Prepare for Virtual Interviews – COVID-19

Business continuity during COVID-19 will mean leveraging online technologies for all departments, including human resources. IT departments can assist in recruiting efforts by ensuring virtual interviewing technologies are in place and supported.

Organizations will have different recruitment needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.While some will face layoffs, others will need to increase hiring. Healthcare providers, pharmacies, and grocery chains are seeing an increase in postings.

As organizations adjust their recruitment and interviewing processes to comply with social distancing, many hiring managers are going to need to continue with the company’s hiring mandates. Virtual interviews can enable these processes.

While virtual interviewing is not new, many organizations are not as familiar with technology. IT will need to evaluate technology requirements and be prepared for these requests.

Steps to Prepare

Evaluate, Prepare, and Test Your Technology

• Evaluate current software inventory for technology that can be used to conduct virtual interviews.
• If no licensed technology meets the need, examine business requirements and develop a software requirements list.
• Quickly evaluate available technologies against those requirements. Microsoft Teams, Cisco WebEx, GoToMeeting, and Zoom are some common platforms.
• Implement and thoroughly test the technology before pushing out to internal staff and external candidates.
• Prepare written documentation and aides for internal and external use.
• Conduct training sessions with staff.
• Train IT staff to support the technology.

Work With Human Resources to Communicate Effectively With Candidates

• Prepare materials for external users. Include links and backup communications such as phone numbers in case of technical difficulties.
• Set expectations. Communicate the state of your technology with candidates. If the technology is new to the organization or the person conducting the interview, explain that.
• Provide support and be willing to work through internal and external technical issues.
• Poll users throughout the process for areas of improvement.
• Evaluate and improve processes and technology as necessary.

Our Take

Virtual interviewing is an enabling technology that will allow businesses to continue to recruit during the COVID-19 pandemic.IT and HR departments need to work together to examine needs and roll-out technologies to assist with this process. Being prepared and having support resources available will be critical to the success of this implementation.

For an infograhic on virtual interviews, please visit McLean & Company.