Latest Blog - Sea Light Development

Being human in a virtual world: Will a candidate select you as their new manager?

Wed, 19 Aug 2020 11:29:00 GMT

How do you show up in a virtual interview?

In my last article I focused on the risk of unconscious bias in virtual interviews and how to prevent it influencing our selection decisions. Of course, virtual interviews give a privileged insight into your world as well as the candidate’s. What does a candidate learn about you during a virtual interview? In this article I share some tips on how to be the best version of yourself as a virtual interviewer and leave a candidate feeling excited at the prospect of joining your team.

What are candidates looking for in their new manager?

Let’s not underestimate the scale and the scope of the change we are experiencing right now. We are all having to adapt rapidly to this change, and our emotional intelligence – the ability to understand and manage our own emotions, and those of the people around us – is more important than ever.

Our cognitive ability, personality, skills, experience and motivation all influence the way we behave in the work place (and in an interview). Since we are all unique then our preferred ways of working (and interviewing) are different. Candidates pick up on our style as much as we pick up on theirs.

Candidates want to feel that they will belong in their new team, that their contribution will matter and they will be able to perform to their full potential, in their own way. They are looking for compassionate, inclusive and engaging leadership. They want to trust you before they will follow you.

In our virtual world we need to dial up our emotional intelligence

The non-verbal cues we often pick up on in face to face interviews may not be as obvious in a virtual interview. We need to work harder to demonstrate the leadership qualities candidates are looking for.

A candidate’s score card for their potential manager might look something like this:

So how can we get to the top of our candidate’s list?

Be yourself. A virtual interview is not a performance so relax and let your personality shine. Give candidates an insight into what’s important to you. Share some of your motivations, values and beliefs - focus on those that are well aligned with those of the organisation. Candidates don’t want to join a team where their manager doesn’t believe in the organisation and its direction.

Don’t try to have all the answers. A candidate is more likely to be attracted to a ‘learn all’ rather than a ‘know all’ mind-set. Demonstrate how you involve others in finding solutions.

Be empathetic. Take time to show an interest in the candidate and empathy for the situation. Create a personal connection by sharing a personal story or asking about something you notice in their background.

Listen hard . With so much happening on screen we can easily appear distracted or disinterested. Remember all the basics of listening. Tilt your head to one side. Encourage with a nod. Maintain good eye contact (into the camera not the video on screen).

Help candidates feel that they will belong. We are likely to experience warmth - an affinity bias -towards those who are similar to us, and not for those who are different from us. Be aware of your strengths and preferred ways of working and how these might show up during an interview. Adapt your behaviours to help the candidate experience how your different styles could work well together. Demonstrate that you value different perspectives and approaches to build solutions, solve problems and make better decisions.

Be confident . It’s natural to be concerned about providing a professional technical experience. If things go wrong don’t put your technical ability down. Technical issues happen and we are not all IT experts!

Keep calm under pressure. Technology failing or time running out is a great way for your candidate to experience your response under pressure.

Respect your panel . If you are part of an interview panel – make sure you are on same page. Communicate and plan in advance. Your candidate will learn a lot about you from the way you interact with your colleagues. It’s a great insight into your leadership, team working and collaboration skills.

Have an engaging conversation. Interviews aren’t about catching a candidate out or exposing some fatal flaw. Use your interview questions as prompts for an engaging conversation. Successful relationships are based on learning about each other through dialogue and this is just the start!

Next time…

Gone are the days of impressing candidates with a carefully curated tour of the workplace. Virtual recruitment has created a level playing field where candidates are comparing culture and values rather than coffee and toilets. Next time we focus on what really matters when selling your organisation in a virtual interview.

Beware of unconscious bias in virtual interviews

Wed, 05 Aug 2020 16:49:00 GMT

In the first of a series of articles focusing on being human in a virtual recruitment world I focus on unconscious bias.

The purpose of this article isn’t to make the case for diversity and inclusion. Let’s go with the proposition that any organisation intent on survival needs to recognise and optimise difference.

Unconscious bias, as a potential barrier to diversity, has always been an issue in recruitment. The fact is we are all prone to bias and when our attention is focused on new ways of virtual working we must not overlook it.

What’s different in a virtual interview?

Virtual interviews are undoubtedly crucial for business recovery and growth. But, the potential for unconscious bias in this new context may be higher than ever before.

As recruiters, we are well aware of our human tendency to recruit in our own image. Virtual interviews give a privileged insight into a candidate’s world and we are entrusted with that information. Being aware of our instinctive response is not enough, we have to challenge our judgements, and rationalise our decisions.

What’s going on up there?

Our unconscious brain is presented with masses of data every second. It uses shortcuts based on instinct rather than the more inefficient process of rational thinking, and this often leads to biased judgements. Our brains develop unintended preferences based on our socialisation, personal experiences and the battering ram of media representations to which we are exposed. Our brain judges whether something is familiar or not and initiates a complex physiological, psychological and emotional response.

We are entrusted with a privileged insight into a candidate’s personal world

Over the past few months I’ve seen children, partners, parents, flat mates, cats and dogs on screen – either taking centre stage to say hello, or stealthily trying to pass by in the background! I’ve seen the messiest and tidiest of rooms. I’ve heard tales of travel souvenirs and memories captured in photos. I’ve listened in to (and due to my dire sporting knowledge, felt mainly excluded from) banter initiated by football shirts and trophies.

All of this makes for great conversation and can help to build some early rapport and settle a candidate. But this is where we must be at our most alert. Our unconscious brains are making instinctive judgements based on what we see and hear, with a preference for what is most familiar.

In an interview we are likely to experience a feeling of warmth – an affinity bias – towards those who are similar to us, and not for those who are different from us. This response is not rational and often will be incompatible with our conscious values. But it happens. We must explore and validate it then rationalise our decision making.

So what can you do to reduce the impact of bias in your virtual interviews?

1.Know your biases

2. Challenge your gut

3. Make rational decisions

Deliberately slow down decision making and apply rational thinking to inform your assessment.

Unconscious bias is inevitable and the risk in virtual interviews is high. Self-awareness is not enough. Recruiters must lead the way in challenging and removing bias in selection decisions.

If you need support with virtual recruitment or reducing unconscious bias please get in touch hello@sealightdevelopment.co.uk

Next time:

Candidates are making their own selection decisions about you and your organisation. How do you show up in a virtual interview? Look out for my top tips in my next article.