President of Cerca Talent+ – A member of the Sanford Rose Associates® network of offices, Scott Rivers, Featured in Rochester Business Journal, Tips for Remaining Professional While Remotely Interviewing Candidates

Plano, TX 5/12/2020

By: Kathleen Driscoll

“I’ve interviewed hundreds of people for jobs in my career and have prided myself on making good hires with in-person conversations. I must say that the prospect of interviewing the upcoming crop of candidates on Zoom upsets me. The vibes that a video conference gives off can put a huge gulf between me and the candidate that’s difficult to bridge. I realize I’ve always depended a lot on handshakes and body language during in-person interviews. Without that, I feel like I’m going to hire the wrong person. Please advise.”

Indeed, interviewing job candidates on video can feel like a big change — especially if you’ve relied completely on face-to-face conversations. But in the age of coronavirus when we’re all tethered to home offices, interviewing candidates on video has become non-negotiable.

Recruiter Scott Rivers, managing director of Cerca Talent, a recruiting agency for diagnostic and life sciences agrees on the lighting.

“Since most people don’t have professional lighting in their house, most of the time if you are facing an open window, you will cast enough light on your face that you can be seen clearly,” he says. “If there is direct sunlight close the shades so that you are not blinded. Do not put the window to your back because you will probably show up very dark on the screen of the other person. And let everyone in the house know you are conducting an interview.”

Read full article here: https://rbj.net/2020/04/28/tips-for-remaining-professional-while-remotely-interviewing-candidates/  (login required)