What are some of the best practices for conducting remote or virtual interviews?

When selecting a platform for a virtual interview, it's a lot like picking a venue for an in-person one. You'd want it to be accessible, comfortable, and reliable, right? Same here. Audio-visual quality is the heart of this - a choppy connection can disrupt the flow of conversation. But, let's not forget about security, especially in today's digital age. Another important aspect is to ensure that the software integrates well with any other tools you might need, like screen-sharing or presentations. You know what they say, "Practice makes perfect", so do a test run to avoid any technical hiccups during the interview. It's all about creating a seamless experience for everyone involved.

Provide the candidate with a verbal agenda for the time you are meeting - allowing pauses to ask for questions. Be mindful of the time candidate's time, if you are delayed, text or email a quick apology. Likewise, if your call is going long, ask if the candidate is back to back with an other meeting. In which case, ask if you might be able to continue the conversation at a later time.

Provide the interview questions 10-15 min in advance of the start of the interview. This way, the candidate can get a head start to map out their responses, and if there are any challenges with Internet connection (eg. screen freezes, or glitches in the audio) the candidate knows what questions they need to answer without needing to ask for them to be repeated.

When you start the interview - ask if the candidate is comfortable, in the right environment and if they need any adjustments etc to ensure that they will be able to do the interview well. During the interview use non-verbal cues to create comfort as virtual interviews can be a lot more daunting.

If possible, document during the interview, so that you may read back portions that you are not sure to verify. Be mindful of pronouns when documenting the interview.

I find it helpful to encourage candidates to reach out to me if they don't hear back within a few days. This gives them a "next step" to add to their calendar and brings them closer into the process.

Following up is so important - I work with many clients who have been "ghosted" by the company post-interview. Respond to all candidates you interviewed to let them know if they will be proceeding through the recruitment process - or not. If you tell the candidate you will get back to them in a week and you're not able to do this because of delays making a decision etc, then let the candidate know the timing has shifted. And if they are not selected to move on, then provide some feedback which can help them in their job search and with their next interview.

Please give the benefit of the doubt should a technical issue arise during the interview. Ensure that you have a backup plan in place to continue the conversation if the candidate's power goes out, has an unstable connection, etc. Call them and finish the interview - if possible - over the phone (plan B). If this is not feasible, call the candidate regardless and ask if they would like to reschedule. Any distractions (not clearly hearing one another, connection keeps freezing, etc.) make it difficult to properly assess a candidate - so, when in (technical) doubt, reschedule!

Make sure you are taking the opportunity to Brand the great things about the organization you represent throughout the call to keep them engaged.

Demonstrate your company values through the interview process, and the interview itself. Everything you do - or don't do - is a reflection back on the organization and what it's like as a place to work.

Candidates want your follow up. It is frustrating to prepare and perform and then hear nothing. It would be too cumbersome to review and give feedback to every one of them. It is not too cumbersome to send a follow up message to the candidates you interviewed advising them if they are still in or out of the running. Email automations make following up easy, if you or your staff do not have time for polite one-liners like: Thanks for your interest but we have more qualified applicants; Thanks, but the project was dropped/not funded and we are sorry but will not be filling the position at this time; Thanks, but the project was put on hold and we'll get back to you; Thanks, and we're still interested, the next step will be..., etc.