The job search and hiring process has seen a lot of changes in recent years. In fact, there have been major technological advancements in recent months that may have a very large impact on the way we as a society search and apply for jobs. What is it? Online interviewing.
Online interviewing is one of the latest technological advancements to benefit the job search process and with it both companies and job seekers can save time, money and energy. More specifically, Spark Hire is the newest and best platform to engage in real-time, online interviews with job seekers. With it, job seekers can set up Profile Videos, answer questions from you in video format and also participate in interviews with you. Without having to leave your home or office, think of how many interviews you can knock out in just a day!
However, before you and your company can start reaping the benefits of online interviewing and Spark Hire’s video integration, you should first take a look at some of these tips that can help you conduct a successful online interview. Follow them so you can have a successful online interview the first time and every time.
Professionalism
This is a big tip that Spark News will continue to hone in on: treat an online interview with the same respect as an in-person interview. It’s very easy to assume that just because you are not physically there in the office with the job seeker that it’s not as important of an interview, but that’s not true. If anything, an online interview can be more intense because there isn’t as much time for small talk as with an in-person interview. As the interviewer, you need to make sure you are representing your company in a professional way. You need to be just as prepared for this interview as with an in-person interview. You are the one that sets the pace, standard and level of professionalism in the interview and it shouldn’t differ from a traditional interview or what your company expects.
Fix Any Hardware Issues
Since you are depending on your technology to interact with a job seeker, you need to make sure all of your equipment works and functions properly. Thankfully, when you use Spark Hire for your online interviews, you don’t have to download any software or install any programs. All you need is your webcam and a microphone if one is not already installed on your computer or laptop. You should make sure your webcam is set up at the right angle and that your face is centered. Make sure your mic isn’t fuzzy or malfunctioning. Once you have everything set up, it’s a great idea to set-up a mock online interview with one of your friends or associates. That way, you can see if anything is malfunctioning or broken.
Lighting
Spark News has discussed this before, but that’s because it is important. You need to make sure your lighting is appropriate and not blinding to the other participant. Make sure you don’t have any lights behind you glaring into the webcam as it will distract the other participant and may throw off their answers to your questions.
Time Zones
Since online interviewing allows for you to interact and interview with people all over the country and the world, it’s very important that you mark what time zone you want the job seeker to adhere to. That way, they will be there waiting for you to start the interview when you sign on. Time zones can be confusing for some people, but the most you can do is tell them specifically what time zone you are in and if they cannot make it at the right time, that should be a red flag for you that this candidate probably will not work.
Time Delays
Technology is awesome, but it certainly is not perfect. Since you and the other participant likely have different browsers, computers and webcams, there may or may not be a lag time in your online interview. Internet connections can also get a little fuzzy, so you need to remember to be patient. Wait until the job seeker is completely done talking before you start answering their question or asking another one of your own. You certainly don’t want to talk over your job seeker during an in-person interview, so you want to make sure you don’t do it in your online interview either.
Questions
Make sure you are prepared for the interview and have questions for the job seeker. Both parties have to be ready to answer and ask questions and should have a list of important ones ready. Also, as the employer you need to be ready to answer questions about your company and, in fact, should expect it from your job seeker. If they don’t have any questions for you, then they likely didn’t set aside enough time to research or they aren’t as interested in this job as you’d probably like.
Spark Hire is a great way for you as a company to plow through qualified candidates and easily find the perfect match for your team. With online interviewing, you can speak with multiple candidates in a day and still have time to actually get work done during the day. Online interviews save a lot of time and money, so you should be sure you are ready to engage in them. Practice with your associates or a friend and get a feel for how your webcam and computer operate with Spark Hire’s video integration technology. After that, you can hire until your heart’s content!
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