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The Covid-19 lockdown has completely reshaped the way companies operate – even once restrictions are eased, many expect remote working to stay. So how can you impress a potential new boss from home?
Candidates in their dressing gowns, dogs and children running about, partners in the background watching TV, or piles of dirty washing up on the kitchen counter – with 25 years in the recruitment sector, David Stone has heard it all when it comes to disastrous video interviews. “When people are working at home, because it’s your personal space, a lot of candidates completely overlook the fact that it’s still a formal first meeting,” Stone, the founder of MRL Consulting Group, says. “It’s amazing what you see going on in the background.”
Holding interviews remotely – whether by phone or video – isn’t a new concept, particularly for companies that have built remote, international teams. Nor is the use of technology in the recruitment process, with an influx of artificial-intelligence tools that source and screen candidates hitting the market in recent years. There are algorithms that can analyse candidates’ tone of voice, facial expressions, and speech patterns during video pre-assessments, scoring them against an ideal profile for that role. Graduates have reportedly spent thousands of pounds learning how to beat these systems. Continue reading...