For most people, having a job usually consists of traveling to the office to perform your daily tasks. However, as technology develops, the office is no longer the only place where you can work.

In order to access international talents, it is time enterprises employ a different approach to their talent acquisition method. Consequently, that’s how recruiting on virtual platforms becomes the new norm, leading to more international interviews.

Hopin - a UK virtual event solution provider, realizes that they must find a way to meet the skyrocketing demand for their service and give their employees workplace flexibility in response to the global pandemic. The company decided to recruit its workforce worldwide and have its employees work remotely. Hopin has proved that having an international workplace model is critical to success in a post-covid world.

With that in mind, the following list of interview scheduling tips will provide you with an in-depth perspective into ways to arrange international interviews and meetings effectively.

When Will You Have to Make International Interview Scheduling?

When Reaching Out to a Broader Talent Pool

If the company exclusively recruits local applicants, they will never tap into the massive global talent pool. With video interviewing tools, it is possible to connect with prospective candidates. Those who want to work from home or oversea are now within your reach. With an international team, you can have a business that is always active across multiple time zones.

When You Want to Save Costs

Recruiting on virtual platforms is beneficial in terms of reducing the company’s expenses. If the team works remotely without using facilities, enterprises will reduce expenditures such as leasing and office equipment. Before COVID-19, companies saved approximately $11,000 for each half-time remote employee. With working remotely now required due to the pandemic, the saved amount can increase up to $22,000 per employee in expenses.

Enhance a Company’s Diversity and Inclusion

International talents can bring many benefits to your business. Not mentioning the additional knowledge and a fresh approach to work, expect new cultural experiences when you accept an international candidate onboard.

Challenges When Scheduling International Interviews

Unsynced Time-Zone

Time-zone will be one of your biggest challenges when scheduling an international interview. Interview cross timezone means either the interviewer or interviewee will be working in an unfamiliar hour, potentially reducing the session’s quality. Furthermore, international interviews also introduce a new form of technical difficulties. International calls require more broadband than in-land sessions and are prone to delay and disruption.

Difficulties in Explaining the Company Culture

Physical interactions are ideal when you want to convey ideas. A trip through the office before an interview can give your candidates a sense of workplace culture. Candidates can have a brief experience of their future workplace. However, a video interview session might not include this part. The probable result is the candidates failed to understand your company’s ethics and communication style.

Essential Tips to Better Schedule International Interviews

Long before the Covid-19 pandemic, many businesses already adopt global recruiting as part of their talent strategy. For candidates, this is an opportunity to break through the limitation of geographical distances. However, recruiters must figure out how to coordinate international interview sessions that suit everyone’s schedule. What can we do to get the most of a cross-border video interview session? Try to utilize these Interview scheduling tips to enhance your international interview experiences:

Interview Scheduling Tip #1: Utilize Interview Scheduling Software

To always stay mindful of time zone differences, modern hiring managers should leverage technical approaches. For example, the use of auto-scheduling tools like Rakuna’s interview scheduling software.

These interview scheduling apps can help HR staff navigate different time zones with ease, enabling them to arrange unrestricted interviews. With beneficial features such as task automation, information management and synchronization, a scheduling app can change the way your team works.

Interview Scheduling Tip #2: Optimize Logistical Information Management

With applicants living spread across the globe, it can be challenging to remember everyone’s interview time slots. Sometimes recruiters can send out inaccurate logistics information. Details about the interview’s time, date, and meeting platform can be challenging to manage with different time zones. You can tackle this problem by utilizing an interview scheduling application.

Professional recruiters can and should always centralize every piece of information concerning talent acquisition on their preferred scheduling platform. Some advanced scheduling applications can even automate the scheduling process by sending out invitation emails with self-schedule options and updating any changes to all stakeholders involved. A centralized information platform can keep your theme synced-up with the latest information. So keep your database up-to-date to optimize your global recruiting process.

Interview Scheduling Tip #3: Align Both Parties' Schedule Through Self-Scheduling

When requesting a candidate’s availability, you may arrange possible interview time slots that correspond with the candidates’ local time zone. With the candidate self-scheduling and rescheduling feature, applicants are provided with the ultimate flexibility and convenience to schedule or reschedule which time slot suits them best according to their current work routine.

Allowing the candidate to self-schedule is a way to respect individual freedom, thereby encouraging further collaboration. With the help of a time zone converter, you can evaluate the applicants’ workday groove and pick out the suitable interview times for every candidate.

Interview Scheduling Tip #4: Show Consideration and Professionalism

As a manager, you must be aware of the appropriate timeframe to conduct cross-timezone interviews, not interfering with the candidate’s off-hour freedom and privacy. When scheduling international video interviews, you should avoid selecting commute hours. Why? Because it limits the candidate’s available time, environment, and the suitable type of device to interview to use. One can’t just drive and interview at the same time.

• • Whether you organize your interviews utilizing the mentioned tools above or do it manually, it's also essential to heighten your awareness about the candidate's regional holidays and other local factors. Once you have finalized the interviews' timeframe, you will want to gain your potential employee’s commitment. The following suggestions will help you stay compassionate and professional at the same time.

• • Send an invitation email with information that precisely states your chosen video interview software, time and date of the interview, as well as any required links and passwords.

• • Provide instruction on how to test out the virtual interview platform beforehand.

• Keep the candidates updated with pre-interview confirmations or any personal contact that enables them to be present on time.

Interview Scheduling Tip #5: Choose the Suitable Interview Type and Duration

Picking the suitable interview format to go with each candidate and session duration is also key to a successful international job interview. Based on each applicant’s hiring stage, you can consider these types of virtual interviews to manage your schedule wisely while getting the most information concerning the candidates’ job-related knowledge, experiences, and expertise:

• • Phone interview: This interview type often works best after the screening resumes round for selecting the most potential candidates for further interview rounds. Its quick and uncomplicated nature is also beneficial in assessing the working opportunity with a prospective employee. The duration for phone interviews often lasts approximately 10-30 mins. This format is simple for candidates that choose non-working hours because it is quick and takes less time to prepare.

• • Pre-recorded interview: A pre-recorded interview is when your candidates film themselves answering their assigned question for you to review. While the recruiters do not have to worry about interview arrangements, candidates can choose to record their submissions anywhere, anytime within the given time limit.

• 1-on-1 interview: This is your traditional interview method where one interviewer and interviewee engage in a conversation. This step often permits recruiters to understand more about candidates, thereby determining if they can fit the position. This interview typically takes around 15 to 90 minutes on average to finish; hence, prioritize for candidates selecting working hours and remember to double-check your calendar to avoid overlap.

To Wrap It up, Here Are What You Need to Remember When Scheduling International Interviews:

• • Adopt a tool! Applications such as Rakuna or Calendy can make interview scheduling a breeze through task automation or superior information management.

• • Send the correct logistical information: Make use of your scheduling application as a centralized information database to keep your team always in sync.

• • Align both parties' schedule: Giving candidates the freedom to schedule simplifies your work and shows that you respect the candidate’s private life.

• • Show consideration and professionalism: These characteristics are a must when interacting with global candidates. You are representing not only your business but also your country!

• Select the suitable interview type and duration: Depends on the available time, candidate’s hiring stage, or even interviewers’ availability, picking the proper interview format can help your recruiting team go through your interview list without breaking a sweat.

Conclusion

Scheduling multiple international interviews is challenging, yet it allows you to reach out to potential employees from any part of the world. As interviewing on virtual platforms is a trend that will last long, knowing the tricks behind successfully scheduled interviews in different time-zones will certainly leverage your recruiting skills.

Now that you have mastered the art of international scheduling, check out this article on how you can conduct a video interview flawlessly! And if you have concerns regarding security while working remotely or with an international team, perhaps this informative article from Nightfall can provide a definitive solution. Read on!