

• Has the candidate dressed for a professional interview or casually? Even though the interview format is not face to face, the candidate should be setting a lasting first impression in professional clothing.

Their body language

• Is the candidate slouched on an armchair or sitting straight and alert for the interview? All of this will give you hints towards their general level of professionalism.

Final Thoughts

We are all experiencing the difficulties of the coronavirus outbreak, but implementing video interviews means that your recruitment does not have to be impacted. We hope you use some of our hints and tricks on video interviewing and that you have a smooth recruitment process. If you would like to attract some amazing candidates to video interview, let us know and we can advertise your job across all of the top job boards for you!