Online interviews aren't new, but not every recruiter is proficient enough to find the best candidates. Here are three tips that can help you change the game.
It might seem counterintuitive to recruit during these difficult times when no one knows when Covid-19 will end. But if you need to find new talent, you shouldn't let anything stop you, not even a pandemic. Certainly, we can't meet for in-person interviews right now, but you can always use online interviews.
The problem is, the lack of "real" human interaction can be misleading when assessing a candidate's suitability. Do you agree?
TIPS FOR BETTER CANDIDATE EVALUATION DURING ONLINE INTERVIEWS
1. PAY ATTENTION TO TECHNICAL ISSUES
Previously, the quality of an interview largely depended on the level of preparation of both you and the candidate. Now, technology intervenes and determines whether you can have an informative and distraction-free interview. Technological glitches can happen at any time, even for tech-savvy individuals. What you can do is try to minimize these situations.
Your interview invitation should include details about the platform used for the interview, login information, instructions, and any other requirements, such as internet bandwidth. Additionally, think about common glitches and provide candidates with your solutions or contingency plans in case of these.
For example, people can't join an MS Teams call on their phone or tablet if they haven't downloaded the app. Therefore, you should remind candidates to download the app beforehand. Or, in case of a sudden connection interruption, let them know you'll have a phone conversation or reschedule the interview later.
Additionally, remember that not everyone has an ideal home office. They might live in a noisy neighborhood, or share a room with roommates who use the internet at the same time, causing lag or screen freezes. Be mindful of their limitations so you can make objective and fair assessments.
2. USE PRE-RECRUITMENT ASSESSMENT TOOLS
This isn't just about sending a brief after the interview and giving candidates a few days to plan. We're talking about a different level here.
For example, we've all seen how uncertain the future has become due to the COVID-19 pandemic. More than ever, resilient employees are essential for businesses to navigate these unpredictable challenges. But how can you assess a candidate's resilience? Simply by asking a few questions and blindly trusting their answers?
Even in a face-to-face interview, you can't assess this aspect through casual conversation. Many clients have approached us with this same problem, seeking ways to clearly define a candidate's qualifications and attitude, and to be more confident in their hiring decisions. And our answer is, "Consider using assessment tools before hiring!"
Beyond just resilience, depending on your position and staffing needs, these tools can help clarify various aspects of a candidate, from commitment to the job to core competencies. This could include an individual's cognitive abilities, encompassing verbal, numerical, and abstract reasoning. Some of our clients also want to explore a candidate's preferred work style and assess whether they possess the hallmarks of a high-performing individual. In both cases, our Candidate Assessment Toolkit can help!
Whatever position and field you're recruiting for, know that we have the optimal solutions to meet your requirements. Simply contact us and let us know what you're looking for, and we'll take care of the rest!
3. SWITCH TO PANEL INTERVIEWS
Panel interviews, involving multiple interviewers simultaneously, benefit the online recruitment process in several ways.
By bringing the whole group together, you can avoid unintentional biases and gain more diverse perspectives in a single interview. It also helps shorten the recruitment process, which is facing numerous disruptions in the current situation, and minimize the possibility of missing out on talent. Most importantly, as mentioned in our Q2 2021 Labour Market Update, online interviews via small screens can hinder your ability to observe candidate expressions. With multiple interviewers at once, one person might be taking notes on answers while another focuses on observing the candidate's body language.
The key to an effective panel interview is a well-prepared plan. Start by outlining the ideal candidate profile based on the job description. Each interview question should be closely related to the competencies you are looking for. Then, when selecting panel members, choose only key stakeholders, for example, those the candidate will report to directly or interact with regularly. Each member needs a specific role; for example, a leader will greet the candidate and ask professional questions, another will check for cultural fit, while a third will observe their behavior, as mentioned above.
Nguồn: Adecco
