The best candidates aren’t waiting around. They’re accepting offers from companies that nail the virtual hiring process. You might be losing top talent if your interviews feel impersonal, inefficient, or ineffective. As a modern company, you need to stay competitive when recruiting to attract top talent to key positions. These five tips will help you conduct more productive virtual interviews with candidates.
1. Set up in Advance
Set up and test the technology required for the interview in advance. This includes an account needed for virtual meeting software, a microphone, speakers, and a camera. Create a test meeting and log in to ensure it all works and the interviewer understands how to operate everything. Choose a quiet space that is free of distractions and background noise.
2. Prepare the Questions
Nothing is more awkward than two people staring at each other during a virtual meeting as silence hangs heavy in the air. As the person conducting the interview, it is your role to keep the conversation moving forward. Having a list of questions ready ensures you can ask the candidate everything you want to know. A list of questions also ensures you interview each candidate consistently by asking everyone the same series of questions.
3. Communicate With the Candidate
Companies often forget that top candidates are interviewing them right back. Just as the candidate needs to impress the company’s interview, the interviewer needs to impress the candidate. Open and timely communication is essential for standing out during the interview process. Help the candidate prepare for the virtual interview by communicating with them in advance about how the virtual interview will take place. Confirm before the interview to ensure everything is set up and ready. During the interview, explain how it will flow. At the end of the interview, explain the next step and what the candidate can expect.
4. Have a Rating System
Have a consistent and unbiased rating system that each candidate is judged by. A universal rating system makes it easier to streamline the hiring process by placing all candidates through the same process. It also ensures the company doesn’t violate any anti-discrimination laws. When creating the rating system, include rubrics for answer quality, technical knowledge, soft skills, body language, and personality. A numeric rating scale of 1-5 or 1-10 can be simple yet effective. A weighted scoring scale lets companies put more importance on specific criteria. A yes/no or pass/fail checklist can work for basic requirements in an initial screening.
5. Share About the Company
As part of the interview, the interviewer should share information about the company with the candidate. During in-person interviews, the candidate can get a feel for the atmosphere, culture, and vibe when they visit the company’s office. They cannot do this during a virtual interview. It is up to the interviewer to explain these things, as they are impactful for modern workers. An appealing culture can help a candidate choose to move forward by accepting a position offer.
Conduct Productive Virtual Interviews
Mastering virtual interviews is essential for hiring the right talent in today’s job market. By preparing in advance, communicating clearly, and offering a structured evaluation process, you can ensure a smooth and engaging experience that helps you secure the best talent for your team. BOS Staffing can help companies streamline their virtual interviewing process to successfully hire top talent.
Contact BOS Staffing today and improve your hiring efforts.
