We may not be used to working from home or having to battle with the kids for a corner of the house to cordon off as a quiet office. But one thing that we do have going for us is that technology is enabling us to stay in touch with the outside world. In fact, it’s revolutionizing how many companies are operating under lockdown conditions.

You don’t need to be in the same room to be able to meet face to face. You don’t need to be gathered around a conference table to be able to collaborate. All you need is a robust internet connection and the technology tools available (work role dependent), to be able to put in a productive day’s work. It’s no different for hiring.

Now while many companies are placing staff on furlough and hiring may be the furthest thing from your mind right now. Extraordinary times often require people with specialist skills. Even hiring people on an interim basis could be the difference between business survival and closure. So how do you go about hiring expertise when movement and meetings are curtailed? You use technology.

There are several online video calling platforms that can be used to conduct online meetings and interviews and most have a free entry level membership. Zoom, Skype, and Google hangouts are three popular platforms. Microsoft’s paid membership also has a Teams application. To get the most from the video conference here are a few basic tips:

1 – Prepare:

Prepare as you would for a normal meeting. Do your research, prepare your presentation (Most video conference platforms have a screen sharing option), and dress as you would for a meeting. Find a quiet, uncluttered corner and test the system, making sure that the video and audio is clear and that the background doesn’t show a sink full of dirty dishes.

2 – Engage:

Have clear objectives for the meeting and outline these at the beginning of the call. If you’re conducting an interview, outline the process so that the person knows what to expect and when they can ask questions. During the call focus on the other people, rather than trying to look into the camera or see what you look like on screen. This helps to make it easier to engage with one another.

3 – Save:

A huge benefit of video conferencing is that most platforms have a record option. This is a great tool for interviewing as you can then save and forward the interview content onto other decision makers. It also means you have an easy reference to what was covered if you’ll be hosting follow-on interviews.