Since the beginning of 2020, video interviewing has become the go-to method of talent acquisition. Do you know that out of 506 companies interviewed by Jobbatical in a recent survey, 47% use video interviewing software to streamline their recruitment processes, and 22% use video interview applications for interacting with remote applicants?

A year has passed since the outbreak of the Covid 19 pandemic. Recruiters no doubt have been accustomed to video interviewing thanks to its inherent usefulness. However, some still find it difficult to depart from the old ways of physical or telephone interviewing.

With that in mind, whether you are a beginner or an expert in video-interviewing, knowing how to screen your candidates effectively is a must. Read on to discover the fundamentals of screening candidates using video interview software.

Technical Advice When Using Video Interview Software

There is a wide variety of video conferencing technologies in the market to choose from; however, each employer will have a unique preference for a specific type of interview software. Therefore, remember to discuss with your team which application suits best for your company’s interview process.

You can make a checklist of your software and hardware before each interview. For your hardware, is your camera or microphone working? You should perform a test run at least an hour before an actual interview. Better yet, you can prepare a replacement in case of mid-interview malfunctions.

The hotel chain Hilton Worldwide has changed its recruiting method from in-person interviews to virtual interviews. This shift was worth trying because it took Hilton around 42 days to choose the most suitable candidates, which is two times higher than the industry average. By utilizing the digital interview platform Hirevue, Hilton was able to conduct multiple interviews at once, thereby speeding up the interview process with fewer expeditions.

Tips to Screen Candidates During a Video Interview

Instead of interacting face-to-face, there is now a screen separating you and the candidate. You are still talking live like a physical interview, however, your senses are limited to your eyes, which can only see as much as the camera can, and your ears which are subjected to the mercy of the audio quality. So, what can we do to get the most of a video interview session?

1. Pay Attention to the Candidates

Chosen Environment

Having an appropriate background signifies that the candidate cares about this interview. A professional setting creates a decent overall image, ensuring a pleasant yet well-qualified interview experience just like in-person. Therefore, you should favour a quiet, well-lit space for every interview session. A person’s chosen interview location can say a lot about them. For example, If there is a cluster of trash or a pile of dirty laundry sitting behind, that says something about their organization skills.

Style of Clothing

Have you ever heard the phrase “Dress to impress?” No matter where or when, a job interview is a professional activity that demands professionalism from all parties, whether it is physical or through a video interview, so business attire must be the mandatory dress code. Even if you are allowed to dress casually, one should at least look presentable. Casual clothing such as pyjamas, sweatpants, or t-shirts with inappropriate imagery indicates the candidate’s lack of interest in the career opportunity.

Body Language

According to a study conducted by Albert Mehrabian, approximately 55% of our communication is non-verbal, 38% derives from our tone, leaving the remaining 7% as actual words. Gestures can also give you an idea of someone’s personality. In a video interview, when you are limited to 2 of your senses, a recruiter must gather information from all available sources. Here are some of the body language signs you could pay attention to: Do they show facial expressions or stay indifferent all the time? A high variety of expressions and accompanied voice tone usually indicate an active personality. What is their posture? Are they slouching? Relaxed? Or maintain an upright posture all the time? Do they maintain eye contact? Not being able to do so is a tell-tale sign of communication difficulty or signals they may be reading notes on the screen instead.

Some candidates think they can cheat when using video interview software by putting up notes and answers on the screen. You can’t see their screen, but you can see where their eyes are looking. Watch out for their eye contact to minimize this type of incident.

Every movement that the candidate can’t express by words still conveys volumes of information; therefore, body language plays a crucial factor in evaluating applicants.

2. Stay Both Professional and Personable

Respect must come from mutual ends, from both the applicant and you. Hence, the following suggestions will help you give your candidate full attention as well as being compassionate:

Showing genuine interest in the applicant when you first connect with them can help a candidate feel less nervous. Starting the interview with a friendly and amicable attitude can also achieve the same effect. Simple but thoughtful gestures like taking additional time to help the candidate to check if their microphone and camera are working fine can help you win them over.

When the interviewee talks, make sure that you eliminate your environmental interferences. Not only these interferences can decrease the quality of your session, They can also rub the interviewee the wrong way, making them feel unappreciated. However, when the candidate encounters technical issues, don’t let this small mistake affect their overall interview performance.

Similar to in-person interviews, maintaining interaction is a must! Some interviewees often receive feedback showing a lack of eye contact; this is because they only look at the screen, not the webcam. To prevent this from happening, place your webcam right above your eye level.

3. Ask the Right Questions

Employers should carefully think about video interview questions, similar to its physical counterpart. Here are some general questions that can give you more insight into the candidate:

Tell Me About Yourself?

This question serves as the icebreaker, allowing you to understand the candidate’s background and competencies. It can also work as a transition to finding out more in-depth information.

Why Did You Choose This Company?

By asking this question, you can understand why the candidate is interested in your company and how their skills can contribute to your team.

Tell Me About a Time When...?

This flexible formula allows you to know about the candidate’s working style and management skills in a particular situation. For example, you can ask about a time when they encounter a failure to understand their problem-solving competence and the way they bounce back.

Note that, the final section where the candidate asks you questions is an opportunity for you to express your personality. Humour is a good way to build rapport and form trust. Take the chance to not only show the candidate the company’s personality but yours as well.

4. Take Note for Further Evaluation

Throughout the interview, it’s necessary to write down the performance and engagement of the applicant to make more informed decisions. For recruiters who are new to this form of interviewing, one might need extra effort to run a successful session while also collecting enough information to determine a hire. Therefore, many video interview software now offers the recording option that allows you to record the interview and take notes or fill out an evaluation form right within the software.

Conclusion

Video interview applications offer plenty of benefits for recruiters, especially during this period. With video interview software now having a place in a recruiter’s arsenal, this talent recruiting solution is here to stay even after the global pandemic. Mastering the basics in holding a video interview session is a crucial goal for any recruiters in 2021. If you are eager to learn more, check out how pre-recorded video interviewing can be the key to your recruitment success.

Images used in this post: Freepik

This blog post originally appears on Rakuna's blog.