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Adapting to the recruitment processes of 2020

The world has changed in 2020 and there has been a big impact on when, how and if employers recruit.  On the upside, many employers are recruiting and some sectors and businesses are thriving, on the downside, some industries have been hit so hard they may take years to recover.  The world of work is changing and there is no going back to the old normal.

Employers are having to adapt and change, to innovate and find new markets just to survive. They need good candidates who understand that they too need to respond to today’s reality.

Our recent experience of recruiting for clients and for a new role here at First Base has highlighted the simple truth that many people who say they are looking for work are not demonstrating to potential employers that they are the best people for the job.  Just like employers are having to learn fast how to adapt, job seekers are going to have to learn fast too. We are way past the time when you can simply send out dozens of CVs and expect a reply, let alone an interview, face to face or Zoom.

Over the coming weeks, the First Base team will be sharing a series of blogs to help you to prepare for your job search, how to stand out, what you can do when between jobs, how to interview and how to stay positive.

If you have any questions or need help to find a job now or in the near future, contact us on 01453 755330 or get in touch through our FaceBook, Twitter or Instagram accounts. The First Base team is ready and eager to help.

Video Interview Tips: Tips for a Successful Interview

The use of video interviews has soared during the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite being around for many years, the reliance on video platforms is a fairly new phenomenon for many businesses and candidates. While interviewing from home can create an element of uncertainty, it’s important to remember the basics of any in person or telephone interview. These resources can help, should you get stuck:

Telephone Interview Tips

22 Tips for Making a Great Impression At Your Next Interview

What do Employers Want?

Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?

How to Answer The Tell Me About Yourself Question

If you haven’t taken part in a video interview before, you can expect it to become a normal step in the recruitment process for more and more job roles in the future. Whether it’s new to you, or it’s been while since you last took part in one, this First Base video interview guide will familiarise you with what to expect from a video interview, what to wear, body language, eye contact and some technical tips.

5 Video Interview Tips to Remember

Preparation is key

While you don’t need to worry about getting caught in traffic, it’s important you find a quiet location with a good internet connection. Ensure your computer, tablet or laptop has a webcam that works and the audio input/output mic is correct. If you have children or family at home, you will find interviewers are more understanding than usual – they may be in exactly the same situation!

What you will need:

•  An internet connection with a speed of at least 1 megabits per second
•  A laptop or desktop computer with a webcam, a tablet or smartphone.
•  Headphones with a built-in microphone or headphones and a separate microphone (there may be one on your device – check)
•  Ideally a quiet, private and well-lit place where you won’t be interrupted by other people, pets or noises.

Note:  When we have our ‘normal’ lives back – try to avoid coffee shops and other communal spaces.

Position your webcam so that you have a neutral background that’s free from distractions and is angled level with your face.  That ‘up nose’ look we are seeing a great deal of on the TV news interviews, isn’t a great one! Remember to close unnecessary apps that might slow down your connection or interrupt you.

If the employer is using their own video software provider you will be sent a link to join the interview at a pre-arranged time.  As for any interview – don’t be late!  If you will be using a personal Skype or Google account, make sure that you have a professional username and check your privacy settings.  If you have any concern about whether your username is professional enough, you may want to set up a new account for your video interviews just in case.

Be prepared for pre-recorded questions

Sometimes an employer might use pre-recorded questions that you will have to answer during your video interview.  In this format, position your webcam so that you have a neutral background that’s free from distractions.

Instead of being connected with a person, you’ll be prompted to answer interview questions that have been pre-recorded or appear in writing on the screen.  You record your answer to each question and the employer will review the recording later.  There is often a time limit for your answers, and you may be given more than one chance to record each answer.

The pre-recorded format can feel unnatural.  Try to imagine that you are speaking directly to a real person.  Preparation for this type of interview will be especially useful and make sure you anticipate what questions you will be asked and have your answers ready.

Dress for the occasion

For your video interview, you should dress professionally, as you would for a face to face interview.  Research the company culture before your interview so you have a good idea of what’s appropriate.
To look your best on camera, avoid bright colours and patterns, opt for softer colours instead.  If you are wearing a tie or scarf, wear a solid colour rather than a patterned one.  If you wear glasses, adjust the lighting in the room to reduce glare from the lenses and be aware of any reflections.

Position the camera so that you are looking up slightly and centred on the screen.

Have positive body language

Eye contact is very important during an in-person interview and you want to convey that same level of connection during a video interview.  Avoid the temptation to look directly at your interviewer on the screen while you’re answering a question.  Instead, when you speak, direct your gaze towards the webcam.  When you do this, your eyes are more likely to align with the interviewer’s eyes on the other end.  When you are listening, look back at the screen.

Throughout the interview, it is important to keep your mood upbeat and convey enthusiasm with your body language.  Good posture will help.  Sit in your chair with your back straight and your shoulders open. Feet should both be planted on the floor, resting your hands in your lap or on the desk.

When you’re listening, nod and smile when appropriate to communicate that you’re giving them your full attention.  Use hand gestures when it feels appropriate, keeping your movements close to your body.  Avoid fidgeting or letting your gaze drift away from your device.

Practice makes perfect

To get used to the technology and body language of a video interview, do some practice video calls with your recruitment consultant, a friend or a family member.  Ask them to give you feedback about your appearance and eye contact.  Rehearse a few times until it all starts to feel natural.

Ask any professional interviewer, presenter or speaker and they will tell you that practice makes all the difference.  Set aside time in your schedule in the days leading up to your interview and you’ll find that your confidence will grow as you become more comfortable in front of a camera.

On the day of the interview, review this video interview checklist:

•  Ensure that you won’t be interrupted, either by locking the door or by alerting others that you can’t be disturbed.
•  Clear your desk space; except for a notepad and pen/pencil for you to take notes.
•  Have a copy of your CV and any other notes ready for you to refer to.
•  Have a glass of water ready.
•  Check that your webcam is working.
•  Check that your audio is working.
•  Close any windows, tabs or apps on your computer that you’re not using.
•  Check your internet connection and make sure you’re not downloading anything in the background.
•  Set your phone to silent mode.
•  Check that the background behind you is neutral and free from clutter.
•  Adjust the lights in the room. If things appear dark or dim, think about bringing in an extra table or desk lamp to brighten the area.

All you need to do next is make a great impression!

The First Base team can help you with video interview preparation and many other aspects of your job search. Call us, email or contact us on social media.

8 Telephone Interview Tips to Help You Get Hired

Telephone interviews have been around for many years, however they have become more and more popular as a first step screening method   Over the last couple of weeks their use has seen a massive increase, for obvious reasons.

Pretty much all screening is now carried out on the telephone, with video conferencing often being employed for short listed candidates and even final interviews.  If telephone interviews are new to you, or it’s been sometime since you took part in one, take a look at our top tips below, to help you make the right impression during your next telephone interview.

Telephone Interview Tips to remember

Research

Thoroughly research the company and the interviewer (check profiles on LinkedIn), just as if you were preparing to meet in person. Expect some variation on the question, “What do you know about us?”.  If you are not able to state the company’s key figures, strategy and markets, the interview might be over after three minutes.  One of the nice things about a phone interview is that you can have your reminder sheet in front of you.

Prepare your questions

These can make or break an interview.  Design insightful questions with two goals in mind: To give you the information you need to determine if you want to go further; and to show you are perfect for the job.

Be comfortable

Some people find telephone interview more stressful than the usual face to face meeting.

Do everything you can to make sure you feel at ease.  Shut out distractions and eliminate background noise if you can.  Explain if you have children in the house right now – many interviewers are in the same situation and will understand.  Have a glass of water handy, print out your CV and mark key parts that you want to highlight during the conversation.

Be ready 10 minutes early, you don’t want to sound rushed.  If you will be talking on a landline, turn off your smart phone; if you plan to do the interview on a smart phone, make sure it is fully charged.
Have a paper and pen handy, so you don’t have to take notes on your computer during the call — the keyboard clicks can’t be distracting for the interviewer.

If your computer makes audible pings as you receive email, turn off the sound.  Think of all those TV interview where we see experts being interviewed during the Covid-19 emergency – often interrupted by mobile phone ring tones and computer alerts.

TELEPHONE INTERVIEW TIPS FOR DURING YOUR INTERVIEW

Listen

Usually, the interviewer will set the scene.  They will talk about expectations, maybe why the person before you left the job, what it takes to be successful in their company, the culture and what the main challenges will be.  Make notes so you are can respond to all these points when it is your turn to talk.

When it’s your turn

When we are face to face with someone, we send and receive visual cues.  On the phone, we have to make a good impression purely with our voices.  Before you start, take a drink of water to avoid having to clear your throat.  If you haven’t talked for several hours, think of doing some voice exercises before the call.   Posture is important, even on the telephone, and has a big impact on your voice.  Standing up sitting up very straight, will help to make your sound more confident and enthusiastic.

Try to smile as you speak.  If you don’t believe the difference this makes, test it by leaving yourself two identical voice messages — one with and one without smiling.  During the phone interview, good times to smile are when you talk about the work you’ve done, ask questions, or express your enthusiasm about the company.

Create a positive ending

If you really want the job, end the call on a positive note.   Say something such as, “Thanks for the call. I like what I heard and I’m confident I could fill the role.  I am very interested in this job and would be really pleased to move on to the next stage.  What is the next step?”

Post interview

Send a thank you note.  Your email should arrive on the same day, but not immediately after, the call.  Confirm your interest in the company, your ability to do the job and desire to take things to the next step.  If you are working with a recruitment agency update your recruitment consultant.  They are there to help you find the right job.

Patience is a virtue

You won’t necessarily get a reply to your thank-you message.  Follow up a week later, and again after two weeks.  Don’t keep ‘chasing’ – remember that everyone is under extra pressure with new challenges in these extraordinary times.  As we keep hearing in the news, these are all an unprecedented situation.  Stay optimistic, there are still companies recruiting and the present situation will pass.  In the meantime, build a strong and trusted relationship with your recruitment consultant and keep doing your best at interviews presented to you.

Contact the First Base team if you would like help with your next career move or advice and support through these challenging times.

Free online courses!

Furloughed, working part time, between jobs, working at home?  There is no better time than NOW to up skill.

South Gloucester and Stroud College have a range of free on line courses that can lead to a new qualification.

Online learning allows you to gain recognised qualifications at a pace and location that suits you. The flexibility of online study means it has never been easier to gain a qualification whilst having accessible study resources and a qualified teacher on hand to support you every step of the way.

Enrol online today and receive:

• a £50.00 supermarket voucher on completion of your programme
• a weekly support call from an SGS College Tutor
• a recognised qualification

Find out more about the SGS free on line courses here.

Keep in touch with the team at First Base if you want help with your future career plans. Call, email or social media! 

Mental Health and Wellbeing Advice for staying at home

As a nation we are famous for a ‘stiff upper lip’, stoic attitude to dealing with a crisis.  Whilst a ‘don’t panic’ approach has its benefits – at times like this it is a strength, not a weakness to seek and ask for support when we need it.

Even for the most robust and resilient of us, extraordinary times like now can make us anxious, cause us to worry more and be unsure of what to do.  We have challenges none of us expected to be facing right now. Infectious disease outbreaks like Covid-19 can be scary and can affect our mental health.  Social media and 24 hr news can over load us with information, working out the ‘fake news’ and criminal scams can make us more anxious not less.

Start by confining your news sources to trusted and reputable providers.  News sources with no axe to grind and that genuinely want to inform and help – Government, NHS and Local Authority sites are usually up to date and accurate.  The First Base blog, Newsletters and benefits portal (if you have access) are a good place to include in your search for useful information.

Be practical, be proactive

Despite the challenges, there are a lot of practical things we can do.  Being proactive and ‘doing’ is a powerful mental health and wellbeing tool whatever our situation.  Whether you end up on ‘furlough’, find yourself working at home, job seeking, in a new role or concerned about keeping your job; here are some tips to help you and your family through difficult times.

It helps if we can see the current situation as one of those time life sends us something different to deal with.  For most of us, it may be inconvenient but it won’t be a bad time and there are often new opportunities as a result of enforced change.

It means changing our usual way of life, maybe new ways of communicating.  Some of us are learning to use social media and video conferencing, some of us how to use the phone to actually speak to people!

Anxiety 

Anxiety is something we all experience from time to time. Most people can relate to feeling tense, uncertain and perhaps fearful at the thought of attending an interview, starting a new job, giving a presentation, sitting an exam or taking a driving test.

In turn, worrying can affect our sleep, appetite and ability to concentrate. If everything goes well, the anxiety will naturally go away.  This type of short-term anxiety can be useful. Feeling nervous before an interview or presentation can make us feel more alert and improve our performance.

However, if the feelings of anxiety overwhelm us, our ability to concentrate and do well may suffer.  If the anxiety stays at a high level for a long time, we may feel that it is difficult to deal with everyday life.  The anxiety may become severe; leaving us feeling powerless or out of control.  Sometimes, if the feelings overwhelm us, we may experience a panic attack.

A panic attack is an exaggeration of the body’s normal response to fear, stress or excitement. It is the rapid build-up of overwhelming sensations, such as a pounding heartbeat, feeling faint, sweating, nausea, rapid breathing and so on.   Panic attacks come on very quickly, symptoms usually peaking within 10 minutes, with most lasting between 5 and 20 minutes.   For some people they seem to come without warning and strike at random.

Managing anxiety

Reducing stress, keeping active, eating a well-balanced diet and getting the right amount of sleep really helps to get anxiety under control.  Stay in touch with family and friends on social media but don’t overdo the sharing of ‘bad’ news.  There’s still plenty of good news out there if you look for it. Hundreds of thousands of our friends and neighbours have already volunteered to help support the most vulnerable people affected by the virus, there are thousands of acts of random kindness occurring and thousands of new jobs are being announced almost daily.

Don’t make assumptions that ‘bad’ things will happen, positive outcomes for most are more likely in reality if we follow guidance, look after ourselves and look after our families.

Without face-to-face contact with our friends, family, and coworkers, many of us are checking our phones constantly, handling an influx of social media posts, texts, and news alerts.  If you’re feeling overwhelmed, perhaps it’s time to put your phone in another room, turn off automatic news alerts, and limit how much time you spend mindlessly checking and scrolling.

Sources of help

If you are feeling a bit more anxious than usual right now, that’s normal. If you already work with First Base (as a temp or full time) you have access to a range of professional and free support services through the Hive Portal.

The portal provides access to a vast range of free health, welfare and money savings benefits including:

• ‘My Personal Doctor’ for 24-hour access to an NHS approved GP, via telephone and Skype consultation, plus email prescriptions.
• My health’ for health, fitness and diet advice and resources, plus great savings on gym clubs.
• ‘My personal Helpline’ for 24/7 telephone access to professional counsellors to help with stress, debt, marriage and drug abuse issues.
• ‘My discount outlet’ offering great high street retail, dining and mobile contract saving
• ‘My Pay & Pension’ – delivers and stores encrypted and GDPR safe digital payslips and access to personal pension performance
• ‘My insurance’ for great discounts on insurance providers.

(If you are an employer and want to know more about how to provide your temporary staff with Hive benefits give us a call).

Other sources:

Well being
https://mentalhealth.org.uk/coronavirus
https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/psychological-impact-of-covid-19/1/steps/769464
Current advice from the NHS
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
Latest news from Public Health England (PHE)
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/public-health-england
Latest news from the Government
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
Coronavirus Q&A from the World Health Organisation
https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses
Latest advice on social distancing/isolation from the Government
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people

The First Base team is here to support our temps, candidates and clients through these challenging times – and when we come out the other side.  Call us, email us Facebook or Tweet us!

Making those on line meetings effective!

New ways of working are being forced on many of us, but they can lead to a more motivated and inspired team and a better business.

No matter what industry you’re in, or the size of your business, leading effective meetings is often a difficult tasks in the best of times.  Survey after survey report that most people think meetings are a waste of time.  The challenge is even more significant for virtual meetings, and people know it.  So much that it often leads to the all-too-common question: “Do we really need to meet?”

Organisations that benefit from on line meetings say that they can inspire spontaneous creativity and bring the best ideas to life.  Many global companies do this amazingly well across different countries, diverse cultures and with language differences.  It should be a piece of cake for most of us managing smaller businesses and teams.

Remote working might have been forced on your business and it might be a new way of working, but there are millions around the world who have worked this way for many years.  The advice for managers new to running meeting remotely is:

Proper advance planning
Whether you’re meeting virtually or in person, take the opportunity to set expectations for the meeting in advance and lay out details and logistics.  Who will lead it?  What is the end goal?  Share ‘broadcast’ information and general updates in advance so that you can get straight to the crux of what the meeting is about.

Build ritual and ice breakers into meetings.
One of my best managers always started her weekly team meeting with everyone sharing a personal or professional failure or success story and what they learned.  It helped to build comfort with what is working, openness and taking risks.  When you have the team in the right frame of mind, they are more likely to come up with innovative ideas.

A video conferencing first approach.
Voice only conference calls limit the level of collaboration and team dynamics.  Not being able to read people’s body language makes it more likely for misunderstandings to arise, which can throw an entire meeting off and impact the success of the meeting.  With video, attendees can interpret the facial expressions and social cues, which allows everyone to “read the room” and react accordingly.  By bringing these other interpersonal interactions to a virtual meeting, you can inspire the type of productivity that should happen with everyone in the same room.

Video may seem awkward at first, but as with any new process, you soon adapt and then wonder how you ever got anything done without it.  You’ll also discover that video can be a great way to bring your team together, such as an impromptu online get together for coffee and a chat or to celebrate a success story.

Making meetings interactive and keeping everyone engaged.
It’s easy to let distractions take attention away from what’s happening on a video conference call.   You have to avoid team members doing other work that interferes with their full participation.  A great way to avoid distractions is to make the meeting more interactive.  For instance, working with a live shared document allows everyone to contribute in real time.  You can also have participants take turns presenting to the group with screen sharing to maintain engagement. By introducing interactive components to a meeting, you encourage a more fruitful conversation while keeping attendees’ attention.

Actively encourage every team ember to participate.
My personal experience is that people enjoy meetings when they have a role in the discussion and can participate. When meeting virtually, it can be more difficult for everyone to speak up, leading to people feeling left out and increasing the temptation to check out, mentally if not physically.  One way to make a meeting more effective is to ask participants directly for input.  This practice helps everyone feel engaged in the discussion and avoids any one person sucking the energy out of the (virtual) room, which is especially important if the goal of the meeting is to generate ideas.

Share success.
Because virtual meetings don’t have the same level of visibility as face-to-face meetings, be sure to share back the productive conversations and ideas that occurred during the meeting.  This can come in the form of a meeting recap, next steps, or even giving a shout out to a team member where you recognise outstanding contributions to the meeting.

It takes some time and effort, but when you revamp your practices, you can create an environment where great idea come to life, collaboration and creativity is increased and your team actually look forward to their virtual meetings.

The First Base team are here with support, help and advice – call us, email us, tweet us!

‘WORKING’ at home

It’s a difficult time for sure.  Remote working (sometimes with kids at home) is a new experience and a new challenge for many.  Some of us have lived through national crises before and it will pass.  In the mean-time we need to ensure our businesses survive during the current emergency and thrive once it passes.

For many of us working remotely or managing remote teams isn’t new.  For millions of managers, freelancers and staff, remote working is the usual mode of working.  It may worth reflecting on the fact that hundreds of thousands of mums have coped over many decades.  Some have gone on to write best-selling novels and build multi £m brands with kids around their feet.

If it’s new to you, here are some tips being put to use right now by organisations determined to keep their teams working productively.

Communication and structure

Firstly, remember it’s WORKING at home.  Not a holiday, a jolly or part time.  The work might be the same or different from the usual day to day but whatever the work is, it should be approached with discipline and be effective.

For the usually self-motivated, effective team members (you know who they are) checking in daily (not checking up – it’s different) will be enough.  They will be as productive, if not more productive than when they are office based.  You can depend on them but don’t forget them. My son runs a remote team and they have a virtual coffee break together twice a week – thanks for the idea James!

Others will need structure.  The risk is that their effectiveness will fall off the cliff if you fail to keep them accountable for performance.

If remote working is new to you, think about:

Video conferencing and cooperation tools

Clear, consistent communication is key for remote work success.  This doesn’t mean you need to be talking to your colleagues all day long, but knowing that everyone has a common tool to brainstorm, ask questions and post notes is crucial.

Being present and seeing each other is an important part of keeping connected.  Don’t hide away or do other work during on line meetings.

Agreeing working hours

There is a risk that work will expand to fill the hours available and motivated members of the team end up overworking.  We need to keep up effectiveness and productivity over the long term so agree working hours and establish start and finish times.  Keep work communications to working hours, everyone has enough to think about right now.

Being disciplined and setting up a routine

Get up and follow a weekday routine, not a weekend routine.  Be at your ‘desk’ at the agreed start time.  Plan breaks and don’t be use the excuse of the many distractions around the house that might cause you to lose focus.

Dress for work

Another one from my sons list of tips – it is very helpful to prepare yourself for the working day switching from ‘home mode’ to ‘work mode’, even when you are working from home.  Don’t be a pyjama sloth. Get out of your PJ’s. Put on other clothes!

Build in breaks

Start and finish the working day just like any office based day.  When you do take a break, tear yourself away from your workspace and clear your mind.  Don’t take lunch at your desk.  If the weather allows and you have one available, get out into your garden for a few minutes.  Don’t switch on the TV – you will never recover from the distraction!

Productive use of business social media

Stay away from personal social media distractions during work time (see schedule in socials), it’s a real productivity killer.  Using social media to share helpful, informative and useful information on business channels is different.  We can all do more to help build our personal and business brand, helping colleagues and customers at the same time, particularly if your normal workload has reduced because of the present circumstances.

Tidy desk, tidy….

Keep your workspace and computer and paper files tidy.  Make things easy to access and find help to keep us focused.

Stay positive

Take advantage of working at home to set your own mood and atmosphere.  Listen to the music and radio channel YOU like, have the heating set at your own comfort level, burn an incense stick if you like.

Eat, exercise, sleep. 

Physical health is intertwined with mental health, make sure you’re getting good rest, eating well, and find exercises you can do from home.

Schedule in socials

Put some time in the day where you’re catching up with others about non-work topics, just as you would as work.  Share a cup of tea with someone via a video call, or just pick up the phone, don’t rely upon only typing and texting.

Pick up the phone!

At a time of enforced social isolation remember that not everyone has access to or uses social media or technology.   An old fashioned phone call might be a different, kind and thoughtful thing to do.

Maybe even an old fashioned phone call to people you normally only communicate with on social media would be a kind and thoughtful thing to do as well.

You may very well find that your temporary ‘new’ way of working becomes the permanent new way of working.  Do it right and the productivity and wellbeing gains can be huge.

The First base team is adopting new ways of working to support colleagues, candidates and clients through these challenging times and beyond.  Call us, email us, tweet us if you need extra support, advice or help.

Get ahead of the curve and undertake interviews remotely

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”3.0.48″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”3.0.74″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”]The Coronavirus situation is evolving daily. Travel restrictions, changing guidelines and organisations’ policies are in flux, and because of these, there are three major influencers on recruitment decisions

• International travel.
• Domestic travel.
• Meetings of large groups of employees or candidates.

The impact on recruitment decisions are potentially far reaching. Candidates may not be able to attend assessment days or in-person interviews. Internal applicants may not be able to attend development centres or training events. Even if these events are able to run, the management or recruitment team cannot guarantee resource accessibility or availability due to illness, self-isolation or travel restrictions.

The result could be a knee-jerk reaction to postpone everything recruitment, induction or training related.  However, it doesn’t have to be that way – there are alternatives.

Remote interviewing


Now is a great time to seriously consider video interviews. There has already been a huge increase in the use of video conferencing platforms such as Zoom, Skype and Google Hangouts in the last few weeks. Many organisations are already well ahead and even conducting full blown virtual assessment centres.

Communicate, communicate



With the fast pace of change it would be too easy to overlook the need for a thorough candidate communication plan. A poor candidate experience has consequence’s – from sharing stories with friends and family to negative comments left on employer review sites and on social media. This is the opportunity to demonstrate the strength of your employer brand values.

Our tips for effective virtual interviews

Video Technology

First, determine how you are going to carry out a virtual job interview. The big question you need to answer is whether you’ll incorporate video or simply use the phone. We highly recommend that you try to integrate video if possible, as it will allow you to best simulate a real, in-person interview.

There is no shortage of virtual options to utilize video conferencing for a virtual job interview. Skype, Zoom, UberConference, FaceTime, MS Teams and Google Hangout are just a few to consider.
Before your virtual job interview takes place, make sure you test out your video provider to ensure things run smoothly.

Things to check on include:

• That your account is up to date
• The latest software update has been installed
• Being familiar with features software features
• Connection speed

Set up

Just as you would if your interviewee was coming into the office, you want to make sure that you have set a professional scene for your virtual interview. While testing your technology, determine where in your remote location to have the conversation. Find a quiet room with good lighting (being near a window helps) and a blank, clean wall. You want to be the focal point of the interview so that your interviewee is focused on your questions and answers, not on the picture hanging behind you. Turn off any audio distractions such as a TV or radio that could be picked up by the video conference audio.
Also, tidy up your surroundings. You wouldn’t want to have an untidy office when interviewing a candidate in person.

Body Language

Before your virtual interview, spend some time checking your body language and posture by watching yourself using your video conferencing software`. The angle of your computer’s camera and the chair you’re sitting in can have a significant impact on how you present on your interviewee’s screen. You don’t want to spend the first few minutes of the interview shuffling around with your camera to find your best light and angle.

We’ve all taken photos where we’ve wished the photographer would have tried a different angle to allow ourselves to showcase our best selves. The same is true with video conference feed. Figure out a configuration that will enable you to interview with confidence.

Dress the Part

One of the perks of working remotely is that employees do not have to spend the time getting ready and dressed for their day. However, if you’re hosting a virtual job interview, you need to dress the part.
How would you dress if the interview was taking place at your office? That is exactly what you should wear for your virtual meeting. You don’t want the candidate to think that you’re not taking it seriously and that they’re not receiving the same experience that they would with an in-person experience.

Acknowledge the Unusual Circumstances

While your goal is to make this experience as similar to a regular interview as possible, you’ll want to acknowledge that this isn’t a normal circumstance. Thank your interviewee for agreeing to interview virtually and make a comment on how extraordinary this interview is— just like the dozens of other extraordinary things that are happening due to the Coronavirus.
This experience will probably just as new to the candidate as it is to you. By letting them know you’re in it together, you can accelerate the connection between the two of you, and allow them to be comfortable during the course of the interview.

Be Normal, Be Prepared

The most important thing about conducting this type of interview is that you and the candidate both feel like the virtual element of the conversation did not negatively affect the experience. That starts with being prepared.

Plan how you’d like the interview to unfold and prepare all of the questions you need to ask the interviewee. If you’re not as prepared as you usually are, the candidate might feel like they were cheated out of a true interview because of the virtual element. However, if you’re prepared and are able to control the flow of the interview, the candidate will feel comfortable and answer.

The new normal?

Many business owners believe we are experiencing the dawn of a new way of working. In every crisis there are opportunities and we all have an opportunity to really up our recruitment game by using technology to improve the recruitment process. 

More team members are working from home.  When you get it right, research shows that working virtually can drive productivity improvements of up to 43%.

Working virtually could drive really positive changes in your recruitment processes.

If you would like to know more about how the First Base team can support you during and after these unusual and challenging times, contact Tricia Hay on 01453 755330 or email tricia.hay@first-base.co.uk[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

Coronavirus – Employers Liability and Obligations

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Sticks and Stones – Mental Health and the Power of Words

The sad story that hit the headlines regarding Caroline Flack once again put mental health in the spotlight as more celebrities, sports people and business leaders open up about their own challenges.  Mental health issues of course don’t just affect those people we read about in the news.  They often affect the people you employ, the person sitting next to you, your boss, suppliers, customers, friends and family.

You don’t need to be an expert to help

Most of us are not experts at dealing with issues around mental health.  Awareness and enough knowledge to signpost where expert support can be found are useful, but one area we can all help with is how we communicate with other people.  Specifically, the words we speak and the words we write.

“Sticks and stones may break my bones but words…can change someone’s direction for an hour, a day or a lifetime”   –  David Tovey

Words cannot change reality, but they can change how people perceive reality.  Words create filters through which people view the world around them.  They are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity.  We can choose to use the powerful force of words constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words that hurt or cause despair.  Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble.

Words can change how people behave.  They become a self-fulfilling prophecy.  Convince someone that they can’t do something and they won’t try.  Convince them that they have the ability to succeed and they will give it their best shot.  Convince them that they are worthy human beings and they thrive, convince them they are worthless and they can spiral into a terminal decline.

Consequences 

We all have a choice about the words we use.  Everyone, but particularly those in authority, should think through the potential consequences of the words they are about to use.  We know of course that there is a body of people out there who delight in using words destructively, they intend to hurt and to humiliate.  They don’t care or think about the consequences of what they might describe as ‘just words’.  Some people feel compelled to give voice to any passing feeling, thought or impression they have.  They randomly dump the contents of their mind without regard to the significance of what they are saying.

Though it might not seem like it with all the negativity we hear that surrounds the use (misuse?) of social media, most people don’t actually intend to do harm. Never-the-less, thoughtless use of words can have the same effect.  When we speak we should speak with mindfulness, in ways that inspire and builds not that hurt or destroy.

As my grandma used to say “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything”.

Be kind!

 “Be kind to all and speak words that are beacons of inspiration, enthusiasm and encouragement”

Kindness isn’t a soft business strategy, it is intelligent, mature, moral and improves business performance.  It is not about avoiding critical feedback, difficult conversations or pointing out where improvement is needed, it’s about the best and most effective way to communicate.  It’s not only our words that matter, the tone which we use has a huge impact.  There are certain rules that should guide all our communications with others.

Always speak the truth, avoid exaggerations, be consistent in what you are saying, don’t use double standards in addressing people, don’t use your words to manipulate others, and most importantly do not use words to insult or belittle anyone.

 THINK!

I did some voluntary work providing presentation skills at school for students with learning difficulties a couple of years ago.  On the wall in the room we use there was a hand written A1 size poster produced by the students. It had a simple yet really effective message.

Before You Speak

T   – is it true?

H –  is it helpful?

I  –   is it inspiring?

N –   is it necessary?

K –   is it kind?

THINK before we speak and we can make where we work (and the rest of the world) a little better for everybody – including those challenged by mental health issues.

Contact Tricia Hay on 01453 755330 or tricia.hay@first-base.co.uk if you would like to learn more about how the First Base team could help you or your organisations with any of the issues raised by this article.