How to identify the wrong candidate in a video interview

Seven in 10 recruiters turn to social media to find out if a candidate is right for the job before they even reach the video interview stage. Once they pass the social media stage there are a few more important hurdles they need to pass. Hiring the wrong candidate can be costly to your company but it can also have a detrimental effect on your sales team’s performance.

So you’ve mastered how to conduct a video interview but you’re still feeling unsure about picking up on warning signs through a screen. It’s true that it can be harder to spot the wrong candidate in a video interview which is why we’ve put together these four easy tips so you don’t miss those red flags.

Ask behavioural questions

Interviewing is one of the single most important processes in any business. We’ve all heard that hiring the wrong candidate can cost your company thousands in terms of lost productivity and replacement fees so it’s essential to ask behavioural questions. Without meeting a candidate face-to-face, it can be much harder to judge their character but questions like, “Can you give an example of when you collaborated with a colleague who wasn’t a team player?” will give you a glimpse into how they’ll fit in with your team. This is a particularly insightful question because people management is ranked second in the top six sales skills candidates need.

Build a connection in the interview

Recruiters and hiring teams are experts at making genuine connections with candidates, creating a comfortable environment for an interview and encouraging candidates to display their personalities.  During an in-person interview, 33% of hiring managers admit they know within 90 seconds if they like the candidate enough to make a job offer, but is it the same in a virtual interview? Realistically, it’s going to take a little longer to forge a connection with candidates through a screen but it’s not impossible. Think about how you can make the experience more personal despite not being in the same room and use some ice-breaker techniques.

In turn, you’re looking for a candidate who is able to hold up their end of the conversation, particularly if you’re hiring for a client-facing role. Communication is an essential trait to look out for when recruiting sales talent.

Watch out for whether their tech skills are up to scratch

Three in four business leaders admit they’re facing a digital skills gap, job seekers simply don’t have the right mix of tech skills they need for the job. Keep a keen eye out for those who aren’t tech savvy and you’ll avoid many issues further down the line. As AI and big data continue to transform every area of business, it’s vital to have a team behind you that is up to the job and the best part is that you can indirectly test a candidate’s tech skills in the video interviewing process. It can be as simple as creating a Zoom meeting and seeing if they have any issues logging in and using the camera feature or to push them a little further ask the candidate to share their screen and present something of relevance.

Listen out for this one word in the interview

Video interviews are less visual than in-person meetings, meaning you have to rely more on what the candidate is saying rather than how they present themselves with their body language. But candidates have been preparing for this interview, with well-rehearsed questions so you have to perk up your ears and listen out for more subtle cues. It might sound hard but here’s a simple trick – pay attention to whether they say ‘we’. People who focus solely on their personal wins and give no credit to their colleagues may not be the team players that you need in your company – collaboration is one of the top traits to look for when hiring marketing talent. Having said that, it’s still important to train yourself to pick up on non-verbal cues in a video interview.

BMS are here to help you navigate the changing recruitment landscape with video interviewing

Times are changing for hiring teams as they navigate an uncertain recruitment landscape. We want to use our experience of recruiting the top sales and marketing talent to help you understand what you need to do to build a high-performance team during a time of uncertainty. Contact us today to hear from a member of the team.