5 steps for conducting online job interviews that are actually successful

Author

We’ve all been to job interviews in our adult lives. However, as stressful as it is for the interviewee, the interviewer (HR recruiter or manager) also has a challenging job. They have a crucial role: to make the candidate comfortable, ask the right questions to reveal the true intentions of the candidate, and in the end, to make the best decision.

When interviews are offline, it’s more natural to talk to people and react in real-time to what they are saying. But with screens separating us, what can be done to help the process?

Tip #1

Start by choosing the right video conferencing tool. Regardless of the domain or the candidate, select a software that is easy to use and offers the most built-in capabilities. One such example is Sessions. It doesn’t require the interviewee to log in when invited to a virtual meeting. How easy is that? Moreso, there’s no need to download an app. It’s web-based software.

Tip #2

Ask questions related to what the candidate has placed in their CV. This is a great way to confirm that what they wrote on the CV is accurate. Ask them at least one question for each activity or competence they wrote down. Even when you ask a student or a university graduate who may not have experience, it’s still essential to determine whether the candidate cares about working for your company. You can easily do this in Sessions. Integrating

Google Docs

makes it effortless to share a document and view it with your interviewee.

Tip #3

Present the job specifications to the candidate. It is wise to tell them again if some details about the job were skipped during past conversions or emails. Do this effortlessly by loading a presentation in Sessions using the platform’s tool,

📊

Presentations

There is no need to share your screen to show a presentation, just upload it before the meeting and display it when the time comes. If you enjoy something more aesthetically pleasing, create a presentation in

Canva

Miro

and share those through our integration with these applications. Then ask questions relevant to the skills needed for that position. There are four skill sets you want to look for:

Knowledge of the job
Analytical thinking
Teamwork orientation
Soft skills such as communication, attitude, and social intelligence.

To make sure you ask all the questions, have them written down in the presentation.

Tip #4

Ask the candidate to take a quiz. To ensure that the knowledge they claim to have is accurate, ask them to take a short test. It is hard to do this during virtual meetings, but not with Sessions.

📊

Forms by Sessions

allows you to create tests with different options for answers. Therefore, you can test the candidate and know if they are suitable for the role. Prepare the test before the meeting when you are creating the appointment. You can even save the quiz and use it every time you have interviews for that position. How time-efficient is that?

Tip #5

Make sure you ‘’read’’ the candidate. If it is a student, make them feel welcomed; if they are professionals challenge them. Read their intentions by asking about long-term goals or what they look for in their future at your company. Through Sessions, place the candidate in the spotlight to always have them in view. Sessions simulates real-life situations, and it’s beneficial to observe the other person’s reactions.

Takeaways

More than any tips I can give you, go with your gut and let the conversion flow. Natural speech reveals a lot about the background, education, experience of the candidate. It shows a lot about how they will communicate with future colleagues. So, during the interview, allow the candidate also to lead the conversation and make them feel like they are steering the wheel.

Try these tips in Sessions, and you’ll be amazed at how easy it’ll be to conduct efficient interviews. Oh, and good luck finding that one remarkable candidate.