We all know that hiring is difficult. One job description for a remote position can garner thousands of applications. How do you know which candidate is truly qualified to serve as your remote Executive Assistant, and who is lying to get ahead?

The interview is a critical piece of the hiring process, because this is when you can learn the real person behind the resume.

In this blog post, we share 5 tips to help you discover if a candidate has what it takes to be successful at your company.

Tip #1: Conduct your interview on camera

Anyone can hide behind a phone call.

On-camera interviews give you a very clear picture, quite literally, of a person’s tech savvyness and their professionalism.

If a candidate is fumbling to connect their video or audio, you know they may not be as technically proficient as you’d like for a remote EA. Not only that, you are able to gauge their professionalism.

Our Talent Acquisition team has seen it all during Zoom interviews. (Boudoir pictures, piles of laundry, taxidermied animals, and a naked man reflected in a mirror — yes, really!)

Do yourself a favor and require video interviews.

Tip #2: Be your authentic self

If you don’t present yourself authentically during an interview, you are not giving the candidate an opportunity to decide if they are a right-fit for your job position.

Your potential EA is judging you as much as you are critiquing them. If you don’t show your true colors, how will they know what they are really interviewing for?

Anytime you’re interviewing a candidate, you need to be clear about who you are and who you are not.

We also advise leaders to SHOW their values. One of our top values is integrity. We make this value crystal clear to candidates so they know what we do or do not tolerate.

Remember, your Zoom interview is only 30 minutes long. Make the most of this time!

Tip #3: If a candidate tells you something, check it out

If a candidate tells you something, be sure to check it out. Don’t just take their word for it. Poke and prod about the skills listed on their resume and require the candidate to give you examples of their proficiency.

Sometimes, candidates will list software that they are familiar with, but haven’t actually worked in. Quite often, we invite candidates to demonstrate their proficiency in real-time. If they list experience with Asana project management, we open Asana during the call and ask them to create a project. Same with software like Keap or ClickUp.

You’d be surprised how many people lack integrity when listing their technical aptitude or college education.

Tip #4: Hire to values

Scenario-based questions will help you learn the values of the person you are interviewing. Remember, values aren’t discovered in words. They are demonstrated in actions.

If a candidate lies about a skillset on their resume, they aren’t demonstrating integrity are they? You can teach gaps in skill, but you can’t teach character.

This is why we are adamant about demonstrating YOUR values during an interview. It’s really hard to believe there are people who don’t care about this stuff, but it’s important to acknowledge that some candidates will say whatever they can to get ahead.

Conduct reference checks and ask former employers about behaviors. Don’t resort to rushed hiring decisions just because you are desperate! Prioritize hiring for values, or risk employee turnover.

Tip #5: Have a thorough vetting process

Our hiring Gauntlet has seven stages for a reason. It ensures that high-quality candidates rise to the top, and low-level applicants are filtered out.

We conduct multiple skills assessments and require small assignments to gauge a candidate’s proficiency. When we’ve narrowed our candidate pool, we invite a select few to take a Kolbe A™ Index to measure their conative, or instinct-based, strengths.

All of these steps, in addition to reference and background checks, can help you learn the truth about a candidate in an interview.

The hiring process requires diligence and discipline, but partnering with a third-party service like Priority VA can make it hassle-free. Learn more about how partnering with Priority VA can ensure you are matched with a right-fit teammate.