Tips for your first online interview, from Senior Consultant, Dawn Shindler.
This month, Dawn Shindler joined Insight Executive Group, bringing with her three years of successful recruitment experience. As you can imagine, the lockdown recruitment process was an unfamiliar one, even for our experienced team of search and selection specialists.
About Dawn
Dawn was introduced to recruitment by a family member who recognised that it combines key requirements she thrives on at work. Truly engaging with and getting to know people, variety on a daily basis, and clear career progression. All factors that have been affected, but not completely halted, during the global pandemic of 2020.
We spoke to Dawn about the unusual journey she took in joining IEG during the lockdown. We asked her what advice she would give to someone preparing for an online interview for the first time:
“Try to prepare in the same way as you normally would for a first interview. Research the company, and practice answers to likely questions. When it comes to the day of the interview, I would suggest going through the usual motions. This includes dressing formally. If a good pair of shoes help you feel the part, wear them. Prepare your laptop and pen and paper to take notes. Then give yourself time for a walk to freshen your mind and ‘to get there’. The the only difference is you then return home for the interview. Okay, and I wore slippers!”
The first video interview was with Insight co-founder, Nick White. Dawn found the interview in keeping with her existing perception of the company – professional, but with less of a corporate feel. Dawn followed the advice she was given by a fellow recruiter, which was to look into the camera as much as possible, rather than look at the screen, in order to maintain ‘virtual eye-contact’.
Dawn then blasted through the following stages of IEG’s thorough recruitment process, meeting Managing Director, Richard Collins, the senior management team, and the property and estates team, in order to get a real feel for the company, it’s people and it’s culture.
Since joining IEG
Dawn has been training and working remotely with Rob Parker. This helped to develop her network and knowledge within her the public sector property management market. In the current climate, Dawn’s introduction to candidates and clients has been conducted entirely remotely. But some things remain unchanged. Both Dawn and Rob agree that the best way to get to know clients and candidates well is to jump in and work on live roles. So whilst the environment is different, they have maintained the pace, variety and human element that initially attracted Dawn to recruitment.
On her own recruitment style, Dawn said:
“I like to work in an open and honest way. Both with clients and candidates. Checking in regularly, building relationships and eventually becoming friends. You talk about life and not just work. The added bonus is this all allows you to recruit more effectively.”
Whilst life seems very different at the moment, maintaining familiar routines such as dressing formally for an interview, and having a good chat with candidates and clients over a cup of coffee – albeit virtually for now – helps us to retain a degree of normality. Meanwhile we are lucky enough to see demand for our specialist services during these testing times.
If you would like Dawn’s help to fulfill a Property, Estates or FM assignment, or if you would like to register your interest in opportunities within this field, please get in touch Dawn today on 07538037266
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