How to Effectively Conduct Virtual Pharma Job Interviews

How to Effectively Conduct Virtual Pharma Job Interviews

Pre-pandemic, just 22% of employers incorporated video interviews into their hiring processes. In 2024, this number rose to 69%, down from a peak of 79% in 2021.

Whilst the number of employers using video interviews has fallen over the past couple of years, what’s clear is that they’re here to stay, having proven their ability to boost efficiency and cut costs in the interviewing process.

If you’re recruiting within the life sciences and are already using – or are thinking about incorporating – video interviews into your hiring processes, then there are some extra things to consider when conducting interviews online.

We’ve put together this guide on how to get the most out of your virtual interviews, focusing on preparation, making candidates feel at ease, building rapport, and assessing their suitability without being in a room with them.

Helping Candidates to Prepare

Whilst virtual interviews might have become second nature to you over the past few years, remember that this might not be the case for your candidates. For many of those already working in the industry, your 100th virtual interview could be their first.

Help candidates to prepare for the interview by giving them as much information as possible, including:

• The platform the interview will be held on, and links/tips on how to create an account
• Links and passwords needed to join the interview
• Information on who will be attending the interview and the format it will take (e.g., presentation, panel, one-on-one)
• Whether or not the interview will require a camera
• Information and best practices for interviewing online, such as choosing the right space
• An alternative method of contacting you in case something goes wrong on the day

Just as you would make adjustments for an in-person interview, you need to ensure that your virtual interviews accommodate your candidates’ needs. Some candidates may require adjustments to participate fully in an online interview, such as closed captions, screen reader-friendly software, or extra time to process questions.

Remember that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to interviewing, and whilst virtual interviews might be more accessible to some candidate groups, they might not be accessible to all, and this is something you need to take into consideration.

Helping Yourself to Prepare

Regardless of whether you’re new to the process of interviewing online or not, you should always do the following prior to your virtual interviews:

• Test your microphone, camera, and internet connection
• Find a quiet space free from background noise and other distractions
• Find a space that’s well-lit so candidates can clearly read your facial expressions and body language
• Ensure that anyone else joining the interview is well prepared and has the information they need, e.g., joining links and passwords
• Give yourself and your candidates extra time to account for any potential technical difficulties on either end

Paying Attention to Cybersecurity Risks

With the rise of deepfake technology and fraudulent candidates, you should be aware of potential cybersecurity risks during virtual interviews. This will likely be the responsibility of your IT team, but to help protect your organisation, always send interview invitations through secure, company-approved platforms, and verify candidate identities where necessary. If something feels off – such as a candidate refusing to turn on their camera or responses that seem overly scripted – consider conducting additional identify verification steps. Also, ensure that any sensitive data shared during the interview process is handled securely and in compliance with data protection regulations.

Here are some red flags to help you detect fraudulent candidates during the hiring process.

Focusing on Building Rapport with the Candidate

Building rapport with people over a Zoom call is arguably harder than doing so face-to-face. You miss out on opportunities to build rapport through small talk and physical interactions; for example, when walking the candidate to the interview room from a waiting area or shaking their hand and helping them to sign in at reception.

When you start the interview begin with a friendly and relaxed introduction. Smile, make eye contact through the camera, and engage in light conversation before jumping into formal questions. Simple gestures like saying, “I hope you’re having a good day so far,” or acknowledging their location or background (if appropriate) can help make the interaction more natural. Throughout the interview, you can also build rapport with candidates by:

• Demonstrating active listening by maintaining eye contact, nodding in acknowledgement, and using verbal affirmations like ‘that’s a great point’
• Mirroring the candidate’s communication style, adapting your tone and energy levels to match theirs to create a natural flow in the conversation
• Personalising the conversation by referring to specific details from their CV or LinkedIn profile, showing you’ve taken the time to learn about them
• Keeping the conversation two-way by encouraging candidates to ask questions throughout, rather than just waiting until the end

These are all fairly commonplace for in-person interviews too, but are often overlooked when it comes to virtual hiring, so focus on not letting your standards slip when you’re behind a screen.

Assessing Candidates Effectively

Forming a first impression of candidates virtually can be harder than in a face-to-face setting as it’s harder to gauge how well they carry themselves in a professional environment. As well as assessing how well they answer your questions, there are additional things that you should be taking note of, including:

• Did they log in on time?
• What did they wear?
• Had they familiarised themselves with the interviewing platform?
• Did they maintain a good level of eye contact throughout the interview?
• Did they show they were actively listening to what you were saying?
• Did they conduct themselves professionally?

Although candidates might be joining you from the comfort of their own homes, they should still be demonstrating the same level of professionalism that would be expected of them in a face-to-face interview, so these are good questions to ask to assess this.

Communicating After the Interview

Let candidates know exactly what they can expect after the interview has finished, with clear information about the next steps and time frames. Especially f you’re utilising AI and automation tools to manage interview follow-ups, scheduling, and candidate feedback, don’t forget to personalise your communication, striking a balance between technology and human interaction.

And lastly, don’t be afraid to ask for feedback. If your company is still experimenting with finding the best ways to interview and onboard candidates remotely then why not ask the candidate how their experience was? It’s a great way to find out what does and doesn’t work and to think about how things could be improved.

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