Face-to-face versus virtual hiring practices

Michael Kelly featured in Shortlist:

Face-to-face versus virtual hiring practices
As recruiters and employers return to the workplace, it’s time to consider which interactions should go back to face-to-face and which can remain virtual, according to body language and speech expert Michael Kelly.

Where possible, he suggests recruiters should conduct first meetings face-to-face, both with employers and important candidates.

Face-to-face is also best for onboarding new hires, and for catchups every three weeks for the first three months.

Video interviews, on the other hand, are fine for subsequent meetings, as well as weekly team meetings, internal one-on-ones, general board and leadership meetings, and client conferences.

“If it has to be virtual, I tell people to radiate warmth and acceptance and calm enthusiasm”, and that “succinctness is the currency”, Kelly says.

Video meetings drain energy, requiring more voice and facial expression, so it’s “very important [recruiters] nail the first 60 seconds with energy and succinctness”, he says.

Adding “tag questions” – “Am I being clear? Are you with me? Am I making sense?” – at the end of a video meeting helps ensure key messages have landed, “because in the virtual environment, you might not be able to pick that”.

A lot of candidates are also going to be very “clunky” through video, he warns, “so be aware of that… and put them at ease”.

Kelly also suggests alternating meeting types – for example, for every block of four weekly leadership meetings, conduct three via video and one in person – and adding in a mix of phone, text and email messaging.

The overall quality of communications must now be better, and should consider what is the best medium for each person at that particular time

The original article can be read here