Learn It 15.2.3 Interviewing Applicants

Remote Interviewing

Person sitting at a laptop waving at the screen during a virtual meeting
Virtual interviews may be used as screening interviews but more extensive remote interviews may replace in-person interviewing.

Quite a few job applicants appear to have impressive résumés. Once you actually speak with them, it may become obvious that they don’t really meet the requirements of the job. Alternatively, a moderately attractive applicant might turn out to have personal qualities and abilities that are better than they appeared on paper.

A remote interview is a second level of screening used to reduce the pool of qualified candidates to a manageable number that will be invited for more extensive interviews. A remote interview can be voice only or voice and video, using technologies such as Google Meets or Zoom.

Preparations for the Interviewer

For both interviewer and candidate, the preparation is similar to preparing for a live interview. The interviewer should follow the basic 5-step process:

  1. Review the job description and job specifications
  2. Prepare a set of questions 
  3. Review submitted materials, including application form, cover letter, and resume
  4. Conduct the interview
    • Open the interview
    • Ask your prepared questions and any follow-up questions based on the candidate’s responses
    • Invite candidate questions
    • Close interview
  5. Summarize the interview by writing a candidate evaluation.

Keep in mind that active listening, effective interpretation, and note-taking are essential interviewing skills. This is especially true when interviewing a large number of candidates. It can be difficult to remember who said what unless you take good notes. Keeping notes will help you make a final decision as you weigh candidates against one another.

Preparing for a Video Interview

If there will be a video element to the remote interview, there’s an additional level of planning and coordination. Best practices include:

  • Scheduling the interview at a convenient time for both parties, considering time zone differences if applicable
  • Ensuring the candidate is provided with information in advance
    • The interview format and duration
    • A hyperlink to join the video meeting and instructions about how to join the meeting
  • Starting the video meeting in advance of the interview start time to ensure the technology is functioning as expected