A lot of times, phone interviews are done as a means of prescreening a candidate. However, in the wake of the coronavirus, the entire interviewing process will likely take place remotely. In fact, your new employees may not actually set foot in the facility until their very first day.
This can obviously pose some problems. Therefore, when hiring for the senior care industry – particularly for positions where an employee will be engaging directly with residents – you need to make sure that it will be a good fit, both in terms of qualifications and personality.
Keep in mind the following so that you are able to best evaluate each candidate and ensure that your video interview goes as smoothly as possible.
Check your technology before the call.
First things first. If you are going to conduct a productive phone interview and determine whether the candidate is right for your role, you need to make sure that you can actually hear him or her. This means interviewing in a quiet place with a strong internet connection. Do a test before the meeting to make sure that your video and microphone are working properly. In addition to not wasting precious time, it is also important that you come across as professional and prepared.
Listen for voice cues.
You will not be able to read the interviewee’s body language as well as you would in person, which means that you should be paying extra attention to his or her voice. Do they sound empathetic when describing their experience working with seniors? Do they talk about their work history with confidence? Some people have naturally shaky voices, so try to listen to any changes in the voice as they answer your questions and talk about different points on their resume.
Let the candidate do most of the talking.
This last point is important for a couple of reasons. The first harkens back to technical difficulties. Video calls can be especially challenging if you are experiencing any audio feedback or delays. You probably will not be able to have the same natural back and forth as you would as an in-person interview. When you sit back (a little) and let the applicant take the lead, you can see whether the candidate can craft succinct and thoughtful answers. Rambling is a good indicator of being unprepared or inexperienced, so it is important to keep an open ear.
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