© 2022, Paul Simms, – Wright Executive. www.
Paul Simms is an executive search recruiter with 25+ years of experience across the Australian and UK markets. He is the founder of Wright Executive Search, a specialist business within the Executive Search & Accounting Recruitment sector, and is considered one of Australia’s most respected Executive Search Firms.
If you would like to contact Paul, please email psimms@wrightexecutive.com.au or connect via LinkedIn here
If you prefer to read this - here is the transcript
Hello, again. It’s Paul from Wright Executive here. So, we’ve all become very accustomed to using video conferencing software since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly Zoom or Skype or Microsoft Teams, or Cisco. There’s so many of these platforms out there. Meetings are conducted daily using these sorts of platforms, but interviews have become a very popular pastime using this kind of piece of software. I’m often asked by both candidates and hiring managers, how the best way they can prepare for such interviews. So, taking the perspective of a hiring manager and making sure that you guys prepare properly, I’ve come up with a few tips that may help you to ensure you get the best from the interview, while also giving the best impression of yourself as an interviewer and obviously representing your brand appropriately.
So, the big one and the obvious thing to test first of all is the actual platform or the application you’re using. Whichever one it may be, test the software, make sure it’s up to date. You don’t wanna have an awkward situation where just as the interview is starting you need to update the software. Make sure your internet is strong. Don’t use Wi-Fi, use a fixed-line internet cable if you can, and test to make sure there’s no sort of dropouts at all. Book a room. I’ve heard horror stories where a very senior person in a business organizes an interview, chooses a little quiet office, and finds that 10 minutes into the interview, they’re being kicked out of the interview because somebody else has booked the room. You know, the classic situation that happens in many corporates. So, book the room. Make sure it’s yours and lock the door. Don’t get kicked out and make sure it’s quiet and private with, as I’ve said, with a strong internet connection. During the interview, introduce yourself. Don’t just jump straight into it. You don’t have the benefit of a couple of minutes of having a little chit-chat when you’re walking from the reception through to the interview room as you may during a typical face-to-face interview. So, introduce yourself. Introduce your colleagues who may be in the interview too.
Talk about your role, your position in the organization and within the structure, and your responsibilities. What do you look after, what do your colleagues look after who in the interview. Try and put the candidate at ease. Find them for their time. Remember, you’ve asked them for an interview. They may have applied for a job, but you’ve invited them for an interview. So, thank them for their time. Conduct your interview, ask the questions you would normally do in any kind of interview, but be sure that you allow the candidate time to ask their own questions. And as you’re wrapping up the interview, also be sure to be very clear and give a proper indication to the candidate what they should expect next. Don’t just say thank you very much and end the call because it’s a bit abrupt. Give them a sort of idea of what to expect next if you’re considering moving it forward. And by the end, most of all, be friendly, and personable, and give a very solid account of yourself and your organization. It will put you in a very strong position for the candidate to be serious about joining you. And just remember, they’re interviewing you too. It’s not just you interviewing them. I hope that helps. If there’s any further tips I can give, please do reach out to me at www.wrightexecutive.com.au
Many thanks. Bye now.
