By: Mitzi Kent, RN, BSN | mkent@barlowmccarthy.com
Video interviews are becoming the norm in today’s COVID-19 environment. As physician recruiters, we want to be able to prepare our candidates to be “camera-ready” and shine in what can be a very awkward and new approach to demonstrating their best self. Here are a few ideas to get your candidates prepared. I have created a condensed version of these suggestions as a checklist that you can send to your candidates. I have left it as a Word document so you can make edits to make it your own. Just save it as a PDF and send to your candidates. You can download it here: Virtual Interview Candidate Checklist.
- Suggest testing their technology
A few days before the interview, have them make sure their equipment and connections are working correctly. Sometimes doing a practice with either you, a colleague or even a family member will give them the opportunity to make adjustments.
- Location, location, location
Make sure your candidate chooses a site that is distraction-free and clutter-free. Avoiding public places that tend to be loud, like your local Starbucks, is smart, we want the audio to be free of background noise. Lighting is essential too. You will want to remind your candidate to have ample lighting, natural light is the best, but an inexpensive selfie light that clips to your computer is a quick find on Amazon.
- Preparation is key
Advise your candidate to log in a few minutes early to make certain there are not any complications with their connections; now they can relax and focus on the interview. Make sure you remind them to have their resume printed and nearby, along with any questions they might have. Having this material handy to reference will take away some of the stress of the interview.
- Good eye contact helps build virtual relationships
With video interviewing, it’s hard to maintain good eye contact with the individual on the other side of the computer, remind your candidate to look directly into the camera instead of at the screen or their picture. A good trick is to post a sticker or post-it note by the camera as a reminder to look at it.
- Project and pause
Digital connections can vary, and many times audio delays can cause the first few seconds to cut out. Remind your candidates that when the interviewer has finished speaking to pause a few seconds before delivering their answer. Candidates will need to be reminded that projecting their voice will be beneficial to the interviewer, preventing them from having to strain to hear them.
Virtual interviewing can be intimidating for first-time candidates, as physician recruiters, sharing these simple tips can help your candidates relax and put their best foot forward. It will also make your job easier and provide for a less awkward interview experience for both parties.