Virtual recruitment

Scheduling
Calendly, Doodle, and other online scheduling tools can help you keep track of virtual interviews.

Video calling
In addition to popular video-conferencing tools like Skype, Google Hangouts and Zoom, there are a number of online tools designed to simplify virtual recruitment.

Assessing
If you would typically require successful candidates to demonstrate their technical knowledge during the in-person interview, consider using a technical assessment platform to help screen candidates. Additionally, we suggest adding a question related to how they would work in a remote environment. Asking them to draw experiences from their remote coursework this term would be a good start.

1. Test out the technology ahead of time and build in extra time to account for any technology glitches that occur during the interview. Create a back-up plan in case any major technology issues arise mid-interview (such as a phone or video-app call) and inform the candidate of the back-up plan ahead of time so they are prepared.
2. Acknowledge the challenges of not being face to face at the beginning of the interview. The Australian HR Institute suggests reassuring the candidate (“This is new for me as well!”), troubleshooting any potential issues with your connection (“Can you see and hear me okay?"), and being upfront with what you need to get an accurate impression of the candidate (“I’m noticing some background noise, would you be willing to try using a noise-cancelling app?”).
3. Leave a few moments for small talk at the beginning and end of the interview. This can help you get a sense of who the candidate is as an individual (not just their qualifications), just as you would in an in-person setting.