Your Mandatory Checklist for Video Interviews

Are you just transitioning to video interviews? Have you been using them for a while now but want to get better at it? Either way, the following checklist will help you become a pro at conducting video interviews:

Before the Interview

• Get to know your video interview software well, especially if it is something you have never used before. Try out all the functionalities you might use during and after the interview.
• Put some thought into your room setup. Consider lighting, camera angle, table, background, notepad, and anything else you will need during the interview.
• Test your camera, microphone, and internet connectivity before each interview. Get your candidates to do the same with their tech. You don’t want to be hollering, “Can you hear me now?” to each other for half of your interview time.
• Pick out appropriate clothes. Make sure your outfit does not blend into your background, and also be sure you are wearing something that represents your workplace culture. Basically, don’t wear something you wouldn’t wear to an in-person interview.
• Use the right tools to make virtual interviewing hassle-free. To collaborate with the other members of an interview panel, make use of interview scorecards and collaborative HR tools like Freshteam to gather objective feedback and keep all hiring discussions in one place.

During the Interview

• Make the candidate comfortable by asking some casual questions before you begin the interview. Taking a few minutes to connect with the candidate up front will help them get used to the virtual setup. Send them some guidelines beforehand, if necessary.
• If the candidate is unable to find a quiet place to interview from or has connectivity issues on their side, be considerate and thoughtful.
• Lay out a clear agenda and stick to the timing. Before the interview starts, view the candidate’s screening results  and write down the skills you want to test them on during the interview itself.
• Write down all your observations to share with the other members of the interview panel, or make a private note on your interview scheduler  where you can record formal feedback to submit later, especially if the interview is not being recorded

After the Interview

• If you did not write down your feedback during the interview, do it as soon the interview is over, using your private notes to write an accurate report. That way, nothing important will fade from your memory, nor will you mix up any of the candidates.
• Share feedback with the candidate and let them know what your team thinks of them. It is important to take the virtual candidate experience just as seriously as you would during face-to-face interviews.
• If you are interviewing virtually for the first time, ask for feedback from your fellow team members and your candidates to find out how you can improve the process for next time.

Make sure you have this checklist ticked off before your next video interview. Of course, you don’t want to forget the most important checklist item: Wear a warm smile and put on a demeanor that sets the candidate at ease, even if technical glitches arise or the connection fails. Go ace those video interviews with ease!

Freshteam by Freshworks  is a smart HR software that helps rapidly growing companies hire and onboard superstars. Plus, it comes with time-off management and recordkeeping capabilities, all in one software. In the hiring phase, Freshteam integrates with video interview tools like Skype and Google Chat rooms to make video interviews seamless. The hiring panel can interview candidates and leave their comments and ratings directly on Freshteam, making it easy to collaborate with other stakeholders. You can check it out for free here.

This article by Freshteam is built on the original article that first appeared on the Freshteam blog.

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