Interviewing Candidates Remotely

It can be difficult to hire during quarantine. This probably won’t come as a surprise to you, given the fact that it’s required us to change so much about the interview process. Specifically, interviews now need to be conducted remotely.

To help talk through some of the issues that hiring managers may be facing, plus some potential solutions to these problems, Frank Dolan sat down with the VP of Business Development at Taylor Strategy Partners, Angie Aldinger. Below, you’ll learn some of the takeaways from that April 1st conversation.

Specifically, we’ll explain some of the things to keep in mind when interviewing talent remotely: the need to pivot; the importance of patience and grace; and what to do if you’re uncomfortable with the process.

Don’t Be Afraid to Pivot

When considering how the hiring process has changed during quarantine, it’s important to remember that things have changed in multiple ways.

“We’re dealing with many different types of ideas and concepts and personalities and many people aren’t comfortable with virtual interactions,” Angie Aldinger says. “We have these great expectations of, you know, going to a face to face interview and what that should look like. And we’ve all had to shift and pivot.”

If something about your current hiring process isn’t working, don’t be afraid to change it. You need to be flexible in order to hire the best talent and keep them comfortable throughout the talent acquisition process.

Patience and Grace

What’s the number one thing people want to think about their interviewer once they’ve finished the interview? “Yeah, I think that the hiring manager actually cared about me.”

This means you want to listen to their concerns, and you have to be understanding of whether or not they’re currently ready to make a job change.

Regardless of where your talent is in the pipeline — the prospecting stage, the interviewing stage, and so on — their situation has changed as much as yours has. About job opportunities, Aldinger explains, “a month ago it probably was gold. But people are scared today.” This means it may take longer to convince someone to commit to your organization.

Understanding the concerns and timeline that talent is currently facing can help you retain them for years to come.

It’s Okay to Be Uncomfortable

Quarantine has been a stressful time for everyone. When interviewing people with video conferencing software, Aldinger says, “Let’s just call the spade the spade. If you’re not comfortable with it, if you think, ‘Does my background look good?’ that’s more than understandable.”

In fact, acknowledging your own discomfort with interviewees can create an open, honest environment that perpetuates relatability and ultimately, comfort. Plus, this enables you to “practice that grace” and give others the benefit of the doubt.

Wondering How You Can Tailor Your Interview Strategies to Quarantine?

Angie Aldinger has been working in the life sciences for more than two decades, and in that time, she’s helped many business owners tailor their talent strategy to their unique situation.

If you have any questions you’d like to ask, you can find her on the Taylor Strategy Partners website. If you’d prefer, you can also reach out to her via her LinkedIn page.