6 Strategies for a Successful Virtual Interview

Video interviews are here to stay.

81% of talent professionals around the world predict that virtual recruiting will continue post-COVID and 70% say it will become the new standard, according to LinkedIn’s Future of Recruiting report. While many of the basics still apply, there are some factors to consider when interviewing virtually.

Check out our infographic with these tips.

6 Strategies for a Successful Virtual Interview

1. Be prepared

Establish a process.

Make sure you and your talent acquisition teammates are all on the same page about how you conduct interviews. Create a shared document that outlines the steps and asks for input on questions to ask, how to evaluate, etc.

Test your connection.

Virtual interviews are dependent on you and your candidate’s internet connection. To minimize technical hiccups and maximize candidate experience, do a video and audio test run before your interviews.

2. Compare apples

Develop standardized interview questions and standardized ratings.

Interviewers can more easily compare candidates on an apples-to-apples basis when they ask everyone the same questions. Keep notes during your interview or, with the candidate’s approval, record your discussion, and share the interview with other team members.

An interview scorecard allows you to more objectively rate your candidates — and, over time, your interviewers.

3. Interview approach

Use appropriate questioning methodologies.

Interviewing techniques can be structured (pinpoint job skills that are essential to the position) or unstructured (questions are open ended).

The three most common approaches to one-on-one employment interviews are behavioral, competency-based, and situational.

Behavioral-based interviewing aims to discover how the interviewee performed in specific situations i.e., “Describe a time when you were faced with a stressful situation that demonstrated your coping skills.”

Competency-based interviewing can give the interviewer a sense of an applicant's job performance and attitude toward work i.e., “Tell me about a situation in which your spoken communication skills made a difference in the outcome. How did you feel?”

The situational approach presents a hypothetical scenario or event and focuses on past experiences, behaviors, knowledge, skills, and abilities. “Your manager, the CIO, tells you that you need to be more strategic. How would you handle this situation?”

4. Culture counts

It’s more than just the money.

A LinkedIn survey found that job seekers’ favorite way to learn about company culture is through an office tour - a challenge with video interviews. To compensate for that, spend time preparing an enticing culture pitch. Including a virtual tour is an effective technique.

5. Set expectations

Provide information on what the candidate can expect going forward.

Let them know when you plan to choose a candidate for the position, how you will inform them if they got the job, and if you require additional information for consideration. Follow up with a thank-you note for giving up their valuable time to speak with your team.

6. Get moving

In today’s red-hot market, top-tier candidates are fielding multiple offers.

If you want to remain competitive and attract the most motivated talent, you need to move fast –or risk losing that person to a competing offer. This doesn’t mean rushing through the steps, but rather being thoughtful and efficient.

Sources: SHRM, Indeed, LinkedIn