Virtual Interview Tips to Hire Top Talent: Unveiling the Secrets

Virtual Interview Tips to Hire Top Talent: Unveiling the Secrets
The benefits of virtual interviews have caused most employers to conduct initial interviews online, rather than in person to open up their talent pool, inject flexibility into the recruiting process, test candidates remote technical savvy, and reduce travel expenses. In fact, a recent hiring survey from TopResume revealed that 33% of employers currently offer an exclusively virtual interview process and 21% only offer in-person interviews for the final round of interviews.  Just like in person interviews, however, successful virtual interviews take planning, focus, and practice.  Here are some proven virtual interview tips to hire top talent.

Virtual Interview Tips to Hire Top Talent
Whether live or in person, it’s important to create an environment where potential new hires feel comfortable giving honest answers about their motivations, capabilities, and needs.  Similarly, it is also vital that hiring managers and interview teams feel equipped to find the best candidate for their specific job opening.

Our organizational culture assessment research shows that a behavioral-based and conversational approach to virtual interviewing works best for both candidates and interviewers.  Follow these virtual interview tips to improve your chances of finding a candidate that fits.

1. Set the Candidate Up for Success
   The candidate experience should positively align with your employee value proposition. Because of this, most companies go out of their  way to make it easy for candidates to be virtually interviewed by outlining the job requirements, sharing how the interview process will work, and answering any questions ahead of time.

   Most share virtual meeting tips for the technology being used to help preempt any potential issues such as how to:

   — Download and test the virtual meeting app ahead of time
   — Ensure proper lighting and camera positioning
   — Maintain a clutter-free background
   — Avoid distractions and interruptions during the interview

   The goal is to put the candidate at ease so that they feel comfortable enough to share honest answers to your behavior-based interviewing questions.

2. Set the Interviewers Up for Success
   Similar to the candidates being interviewed, every interviewer should be proficient with virtual meeting technology so that they can focus on the candidate’s job qualifications and cultural fit while putting their best foot forward. Here are some additional virtual interview tips to hire top talent for interviewers:

   Start with a Focus on Building Rapport
   Establishing rapport with candidates in a virtual setting requires intentional effort. Begin the interview with a warm greeting and a brief introduction to set a welcoming tone. Maintain eye contact by looking directly at the camera (not at your own picture) and nodding attentively to convey active listening. Encourage candidates to ask questions and participate actively in the conversation to foster engagement.  Do not multitask.  Be present and engaged.

   Be Genuine
   Compared to in person interviews, virtual settings can make it more difficult to engage candidates in a meaningful way.  Candidates want interviewers to be genuine about themselves, the job, their boss, the team, their career opportunities, and the workplace culture that they will potentially be walking into.  To find candidates who fit, interviewers should be open and honest about company values, team norms, and performance expectations.

   Maintain Consistency Across Interviewers
   Maintaining consistency in the interview process is essential for fair evaluation and comparison of candidates. And consistency takes practice.  Follow and become competent at an agreed upon behavioral interviewing approach to assess how well the candidate aligns with the job requirements and organizational values. Remember to allocate sufficient time for each interview question while allowing room for spontaneous follow-up inquiries.

   Be Ready to Flex
   Virtual interviews may present unforeseen challenges such as poor internet connectivity or background noise. Remain adaptable and flexible in addressing these issues promptly and gracefully. Offer alternative communication methods or reschedule the interview if technical difficulties persist. Demonstrating resilience and problem-solving skills during challenging situations showcases your professionalism to candidates.

   Leave a Lasting Impression
   Conclude the interview on a positive note by expressing appreciation for the candidate’s time and interest in the position. Provide clear information about the next steps in the hiring process, including timelines for follow-up communication. Invite candidates to share any additional information or questions they may have before bidding farewell. Ending the interview with a genuine expression of gratitude reinforces your organization’s commitment to candidate experience.

The Bottom Line
Because of all the benefits to both job seekers and recruiters, remote hiring is here to stay.  By setting your candidates and interview teams up for success, you increase your chances of attracting and securing the best candidates.  Make sure that your interviewers can effectively build rapport, maintain behavioral interviewing consistency, and articulate what sets your company apart from the pack.

To learn more about virtual interview tips to hire top talent, download Why the Interviewing Process is Broken – And What to Do About It