Recruiting during the Coronavirus

Coronavirus has changed the way we live our everyday lives. With the country on lockdown and people confined to their homes, face to face conversations have been replaced by video calls, and job interviews are no exception. Organisations still have jobs to fill and have had to go online to interview and recruit new staff during these unprecedented times.

We’ve been helping clients to conduct online video interviews in place of face to face meetings during the lockdown, with positive results. Both clients and candidates agree that online interviews are more convenient, with no travel time and no issues around parking or ensuring public transport will arrive in good time. And, as the candidate can feel totally ‘at home’ during the interview, the online experience is typically much less nerve wracking.

However, there are important things to remember for a successful online interview.

You might not be leaving your front room, but it is still essential to look smart and prepare as you would for an ‘in person’ job interview. Research the organisation, be prepared to talk about how your skills and experience fit the role and have some questions ready to ask the interviewer.

We advise both candidates and interviewers to practice ahead of time and conduct a mock interview in front of the screen. This is essential to familiarize yourself with the video software, check your internet connection is good, your webcam and microphone are working and the background is suitable.

Depending on your internet and the device you are using, the sound quality may not be great so speak slowly and carefully to enable your interviewer to catch everything you say. Remember looking at the interviewer’s face on your screen doesn’t mean you are making eye contact, so regularly look into the camera when you’re speaking.

With many organisations now realising the benefits of home and remote working it could be that video calls, team meetings and job interviews become the new norm even after lockdown restrictions are lifted. It makes good sense to master the basics of a successful video call and get accustomed to interacting virtually with others.

At Ocean Edge we’ve been championing flexible working practices for many years as we believe home working is a much better fit for achieving a work/life balance, whilst resulting in more productive staff. Talk to us for more advice about furthering your career or strengthening your team and how video conferencing and virtual interviewing can help your future plans.