WAM Top 10 Tips

In May, WAM ran a WAMinar which you can watch and we have developed top 10 tips on accessibility in virtual recruitment.

The Top 10 Tips are as follows; 

1. Ask candidates for their accessibility requirements
2. Conduct a trial run
3. Know and take measures to combat implicit bias
4. Conduct virtual interviews in a quiet and well-lit space
5. Be transparent with candidates
6. Be conscious to make the candidate feel at ease
7. Be mindful of the absence of physical cues
8. Treat virtual interviews as you would an in person interview
9. Be aware that technology issues may arise
10. Be ready for the possibility of remote on boarding

The Interview

Some points to consider when you are carrying out virtual interview through a video link.

• Is the platform you are using accessible to people with disabilities? Check out our Video Calling Accessibility page which runs through the main video-calling platforms and their accessibility features.
• Position yourself in a way that you are looking directly into the camera you are not too far or too close to the camera. Ideally, you should be able to see your face, shoulders and top half of your chest in the frame.
• Lighting is extremely important when you are on any video calls but even more so in an interview setting. Adjust your camera settings accordingly and test this out before the interview. Consider putting a light behind your camera so that your face is clearly visible, relying on natural light or your ceiling lights sometimes is not the best option!
• Do not sit in front of a window! This creates a shadow on your face which makes it difficult for the other person to see your face.
• Be mindful of noises and echoes in the room you are in. If you are relying on the laptop or computer microphone, it will pick up a lot of background noise or may not be clear. Consider investing in a headset with a microphone as this eliminates most background noise.
• What’s in your background? Having a lot of ‘visual noise’ in the background - lots of objects or decorations in the background - can sometimes be deterring for people with certain disabilities, for example people who are hard-of-hearing who may be trying to focus on your face to lipread.

Final Tips

• Remember to look directly into the camera
• Schedule an extra 10 minutes for virtual interviews than an in-person interview to allow for technical issues or repeating of questions.
• Use the chat function within the video-calling platform you are using to communicate any issues with sound or video.
• Don’t let broadband issues during the interview impact negatively on your perception of the candidate.