With Covid, I’ve noticed that things have changed in the interview process. A company I am interested in wants me to interview via Skype and has no intention of flying me or my family in to see the area. Is this the sign of the times?
Yes, it is. Since March 2020, all of our candidates have been interviewed via Skype, Zoom or WebEx. Usually there were two web conference calls with two or three individuals on the hiring side. By the end of the interview process, candidates were able to ‘meet’ 5-7 individuals this way. None had been brought to the location where the job was located. Although our candidates thought it odd at first, as we did, they found that the information they needed to make a final decision was easier to find than expected. For example, if a relocation was involved, our candidates could go on-line to learn about the cost of living, housing and other data that gave them a clear picture of what they should expect if moving there. Some even found houses that were interested in seeing for purchase. Talking to others at the hiring company about schools and religious communities gave our candidates an even better picture of what area of the city or state would be best for them. Some had friends or family in the area to help with information they couldn’t get on-line. If a spouse needed employment, again, finding this type of information was rather easy. Amazingly, in our experience, it worked out for everyone. The candidates and their families were comfortable accepting offers without meeting anyone or seeing the facility. The candidates were from Senior Scientists to Director level and all had families with kids in school. None of our candidates moved immediately to the position location. They all started working from home initially, waiting for everyone on both sides to be comfortable with a relocation. Is this the way it will be from now on? We hope not, but it seems to be working now, so we should be happy that we’ve all found a comfort level to get the interview process done and decisions made.
What has been your Covid Interview Experience?
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