Even in the best of times, interviewing new talent isn’t the easiest process in the world. At best, it’s a necessary evil, and at it’s worst it can end up being a downright disaster if things don’t go well. Virtual interviews can be even trickier at times if you’re not prepared and ready to go.
It doesn’t have to be a complete headache, however, even with the ‘new normal’ of today’s world. We’ve put together five tips that can help you refine your virtual interview process, so you can take some of the guesswork out of hiring new talent for your business.
Understand Your Needs
The first step to ensuring your virtual interviews go smoothly is to know exactly what skills you’re looking for, who you want, and if it’s a good time to be hiring or doing interviews at all. Even if it’s an emergency kind of situation, things are currently in such a state of uncertainty that just throwing bodies into roles can end up being a bigger investment than you can afford.
By knowing exactly what you need before you go into the interview process, you’ve got a better chance of selecting the best candidates for your positions the first time around. This will end up saving you time, training expenses, and payroll hassles.
Create a Structure
Now that you know exactly what skills you’re looking for in your new hires, you can use that data to tailor your virtual interviews. This will allow you to devise questions or tests that will help applicants showcases their abilities, as well as finding areas where they may have aptitude but could still need training.
Once you’ve assessed their skills and abilities, you’ll know if they’re a good fit for your needs and if you want to move on in the hiring process or not with them. This also saves you time, and theirs, since there will hopefully be less frustration and miscommunication later on down the road.
Nail Your Preparation
You absolutely have to make sure that you’re going into your interviews prepared. Testing your equipment, gathering included parties, and having all the pertinent information you need put together before the interview starts helps cut down on frustration and stress. This allows your interview to go much smoother. It also helps to increase your applicant’s trust in your organization, since they’ll see you’ve taken the time to be prepared and make the most of your interview time together.
This way, they’ll feel like they matter to you, which is great for company and employee morale. Even if they don’t end up being a good fit for your needs, they may know someone else who could be. By leaving that favorable impression with them, they’ll be more likely to recommend your company to that better prospect, scoring you a hiring lead you may not have had otherwise.
Being Consistent
Consistency is all about finding the balance between keeping each interview exactly the same, and allowing some wiggle room for technical difficulties and other such issues that may arise. It may be a fine line to walk, but you have to try your best to use the same software, interview method, assessment tests, and questions during each interview.
Otherwise, you’re not going to be able to accurately judge all of your candidates across the same metrics, and some of your best stars may not have the chance to truly shine like they should. By being consistent, you’re giving not only your candidates, but yourselves the fairest advantage possible.
Consider the Human Side
While the corporate side of things is vital to the success of your business, you can’t forget the human element, especially now. Without proper support, empathy, and communication, you’re never going to build that connection with your present and future employees that you need to keep your business running smoothly.
Be transparent about the whole interview process, so they know exactly what to expect from you and what you expect from them. Reassure them that they’re a serious consideration for the position, if they’ve made it this far into the process. Make allowances for unusual living circumstances, and show understanding for dealing with all the issues that the ‘new normal’ can bring.
When you acknowledge that they’re humans and not just a number, you ease their anxiety and set everyone up for interview success.
Have questions or need help knowing what to do once you’ve hired people on? Contact us today and we’ll help you get it done right!