It seems post-Covid that most Hiring Managers have replaced the traditional “phone interview’ with the
“video interview” regardless of whether the job is in-office, hybrid, or fully remote. Clearly, it is the best
of both worlds; it allows you to see and hear the candidate at the same time. Unfortunately, many
candidates are not treating the video interview with the same degree of care that they would if they
were coming into the office to meet face to face.
So, as the employer, what should you expect from the initial first round video meeting?

1. The candidate should have accepted your email invitation to the meeting so there is no question
   that they have received the video link. Ideally, they have sent a short note along with the
   acceptance indicating that they are looking forward to meeting you.
2. The candidate should conduct a trial run with your video platform to confirm the most recent
   updates have been installed, and that there is good lighting and audio quality. There is no
   excuse for waiting for the candidate to show up to your interview without the sound and video
   working appropriately.
3. If the position is hybrid or fully remote, you should expect them to be in their distraction-free
   office workspace. The video meeting should be done on a full screen and not on a cell phone
   unless the candidate has indicated that this is their only computer source for a video meeting.
   This meeting should resemble a normal office meeting that would be held once the candidate is
   employed. You should not see anything in the video background that you would not want your
   customers to see.
4. The candidate should be dressed in the same professional clothing they would wear if you were
   conducting the interview in your office.
5. The candidate should not be late. They should be logged into the video platform at least 5
   minutes before the interview start time. This shows consideration for your time as the Hiring
   Manager and demonstrates basic time management and organizational skills.
6. The candidate should be conducting themselves professionally. They should not be slouching on
   a couch, sitting in their car, or in a noisy environment.
7. The candidate should come to the meeting prepared. They should have thoroughly reviewed
   your website, job description if applicable, and have thoughtful questions prepared prior to the
   meeting.
8. The candidate should show interest and be engaged in the conversation. You should not hear
   computer clicking noises, see them responding to emails on another screen, stopping the
   meeting to talk to another person, or doing anything other than paying close attention to the
   conversation.

The old adage, “What you see is what you get” also applies to video interviewing.

Want more interview advice, Contact me.