Remote interviews can be challenging, no matter what the role is that you are interviewing for. But if you’re interviewing for a tech-related role, it can become even more complicated.
If you are interviewing for tech roles and really aren’t sure where to start, this article should explain!
Use a headhunter
The first step is to find the right candidate.
Hiring developers or other tech candidates isn’t too challenging to do remotely, because most jobs have been posted online for a few years.
However, to get the real talent, you might want to use a tech headhunter. This professional will have a firm understanding of the advertised role, your company, and the tech industry — plus they will be able to find the best candidates for the position.
Overall, using a headhunter will make the entire remote interview process a lot simpler!
Have all the normal remote interview procedures set up
To begin, you’ll need a computer, a strong internet connection (on both sides), and conference calling software with screen sharing capabilities. Zoom is one of the best interview programmes. However, for a tech interview, some of the other protocols can be a little different.
The interview starts with general greetings,,followed by briefings on the job and standard interview questions. Ensure that you are sitting in a well-lit room for this, and have a note of all the questions you want to ask in front of you.
Think about coding platforms for the technical interview
When hiring developers, you will probably want to test their coding abilities. You can do this on a public Git repository, where they can see some code that you input and optimise it, with you watching in real time.
You could also suggest that the developer uses a code editor that they are familiar with, as long as the screen can be shared so you can watch it as well. Google Docs even works well — you can both have access to a doc and add suggestions in real time.
Virtual whiteboarding
Whiteboarding interviews show how well the candidate can explain technical solutions to any problems. The interviewee will be faced with an issue and will have to use their whiteboard to brainstorm a solution.
Of course, when conducting a developer interview virtually, you probably won’t have a whiteboard to hand. Your interviewee may have one in their home, but it is still challenging to focus on precisely what they are demonstrating!
There are a few whiteboarding collaborative softwares that you can make use of in your interview:
- Miro which can be used across devices and has great collaborative abilities. You can both look at the same board while the candidate brainstorms their solution.
- Stormboard is excellent for big-picture brainstorming, as each board has multiple segments. For particularly complex projects, this software would be ideal.
- Linmu has perhaps the most authentic feel of a whiteboard and can easily be linked with others across laptops and other computers.
Conducting a tech interview remotely can seem a little daunting, but with the right software and knowledge of the necessary protocols, it’s a lot easier than it seems. Hopefully, this article has helped with your next tech interview!
