In response to COVID-19, many work interactions have moved from in-person to online, and hiring is no exception. In this article, Vettery's Senior Recruiter, Brooke Henn, offers advice on how to successfully hire from home.
Keep your hiring momentum
Brooke has seen a “drastic positive shift" in candidate response rates since the move to remote work, noting that she hasn't had a single person miss a call in recent weeks. From an interviewing perspective, she says it’s great because “candidates are at home and have a lot more time to take a phone interview now that they aren’t moving from meeting to meeting."
Working from home also gives job-seekers the privacy to take interviews confidentially. They no longer have to worry about coming up with a reason to step out of the office. This flexibility makes it easier than usual to find time for interviews.
Be wise about who you choose to be in the (video) room
At Vettery, sometimes there are multiple people in a room to evaluate a candidate. How many and who you decide to be in the room is especially important now that interviews are virtual. Brooke suggests prepping your interview team by assigning different roles before the meeting, e.g. who will speak, who will take notes, who will just observe, etc.
Another tip from Brooke to keep virtual interviews distraction-free? Mute everyone but the active speaker. Taking these steps will help reduce interruptions and allow the interview team to better evaluate a candidate.
Make the interviewee feel comfortable
During a video interview, take steps to show that you are actively listening. Brooke suggests, “Make sure you are looking into the camera to maintain eye contact with your interviewee." Because 93% of all communication is nonverbal, cues like eye contact, nodding, or even waiting a few seconds before responding help you connect with the person you are interviewing.
Another way to mitigate the awkwardness of a video call is to make sure the candidate feels comfortable right from the start. According to Brooke, this can be as simple as asking them how their day is going. Starting that dialogue before jumping into the interview is going to make the person feel more comfortable opening up.
Set your recruiting team up for success
“My team is doing daily morning stand-ups to stay in sync. We go over what's on everyone’s plate for the day.” Brooke’s team also uses messaging tools such as Slack and Google Chat to stay in touch throughout the day. “It’s an adjustment since we’re so used to constant communication at our desks. While we don’t have the ability to tap someone on the shoulder to discuss something, sending a Slack or doing an impromptu video chat has been working well."
Now is the time to over-communicate with your team. Be sure that you are providing the consistent support they need while also keeping everyone accountable.
Some final words...
While we don’t know how long the effects of COVID-19 will last, we do know that adapting to change gives us the opportunity to learn and progress. Vettery is here to support your hiring needs and continue to make your Monday’s (even at home) something to celebrate.
