5 Ways CEO’s Can Successfully Conduct A Job Interview Over A Video Call By Caroline Vooght

The way businesses approach recruitment is set to change forever, and it’s long overdue! Our time is precious, and whether you’re the CEO or the individual being interviewed we need to adopt a radical approach to the hiring process.

While face to face interviews definitely have benefit, they are often unnecessary for the first step of the recruitment process and add the extra burden of trying to find appropriate times to meet, often encroaching on both individuals personal time. 

Caroline Vooght, director at recruitment specialists, Expion Search and Selection shares her top interview tips on how to perfect your approach to conducting live video interviews.

Choose your video tool wisely

There is a great range of video conferencing tools including Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts and Microsoft Teams. You might have adopted a specific tool, but when it comes to undertaking interviews make sure you use something which is easy for your interviewee to access. If you plan to have more than two people on the call then don’t use the free Zoom option, otherwise you’ll find yourself being disconnected 40 minutes in!

Prepare your process in advance

Prepare the flow of the interview and your questions in advance but make sure to leave yourself time to ask further questions based on the interviewee’s answers. Undertaking video interviews is a new process for many, and often in face-to-face interviews, we can be guided by body language and rapport. With potential lags due to internet speeds or technical gremlins, it could be a good idea for you to communicate with the interviewee in advance so they are aware of the flow of the interview upfront. This isn’t about giving them a helping hand, it’s about you getting what you need when it comes to the call.

Allow for some uncomfortable silence

Most people hate uncomfortable silences, but by keeping quiet, you give your interviewee the opportunity to speak in more depth. Quite often in these moments, you’ll get some great insights into the individual you interviewing and if they are the right fit for the role. With video interviews, in particular, the lag can often mean you are left talking over people, missing key bits of information. Allowing clear pauses in your process will minimise this happening. 

Maintain eye contact

Interviewing virtually can lead us to become distracted. Switch off any notifications and put your mobile phone out of reach so that you can maintain good eye contact as much as possible. Focusing on the individual allows you to listen intently and ask more insightful questions. 

Record the interview

An added benefit of undertaking video interviews is the ability to record the meeting so that when it comes to selection process you can watch back and hone in on answers and body language, something which can be difficult to read virtually. Make sure that the interviewee is aware that you will be recording and that you delete the video once the recruitment process is complete in line with relevant GDPR regulations.