SOCIAL CARE EMPLOYER INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES

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SOCIAL CARE EMPLOYER INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES
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• Interviews are a crucial part of recruitment and
  help social care workforce managers learn so much
  more about potential candidates than a CV can
  possibly tell them.
• Face-to-face discussions allow employers to see
  how applicants respond to pressure, how quickly
  they can think on their feet, and help establish
  a rapport to see how well a person might fit into
  their team.
• However, in the time of a global pandemic,
  personal interactions are to be avoided,
  particularly in the healthcare sector. Many
  social care recruiters are switching their
  interviews to digital media, which allows hiring
  to continue, but presents other new challenges.
• We explore the best options for conducting remote
  interviews, and how good practice can ensure
  recruitment is successful.

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HOW COVID HAS CHANGED HEALTHCARE WORKPLACE
INTERVIEWS
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• Every care home or social care setting will need
  new staff from time to time. Whether that is
  filling full-time roles, covering periods of
  leave, or using contingent/agency staff to fill
  gaps in the staffing rota.
•  
• Video calls are nothing new, but are becoming
  commonplace, and have changed from being the
  exception to the general rule.
•  
• Many social care managers are now
•  
• Inviting candidates to remote interviews via
  platforms such as Zoom or Skype.
• Conducting fewer interview stages to reduce the
  number of steps in the recruitment process.
• Interviewing applicants individually, rather than
  as part of a panel of hirers.

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• A remote call simply isnt the same as meeting
  somebody face-to-face. That said, by preparing
  well, we can help applicants find the experience
  less stressful, and employers gain the essential
  information they need to make a decision.
•  
• The main challenges of remote interviewing
  include
•  
• Having fewer interview participants, and thus not
  having as much of balanced opinion, or not having
  colleagues to discuss each applicant with.
• Not having that personal interaction with a
  potential employee to be able to get to know them
  a little better.
• Candidates lack the benefit of being able to
  visit a potential workplace to get a feel for the
  working environment.
• Patchy connections and time delays can make the
  conversation stilted and uncomfortable.

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ALTERNATIVE SOCIAL CARE RECRUITMENT TECHNIQUES
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• As we learn new ways to communicate and carry out
  our daily roles, so too has recruitment needed to
  pivot.
•  
• One of the essential factors in smooth
  recruitment techniques is to consider the best
  way to reach suitable quality applicants, how to
  communicate the skill requirements, salary on
  offer and job requirements.
•  
• The aims of hiring a new member of staff are
  unchanged you want to
•  
• Attract the best possible social care talent.
• Learn more about each applicant.
• Deliver a pleasant experience for each candidate.
• Find staff who fit your requirements and have the
  right healthcare training.
• Explain the detail of the social care jobs on
  offer, and make it appealing to the right skill
  level.

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• All of these requirements can be met through
  digital interviews, provided some thought and
  planning go into how best to conduct them.
•  
• The alternatives to traditional face-to-face
  interviews include options such as
•  
• Video interviews via Zoom, Skype, Teams, Google
  Meet etc.
• Telephone interviews (being mindful that not
  every applicant may have access to a secure
  internet connection).
• Streaming real-time workplace virtual tours.
• Preparing candidate application packs with more
  information about the role and work environment
  that typically would have been shared during the
  interview.
• Informal colleague chats sometimes through
  social media or Whats App to help applicants
  ask questions and meet the team.
• With each of these options, the aim is to
  replicate the traditional interview and hiring
  process, whilst adhering to guidelines around
  reducing direct contact.

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TIPS FOR DIGITAL INTERVIEWS FOR SOCIAL CARE JOBS
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• Given that digital interviews are likely to be as
  new to an applicant as they are to an employer,
  this change is a learning curve for us all.
•  
• Here are our top tips for streamlined, well
  organized and smooth interview processes
•  
• Always arrange a mutually convenient time, and
  conduct interviews in a quiet place without
  interruptions.
• Have a list of questions ready in advance this
  also allows you to consult colleagues and compile
  a comprehensive list of topics to discuss.
• Ensure the same questions are asked of every
  candidate, regardless of how the interview is
  conducted.
• Incorporate extra time into the recruitment
  schedule to allow for colleague discussions,
  follow-up interviews if necessary and to ensure
  interviews can be scheduled at the right time for
  all participants.
• Lets look at some of the different interview
  options, and best practice recommendations for
  each medium.

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• TELEPHONE INTERVIEWS
•  
• Tell the applicant what number you will be
  calling from in advance it is best to use a
  work phone number for a secure and private
  connection.
• Confirm the time of the call, so that they will
  know to pick up. This is especially important if
  you use an undisclosed line, which could be
  mistaken for a spam call.
• Decide how many people will be on the call, and
  ensure everybody has access to any conference
  call links you might be using.
• Test the line before the call nothing makes an
  interview more stressful than a crackling
  connection, a volume that is too quiet or too
  loud, or time lags after speaking.
• It is best to use a landline rather than a
  mobile this avoids potential connection issues
  or a breaking signal, and usually prevents those
  annoying time delays where participants can end
  up talking over each other.

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• VIRTUAL VIDEO INTERVIEWS
•  
• Whichever software or app you are using, make
  sure every participant has access to the
  programmed, has it installed in advance, and has
  logged in or created an account ready for the
  interview to begin.
• Choose the most convenient option the most
  popular include Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, and
  Microsoft Teams, although there are many others.
• If interviewing with multiple panel members, make
  sure you have agreed who will lead.
• Ask all participants to mute their connection
  when not speaking. This prevents background noise
  from disrupting the flow of conversation.
• Test the connection in advance, and always use a
  stable broadband connection remote interviews
  via mobile are possible but can be less reliable.
• Make sure the connection is secure for privacy
  and security.
• Always have an alternative available such as a
  telephone interview as some candidates might
  not have access to a computer or laptop, or may
  not have a reliable Internet connection.

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• CARE HOME VIRTUAL TOURS
•  
• Offer virtual tours if possible real-time, live
  streams are ideal, but pre-recorded videos are an
  alternative where this is not possible.
• Ensure all staff, visitors, patients, and
  residents are aware of the video being recorded
  or streamed and do not feature anybody who does
  not wish to be shown.
• Check that confidential information is not shared
  via a video stream think about notice boards,
  paperwork, files, patient name cards on doors
  etc.
• Invite attendees to ask questions, and be
  involved in the tour process as they would in an
  in-person visit.
• Let everybody know what programed you will be
  using Whats App is a popular choice. If
  applicants do not have access to the software or
  app you are using, try to offer a pre-recorded
  video available by other means so that all
  candidates receive the same information.
• Be mindful of security, and ensure you are using
  a secure connection and that your virtual tour is
  accessible only to invited attendees.

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INTERPERSONAL CONNECTIONS IN A DISTANCED WORLD
When it comes to social care jobs, interviews are
vital to be able to get to know each applicant.
Personal qualities and having a compatible team
are just as important as recruiting social care
staff with the right skills and training, and
many of these things cant be communicated
clearly through a written document. It is still
possible to conduct engaging interviews, and
deliver a positive applicant experience through
virtual recruitment and with the right planning
and resources, workforces can continue to thrive.
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