Use this practical video interview checklist to make sure you’ve got everything you need before interviewing your candidate via video conference.

Candidate details  

Make sure you’ve got the candidate’s contact details to hand, whether it’s their email address or phone number to ensure the online interview runs smoothly and overcome any unexpected hiccups.

Test your software

Recruiters should make sure they’re well versed in whatever video call platform they’re using, to make the process run as smoothly as possible.

Find a quiet space

Find a space with as little background noise as possible. If you’re in an office, a private meeting room is best, or if you’re set up at home, set up in a quiet room where you won’t be interrupted.

Look the part

Follow your company’s dress code for a video interview in the same way as you would when conducting a face to face interview — and recommend your candidate does the same. Also, consider what will be in the background of the video frame — if your background is busy, your candidate might find it harder to focus on you and the questions you’re asking.

Body language

The candidate you’re interviewing is likely to be a little nervous, and you can help to put them at ease not just by what you say but in your body language. Be aware of where you’re sitting in relation to the camera — being too close can feel unnatural while being too far away could impact how well you’re heard. Having your head and upper body in shot is your best bet.

Test your connection  

Make sure your WiFi connection is reliable — you can see the strength of the connection by clicking the WiFi icon. This usually sits in the bottom right corner of your screen. You could even run a test call with a colleague to be sure.

Check the sound  

Double-check you and your interviewee can hear each other and be aware of any possible lagging on screen if your WiFi connection isn’t the strongest.

Difficulties  

If you experience any technical problems with sound, vision or wifi then don’t be afraid to stop the interview and reschedule for another time.   Video interviewing offers enormous flexibility for recruiter and candidate alike so take advantage of it. Better to reschedule than to lose an opportunity to hire a talented candidate.