Virtual meetings have become the norm. In the modern business world, the popularity of remote employee interviews has soared. While conducting virtual interviews with job candidates may sound easy, remote interviews should be as professional as those conducted in person. Here are some tips for conducting successful virtual interviews.
Time Constraints
You have only an allotted amount of time in which to interview a job candidate. This is true of any interview, but with virtual meetings, the time factor becomes even more important. Therefore, make the most of every minute by using best practices. These include:
- Arrange details. If you are the only person conducting the interview, choose a quiet room where you will be free from interruptions. However, if you want people from multiple departments to participate, assemble this interview panel before the meeting begins.
- Test your connection ahead of time. Electronic glitches happen, but test your internet connection as well as audio and video setups before the interview begins.
- Introduce yourself first to help the candidate relax. Give the candidate a chance to relax by introducing yourself and explaining your professional role.
Just as you introduce yourself, remote interviews are also opportunities to strengthen your company’s brand presence. One way to do this is by choosing a virtual background with logo. This is an unobtrusive but powerful marketing tool.
Time for Questions
Once the preliminaries are done, the time for questions has come. There are multiple steps you can take to ensure you and the candidate have the necessary time to make the interview meaningful. Best practices include:
- Make a list of questions before the interview. Think about specific subjects you want to bring up during the interview. In addition, review the job candidate’s application, resume, and any other relevant documents in order to develop personalized, relevant questions.
- Treat the interview as you would an in-person meeting. Make direct eye contact with the job candidate, and give the person your undistracted attention. Even if you are conducting remote interviews from home, you can create a sense of presence for your company by choosing a Zoom background with company logo.
- Stick to your list of questions, but stay flexible. Follow your list of questions during the interview, but be prepared to ask the candidate follow-up questions to clarify meaning and invite critical thinking. Examples of follow-up questions include “What was the result?” and “Why do you think this is so?”
By preparing ahead of time, you can be organized and relaxed during the interview process. An orderly interview also helps job candidates relax, which lets their personalities and professional qualifications shine.
Discuss Your Company’s Values
During a remote interview, allow time to discuss your company’s values as well as its culture. To help emphasize what you are saying, consider choosing from the best Microsoft Teams backgrounds that help create a professional atmosphere.
If you are one of the many employers conducting virtual interviews, there are best practices that help provide meaningful discussions. Thoughtful preparation and making the best use of the allotted time are keys to helping both yourself and the candidate relax. Choosing professional virtual backgrounds is a great way to create an atmosphere of professionalism during all remote meetings.