Video interviewing has become a hot topic in the recruiting space over the last couple of years, with the advent of video recording apps and devices, it’s easier than ever to record people and have those recordings stored for future reference, that being said, video interviewing is not as easy as it seems; it requires careful planning, good execution, and above all else presence – which is something you can’t fake.
The right candidate will see through your facade immediately and respond accordingly, the wrong one will feel trapped and confused by your questions-which-aren’t-really-questions demeanor and today we are going to take a look at how to conduct a powerful video interview with real results that will get you results from the individuals you speak to on camera.
What to look for in a powerful video interview
Let’s start by discussing the characteristics a candidate should possess during a video interview, you’ll be attempting to focus on these qualities both when casting the interview and during the interview itself.
- The candidate’s ability to be themselves in the video is the first quality you should be watching for, being yourself is an essential component of any interview, whether face-to-face or over the phone.
- The candidate’s ability to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in a video is the second quality you should look for because many interview questions are meant to test the interviewee’s quick thinking and ability to provide an effective response, the ability to handle the tasks will be demonstrated by the applicant’s submission of a video showcasing their knowledge and skills.
A brief overview of how video interviews work
- Video interviewing is a relatively new trend that allows employers to conduct face-to-face interviews remotely, frequently using video recording technology, they utilize video interviewing to conduct phone and in-person interviews with remote applicants.
- Video interviewing is especially valuable for employers in businesses with remote workforces, such as healthcare and travel and logistics; in these industries, you may have to interview remote workers from across the country or the world, which can make face-to-face interviews problematic.
The most important part of a powerful video interview is the preparation
No matter how talented you are as an interviewer, you will only be as successful as your preparation, you may be an amazing interviewer, but if you’re unprepared, you’ll fail in every interview you do.
Always include a soft introduction and an end hook
A soft introduction is something you say before the interview starts that gives context for why you’re conducting the interview and what the purpose of the interview is- this will help set the stage for the rest of the interview and give context for your questions; an end hook is something you say at the end of the interview that makes a quick, light-hearted comment that ties back to the soft introduction you made at the beginning- this helps give the interview a beginning, middle, and end.
Ask someone to demonstrate their skills and knowledge
Determine a way to make it simple for the applicant to demonstrate their skills and knowledge, and if you can turn a chore into a game, ask them to describe how they would like to do it in more detail before asking the applicant to demonstrate their knowledge and abilities in front of the camera, and make sure they are at ease doing so, it’s acceptable if they choose not to do so, but you shouldn’t force them to.