Virtual Recruitment

New Delhi : Following the unforeseen disruption of the coronavirus pandemic, companies are now resorting to intelligent automated systems that offer virtual screening environment and interviewing experience, instead of conducting in-person interviews.

Companies have taken the rising global health crisis very seriously and are concerned about the health of their employees and until this public health emergency is contained, corporates are shifting their entire recruitment strategy to virtual platforms.

"Since, the increase in number of COVID-19 cases, we have had few interviews cancelled ..they are postponed to mid April or later. Some of the companies have opted for video interview only if the role is for a key position and there is an urgency to hire. Most of our interviews have moved to telephonic or video calls instead of face to face meetings," a spokesperson of Antal International, a global executive recruitment organisation said.

"Work management could be optimised through work from home, virtual meeting platforms, and other adaptive working practices," said Siddhartha Gupta, chief executive officer of Mercer|Mettl.

Virtual platforms helps the talent acquisition team to stay connected with the candidates through the entire interview process by video calls and still can connect on a real time basis with the candidates.

The usage of online assessment has been increased as part of the hiring process especially for the IT and Tech roles, to quickly filter and move candidates to the next level, experts said.

"Amidst the COVID-19 situation, Skillsoft's talent acquisition function has taken a decision to conduct all interviews via WebEx and avoid in-person interviews for the safety of both candidates and our team members. This helps the candidates attend interviews from their home or any remote location," said Krishna Prasad, head HR - APAC - Skillsoft, a global leader in corporate learning.

The virtual screening process has helped firms get into a mode where there is no physical exposure between the candidate and interviewer as social isolation will help to mitigate COVID-19-led disruption and sustain business continuity.

Interview Advise for Candidates and Interviewer

Advice for candidates

Test your tech — Make sure your internet connection and video conferencing program are both working well prior to your interview.

Dress appropriately — Dressing for success is no less important for remote interviews. Dress smartly, like you would for an in-person interview, and ensure your surroundings are tidy.

Be prepared — Do your homework just as you would for any other interview, rehearsing your responses to key interview questions and preparing your own questions for the interviewer.

Be personable — Make eye-contact, smile often and generally engage with the interviewer to demonstrate your enthusiasm for the role.

Remove distractions — Ensure you’re fully engaged with the interviewer by removing all distractions, including your smartphone.

Follow-up — Send a follow-up note to your interviewer, thanking them for their time.

Advice for interviewers

Be prepared — Familiarize yourself and other interviewers with the candidate’s resume and the job description to give the virtual interview the formality of an in-person one. Likewise, keep the candidate informed on who they’ll be interviewing with so they can prepare questions of their own. And, of course, check your tech.

Have a strategy — Think carefully about the skills and attributes you’re looking for in a candidate and design questions that dig into each one.

Communicate openly — Keep candidates well-informed at each stage of the interview process. Without being able to give them a warm, in-person reception, it’s especially important to show them their time and efforts are valued.

Remove distractions — Be respectful to the candidate and position yourself away from distractions, including your smartphone, as you would in an in-person interview.

Reinforce employer brand — Ensure interviewers at all stages of the recruitment process convey a consistent message about the company’s mission and values.

Give the candidate time — Pause to ensure the candidate is done with their response, before moving onto the next question to account for time lags and lack of usual social cues.

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