The current health crisis has forced many of us to work entirely from home, which means all meetings take place via Zoom, Skype, or Google Meet. Even as people in some areas of the country slowly return to their offices, many health professionals and government officials are still advising that in-person meetings be kept to a minimum. This includes job interviews.
The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected every business and industry differently. While many businesses and firms are needing to furlough and lay off employees, some businesses are flourishing and even looking to bring new talent on to their teams. If this applies to your engineering firm, Austin Nichols has some tips for using a virtual interview process to hire your next team member.
Create a Clear Process
Before you begin sifting through resumes and calling candidates to schedule interviews, you will need to make sure that everyone on your team follows the same interviewing process. Streamlining the process for your team will guarantee that each engineering candidate will go through the same steps. Meet with anyone on your team involved in the hiring process to establish a defined hiring process that can be executed online.
Communicate with Candidates
Communication is crucial when everyone is conducting business virtually. Communicating with potential engineering candidates for an open position on your team will help both of you feel more comfortable when it comes time to meet via video chat. Ensure that you give them plenty of time to prepare for the virtual interview and provide them with any information that they may need, such as who they will be meeting with and any recruiting documents that they can review beforehand.
Sending candidate invitations with the meeting date, time, and information about the technology you will be using will reassure them when it comes time to meet.
Prepare the Technology
Even though we rely so much on technology to conduct our daily business, it can still be glitchy at times. Before conducting virtual interviews, check that your technology is functioning smoothly. Test your Internet connection 15 minutes prior to your meeting. Technological difficulties can not only make for an uncomfortable interview, but it may also lead to a candidate having a negative perception of your firm.
Establish an Evaluation Method
Like in-person interviews, hiring managers should always be sure to evaluate candidates using the same methods during a virtual interview process. Doing so ensures that the interview process is fair for each candidate. Further, it is beneficial to have the same individuals conducting the interviews, so they can compare the individuals interviewing for the position. Adequate notes and paperwork should be completed by both the interviewer and candidate to keep on file. Just because everything is done online, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t keep careful track of the process.
Prepare Questions
The hiring manager should always prepare questions before any type of interview, whether it occurs in person or online. However, this is especially important for virtual interviews because the conversations often feel less natural when they are not in person. Having questions ready to ask will prevent potential moments of silence; and, therefore, any feelings of awkwardness for both parties involved. Have a healthy mix of technical questions about the industry and personal questions relating to goals and hobbies.
Discuss Company Culture During Interviews
One of the most significant benefits of holding in-person interviews is the ability to show candidates your company culture by introducing them to various team members and giving them a tour of your office or building. Many engineering candidates place a great deal of importance on looking for a firm that aligns with their values. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to portray these things over video chat.
The hiring manager should pay special attention to highlight the company’s culture and values throughout the virtual interview process. Ask questions that lead to further conversations about what the candidate is looking for in a firm’s work environment. What do they value? What type of schedule do they prefer? How can your business meet these expectations? These questions are beneficial to address during an interview and allow you to talk about your company culture without being in the office.
Follow-Up with Candidates Afterward
Professional hiring managers will always follow-up with candidates after the interview, even if they decide to go with another individual to fill the position. Your virtual interview process should incorporate this step, as well. You want the candidate to have a positive perception of your engineering firm, especially if they could be a good fit for a position down the road.
Work with Professional Recruiters
Even with following all of these steps, the virtual hiring process can still be strenuous. For individuals that are busy working from home, it can be hard to find the time to review resumes and schedule interviews. Let professional recruiters handle the work for you. Professional recruiters often know industries just as well as the people working in them. Working with a recruiter who specializes in engineering ensures that you are find the most qualified candidates to join your team. Not only can engineering recruiters scan resumes and conduct preliminary interviews, but these individuals often have networks of potential candidates that may be a perfect fit for your position.
At Austin Nichols, we are dedicated to helping engineering firms throughout the hiring process, even if it is all done virtually. We have successfully implemented virtual interviewing processes for several of our clients. Our recruiters are be happy to work with you to transition to an online method, conduct preliminary interviews, and schedule meetings with qualified candidates. Please reach out to us today at 816-471-5575 if you have any questions.
