The coronavirus pandemic continues to impact people all over the world. As we all do our parts to stay safe and healthy, business owners struggle with multi-layered concerns. Naturally, health is a top priority. As a result, social distancing and self-isolation is practiced, by many, by way of working from home. However, for many business owners, a major monkey wrench has been thrown into their recruitment efforts.
In person interviews aren’t possible, that doesn’t mean there’s no need to hire. Considering how long the hiring process can take, a first interview can be by phone then perhaps a 2nd interview over zoom. What steps can you take to ensure a candidate is the right fit for the position and culture fit for your company?
Invest in preparation before the call.
Let’s assume candidates have invested the time to write an impressive cover letter and professional resume. But how do they measure up to the voice you hear on the phone? Is there a discrepancy in the enthusiasm between what you’ve read and what you hear? Don’t make the mistake of skimming through an application right before you make a call.
With your job description lined up beside the candidate’s resume; do they match most of what you are needing in the role? Are the dates of education and work history aligned? Look for patterns in keeping with the context of the job. You cant apply the career advancement measuring stick to every role; length of service, complexity of the work and key accomplishments may outweigh position titles.
Ask great questions.
Considering skills, education and experience are on the resume, one of the key things to listen for is passion. Discerning the difference between someone who will change jobs for another .25 cents an hour and someone with ambition to succeed in your organization is a vital skill. During your phone interview, you need to hear sincere interest in the work. Include the following questions in your phone interview.
- When you think about your last role, when were you most excited about the work?
- What interests you about the position we have?
- Tell me about your greatest accomplishment in your last job.
- Why did you choose a career in this field?
Listen for red flags.
With the absence of facial expressions and hand gestures, their voice takes on the responsibility of conveying their level of interest. However, it’s more than just showing enthusiasm. Of course, a lack of energy is a red flag, but so are a number of other things you should listen for.
Did the candidate bother to research your company? If your call went to voicemail, how long did it take for them to return your call? Did the candidate sound distracted during the interview? Does the candidate only seem focused on salary? Did their answers line up with what you saw on the resume? What did they say to convince you they can do the job? Did they make any negative comments about their former employer? If you have too many “yes” responses to these questions, you might want to take a pass.
For more expert advice on how to ensure candidate fit on the first call, contact Hire Value Inc. today!
