Zoom and Microsoft Teams saved the recruitment industry in 2020. That sounds dramatic but without the utilisation of video interviews in recruitment, there would have been next to no hires made.
The suggestion of interviewing a candidate via video pre-pandemic would often be met with resistance from most employers. Hiring someone without physically meeting them in person just wasn’t something our clients were comfortable with. Even an initial first round video interview was unwelcomed and met with scepticism that the candidate lacked commitment and their intent to seriously move jobs questioned. I recall one overseas candidate had booked a long haul flight to the UK for a final round interview in which the client subsidised the cost of the flight and accommodation This was the norm and a process unquestioned.
Face to face interviews will always be a key stage in most recruitment processes but it seems more of our clients are now insisting on video interviewing as part of the early stages to the recruitment process, despite the fact candidates are prepared to meet the interviewers in person. What a shift.
Booking interviews for candidates in the middle of a busy work seasons, exam studies, and client side projects was always difficult. Rigid working hours in the office made scheduling face to face interviews challenging with candidates only able to attend if the interviewers could agree to a meeting before 9am or after 6pm. The ability to conduct the interview via video has made the recruitment process much more time efficient and a good way to pre-qualify candidates.
This radical shift has happened quickly and as such, there is some concern that interviewers need training on how to interview effectively through a screen. Interviewing is a skill. Someone technically strong and competent at their role isn’t always going to be the strongest and most natural interviewer. Video interviews are often less spontaneous in structure and lack the same flow as a meeting in person. Feedback from some candidates who have interviewed with employers via Zoom or MS Teams has been that the interview felt rigid, less personal and more of a tick boxing exercise for the client. Multiple interviewers on one call can contribute to that disjointed feel but to get the most out of the meeting it is important to do the following:
- Plan the video interview ahead of time by knowing which interviewer will lead on what areas.
- Frame the meeting with a good solid introduction as to what the interview will cover and who you are in the team/business.
- Close the interview by either providing instant feedback, finishing with a Q&A and/or one final sell to the candidate if they have impressed.
- Give the candidate the chance to interject with questions and make comments during the interview.
If you can implement these three key steps then you will achieve flow and structure.
The same is true for candidates. Presenting yourself as an engaging, competent, motivated individual with strong communication skills is way more difficult to convey through a webcam than in person. Poor internet connection certainly doesn’t help nor does bad lighting, camera positioning or inadequate acoustics. Learning how to build rapport, keep focused and communicate your experience in a clear and concise manner isn’t as a natural as in person so practice. Mock interviewing with your recruiter will help you get this right.
The use of Zoom and MS Teams for interviewing candidates is here to stay and has now become a standard part of the interviewing process for many corporates. Perfecting how to conduct an effective video interview is going to be so important when assessing candidates suitability and selling the opportunity to a candidate in a buoyant jobs market.
