We talk a lot about job interviews in our work, primarily because of our popular product, EASyView Virtual Interviews. Prior to the pandemic, many companies were debating the pros and cons of in-person versus virtual formats, but then during the shutdowns, virtual interview platforms were quickly and widely accepted as an HR lifeline. During this experience, our Company blog featured several posts on the topic, noting that “Virtual interviews are here to stay.”
Unless you’ve encountered virtual interviews, you might not know that there are two main formats: on-demand (recorded) and livestreaming. We offer both.
Many employers use the recorded version as a prescreening step, later inviting top candidates to the live experience. Depending on the industry and position to be filled, this can be a smart strategy. Plus, with recorded interviews, questions are standardized and streamlined, ensuring consistency which is essential to evaluate applicants fairly.
Whether you opt for a fully virtual interview solution, a blended format, or in-person only, asking the right questions is key. And it may surprise you that the most important questions are not the ones we ask candidates, but those we ask ourselves!
To attract and keep talent in today’s competitive job market, these four questions will help you optimize your interview process and results, regardless of format.
Does your interview attract or deter job seekers?
In today’s economy, applicants are selective. They’re looking for the best opportunity, the most interesting job, and the most positive culture. Plus, they have lots of options. So, if your interview process creates a negative impression or fails to give candidates the information they need to make an informed decision, you will likely miss out on top contenders.
Remember, not only are you evaluating candidates, candidates are evaluating you!
Tip: Take an applicant-centric approach by helping candidates understand your company culture and highlighting why it’s a great place to work.
Are logistics driving away top candidates?
Scheduling, travel, traffic, weather, and time zone restrictions are some of the logistics that can interfere with the smooth flow of job interviews. Do you have a well-defined system for the entire interview process – start to finish? Inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and miscommunication can result in scheduling nightmares and lost opportunities. If you don’t have a streamlined process, you’re sure to lose candidates to a competitor who makes it easier to connect.
Tip: Use the latest technologies to eliminate scheduling hassles and expand your access to quality candidates.
Does your process control for potential bias?
Whether based on appearance, posture, speech patterns, etc., first impressions can be an interviewer’s worst enemy. Impressions can cause biases that the remainder of the interview serves to either prove or disprove. Either way, the impression can have an undue influence on the decision about the applicant’s qualifications, and therefore, can negatively impact the accuracy and fairness of the interview. To minimize potential bias, use standard interview questions and rating criteria.
Tip: Use standardization and structure to minimize the risk of bias.
How accurate are your team’s hiring decisions?
Unfortunately, many hiring decisions are based on little more than a guess, a hunch, or a gut reaction. Your team can ask candidates the best interview questions, but if they don’t have an objective way to evaluate candidate responses, they’re still just guessing. Improving the accuracy and reliability of your team’s interview ratings is the key to success and requires: 1. objective observation and documentation, 2. consistent use of standard rating criteria – so that all candidates are evaluated by the same standards.
An interview is like a yardstick. If it isn’t calibrated for precision, then it offers no more than a guess. The more you can improve your rating process, the more accurate your hiring decisions will be.
Tip: Use a standard, predetermined rating scale to increase interview consistency, fairness, and accuracy.
Clearly, asking candidates the right interview questions is important. Good questions elicit thoughtful responses and provide insight into people’s attitudes, communication skills, and organizational fit. Yet, while every aspect of the interview is important, remember:
The real secret to a great virtual or in-person interview is not which questions we ask applicants, but which questions we ask about the interview process itself.
By addressing these four short questions, you can be sure that your interview – whichever format – is positive, efficient, consistent, fair, accurate – and successful!
Looking for ways to upgrade your interview process to meet today’s challenges? Click here to contact us or call 888.332.0648 to talk with one of our interview experts!