The COVID-19 pandemic will not only change who we all are as people, it will also have a lasting impact on the way we conduct business. As the entire country practices social distancing, companies that are looking for employees need to rely on remote interviewing to evaluate candidates. Switching to remote interviewing is a huge adjustment for many businesses, hiring managers, and candidates. Even as we look to the future when social distancing is finally relaxed, it's highly likely that companies will continue remote interviewing to continue to protect staff, save time, and access talent from other geographic locations.

If you are new to remote interviewing, don't be intimidated. With the right tools and preparation, you can be effective from a distance. Follow these best practices to get the most out of your remote interviews.

Invest in Reliable Software

Don't skimp on video software. You want to find a tool that offers crisp, clear audio and video and is simple to use for both your team and candidates. Zoom has become very popular in recent weeks because of its ease of use and call quality. It also has accessibility features like closed captioning and automated transcripts.

Communicate All Pertinent Details to Candidates

Send candidates their interview participation link several days in advance and encourage them to download and log into the software once before the interview to make sure links and access codes work. To help them feel more comfortable, provide them with details like the names of everyone they will be meeting with from your team, any specific items you want them to prepare, advance notification if they are required to share their screen, etc.

Have a Structure in Place for Remote Interviews

Don't try to wing it, especially if you are new to video conferencing. Print out your questions and keep them next to your computer. You may find it is easier to stick to a structure over video chat than it is in person since the candidate can't see your notes.

Put a Little More Effort Into Breaking the Ice

While we are all getting more comfortable video chatting, it is still a bit outside the norm for job interviews. Therefore, take some time to break the ice and ease into the conversation. Introduce yourself first, then have other members of your team introduce themselves, then ask the candidate some softball questions to help them relax.

Always remember to look at the camera (not yourself), smile and relax. The more relaxed you are, the smoother the process will go for both you and the candidate.

Be Prepared for a Bad Connection and Technical Issues

Even the best internet connections can be unreliable, and technical issues can happen to anyone, so be prepared for the occasional lag, freeze, loss of audio or video (or both), and other issues. If you or the candidate end up with a bad connection, first ask all participants to turn off their video to ease bandwidth. If that does not help, look for other workarounds like dialing in through a conference phone line to finish the call. Whatever you do, don't judge a candidate harshly for a poor internet connection. They might live in a rural area, or it could just be a fluke, given the strain on bandwidth.

Be Flexible

Don't expect candidates to be able to drop everything, find a scenic and quiet space in their home for a perfectly staged remote interview -- even if they are currently laid off. Many people are at home with children and could find it difficult to locate a quiet corner to chat. In fact, you may find that cars are a common location for candidates needing a private space. As long as you can see and hear them clearly, be flexible and focus on the substance of their answers.

You should also be flexible with yourself. It can take several interviews to get comfortable with the process, so be patient and know that you will improve your remote interviewing skills over time.

Do You Want Some Help With Remote Interviews?

Getting comfortable with remote interviews will take time, but if you are too busy or find that evaluating remote candidates is a challenge for your company, there is help available. Partner with an expert staffing and recruiting firm today to streamline your remote interviewing and hiring processes.