Many businesses forget that interviews go two ways – the candidate also wants to know how well they’ll fit into a company. That small talk at the start of the interview helps candidates relax and, as a result, perform at their best. It also helps you build high-quality connections with potential hires from the outset.

  • Unlike an on-site interview, you don’t need to figure out the best route to drive there and where you’re going to park.
  • Although this idea may sound unique and a sure-fire way to impress, many professionals fail to highlight their work or present it in an impactful way.
  • It’s a chance to see how you actually behaved to give them a sense of how you’d function in the job you’re being considered for.
  • Consequently, when hiring remote employees, business owners, hiring managers, and recruiters are faced with the challenge of optimizing their remote interviewing approach.

If you have experienced drops in your connection in the past, try a wired connection to be on the safe side. Be sure to test your equipment and internet connection before the actual interview. This will help identify any potential issues before the interview, rather than during. Better still, familiarize yourself with the tools so you won’t make any embarrassing mistakes during the interview. Acing a remote interview requires understanding exactly what it is and looking at the ins and outs of the process. Depending on the company and the type of work being done, there are a variety of tools that you could use to make the process easier and less stressful on both parties.

A Remote Job Interview Is Like Any Interview

As we are dealing with a remote work situation, it would be more likely that that person could function well within your company if they have had previous remote work experience. This relates back slightly to the company culture aspect of things. When organizing the first interview, try to schedule a minute chat that is quite casual, either with a team member, or possibly even with a founder. Try to talk about their goals, aspirations, motivations over skill, studies and other similar things. It will give you, as the interviewer, some initial signal, as to whether online communication and collaboration will work out with this person – an incredibly important point to consider. Another aspect that is sometimes overlooked is that of having a quiet place to hold the interview.

Companies will need to find a way to adapt their interview methods. We have gone through some of the most important points that a person will need to be aware of when performing a remote interview. It is also possible that by hiring someone with great experience in remote working you can improve upon your productivity goals that you had in mind for them. A major study by American Express found that people who fulfilled their work remotely increased their productivity between 15% and 45%.

Pleasantries and opening conversation

Make sure to clearly define who will be involved in the interview process and that everyone is aligned on what the ideal candidate looks like. Set clear expectations and focus areas for each person involved so interview questions don’t get missed or repeated. The modern hiring process is evolving to incorporate remote interviews as an essential piece of the puzzle. remote interview meaning Currently, companies are optimizing and streamlining their hiring process in response to the popularity and benefits of remote interviews. And while these are great guidelines, they should be applied with a specific purpose in mind. We have an article with remote interview tips and best practices on how to ask the right questions in the remote interview.

  • This also means the hiring committee can join conference calls from anywhere.
  • As lovely as rolling out of bed and into your desk chair might sound, remote work does have some downsides.
  • Second, it’s important to remember to check for team fit, which can be tricky in a remote organization.

Online interviews often feel less natural than face-to-face interactions, and a little encouraging smile can go a long way towards making candidates feel more at ease with the situation. Opening the conversation with an ice breaker question is also a good idea. When interviewing remotely, it’s important that you provide multiple opportunities for the interviewee to ask questions about your company and the role on offer.