Josh Tolan
Here at Spark Hire, we want to help companies utilize the power of online video to find the best candidates. We get a lot of questions from readers about best practices for using online video in the hiring process. These posts will address those questions about how to find your next superstar employee.
Question: How can I connect with introverted candidates in the video interview? -Samantha from Boulder
Thank you for your question, Samantha! Great employees come in all different varieties and types. An introvert in a video interview may not seem like the best person for the job- especially juxtaposed with that bubbly, extroverted candidate. However, being extroverted does not make a better employee. Just like being introverted doesn’t mean they will be a poor employee. The truth is, introverts can bring a lot to the table and have a myriad of skills you can harvest.
It’s true that it may be more difficult for introverted candidates to express themselves during the interview, so realize first that they are probably outside of their comfort zone. Introverts generally like to keep to themselves and may have a tough time talking about all of their skills and what makes them a great employee. If you feel as though you have an introverted candidate that would be great for the job then you just have to dig a little deeper in the video interview. Here are some things you can do to make the process a bit easier for both you and the introverted job seeker.
Ask the Right Questions
This rings true for any job interview but it’s especially important when dealing with introverted candidates. If you notice your candidate is a bit more shy than the average job seeker then try asking interview questions focused on specific skills, qualifications and experience. Introverts perform better in the job interview when they have something specific to discuss rather than simply trying to answer broad interview questions about themselves. For instance, the question, “Tell me a bit about yourself” may leave an introvert stumbling while a question like, “So what do you think your past experience has taught you thus far” gives them specifics to discuss.
Keep to Those Specifics
Going along with the above tip, try and stick to discussing their skills and certain specifics rather than have them talk about themselves in general. Not that introverts lack confidence, but generally speaking they are not the first ones to toot their own horn. While extroverts usually have no problem telling you why they are great, introverts will usually struggle with this upon first meeting- like most job interviews so often are. That is why sticking to specifics will help them pinpoint what it is you really want them to discuss. If you want to know how they work in a team setting ask them specifically to describe when they worked in a team setting last. How did it go? What did they learn about themselves and how they operate as an employee?
Interviewing introverts can be difficult sometimes since the one-on-one grill session is what most introverts try to avoid. However, you should not pass over a candidate simply because they are a bit introverted. They can bring much and more to the table and deserve as much consideration as their extroverted counterparts.
Do you have a question you need answered? Spark a conversation with the Spark Hire team by submitting your question to blog(at)sparkhire.com or in the comments below.
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