Creating and Scheduling Interviews in Lavalier

This guide explains how to create and schedule interviews in Lavalier. Whether you need to start an interview immediately or schedule one for later, Lavalier provides flexible options to match your hiring workflow.

Overview

Lavalier offers two ways to create interviews: Interview Now (quick mode) for immediate interviews, and Schedule Interview for future scheduling. You can conduct virtual meetings, phone calls, or in-person interviews with various recording options. The interview creation process ensures all necessary information is captured upfront, including candidate details, role association, and interview format preferences.

Prerequisites

Before creating an interview, ensure you have:

• Recruiter or Owner permissions on your Lavalier account (or at least Hiring Manager permissions for specific roles)
• At least one role in "Ready to Screen" or "Interviewing" stage
• Candidate information ready (you can create candidates inline during interview creation)
• For phone interviews: A verified phone number to use as your caller ID
• For virtual interviews: A meeting link from Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, or Webex
• Successfully logged into Lavalier

Getting Started

You can create interviews from multiple locations in Lavalier:

Option 1: From a Role Page

1. Navigate to the role you're hiring for
2. Click the Interview button in the role header
3. Choose one of two options:
   • Start Interview - Begins an interview immediately
   • Schedule Interview - Schedules an interview for a future date/time

Option 2: From the Global Actions Menu

1. Click New Interview in the top navigation bar
2. The interview dialog will open with empty fields

Option 3: From a Candidate Page

1. Navigate to the candidate you want to interview
2. Click the Interview action on the candidate row
3. The dialog opens with the candidate pre-selected

Option 4: From an Application

1. Go to the application card for a candidate
2. Click Start Interview on the application
3. Both candidate and role will be pre-selected

Completing the Interview Form

Once the interview dialog opens, fill in the required fields:

Core Information (Always Required)

1. Candidate Name

   • Select an existing candidate or type a new name to create one inline
   • If you select an existing candidate, their phone number will auto-populate for phone interviews

2. Role Interviewing For

   • Choose from roles in "Ready to Screen" or "Interviewing" stages
   • Only roles you have access to will appear
   • If you have permission, you can type a new role name to create one inline

3. Interviewer Name (Schedule mode only)

   • Select the interviewer who will conduct this interview
   • In quick mode, you're automatically set as the interviewer

Interview Type Selection

Choose the format that matches your interview setup:

Virtual Interview

• For video calls via Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, or Webex
• Requires: Meeting link (paste your meeting URL in the Meeting Link field)
• Click the paste button to quickly insert a URL from your clipboard
• Supported platforms: Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Webex, Slack Huddles

Phone Call

• For phone-based interviews
• Requires:
  • Phone Number to Call - Enter the candidate's phone number (US format: +1 555-123-4567)
  • Appear to Caller ID As - Select a verified phone number that will show as your caller ID
• If you don't have a verified number, you'll need to complete phone verification first

In-Person Interview

• For face-to-face interviews with recording
• Choose your recording method:
  • Use this computer to record - Record directly in your browser
  • Use my phone - Use the Lavalier mobile app on iOS or Android
  • Upload an audio file - Upload a pre-recorded .wav or .raw file

Schedule Mode Additional Fields

If you selected Schedule Interview, you'll also need:

1. Date - Select the interview date (cannot be in the past)
2. Time - Choose the start time (must be at least 3 minutes from now)
3. Duration - Select interview length:
   • 10 minutes
   • 15 minutes
   • 20 minutes
   • 30 minutes
   • 45 minutes
   • 1 hour (default)
   • 1 hour, 30 minutes
   • 2 hours

Submitting the Interview

1. Review all entered information
2. Click Interview Now (quick mode) or Schedule Interview (schedule mode)
3. For schedule mode with no time changes, you'll see a confirmation dialog
4. The interview will be created and you'll be redirected to the interview page

Common Use Cases

Here are typical scenarios for creating interviews:

• Immediate Phone Screen: Use quick mode with phone call type to start screening a candidate right away
• Scheduled Panel Interview: Use schedule mode with virtual interview type, then add additional interviewers after creation
• Back-to-Back Interview Days: Create multiple scheduled interviews for the same day with different candidates and time slots
• Recording In-Person Interviews: Use in-person type with mobile app recording when conducting on-site interviews
• Remote Async Review: Schedule a virtual interview and have Lavalier's bot join the meeting to automatically record and transcribe

Troubleshooting

Common issues and solutions when creating interviews:

Problem: Error message "Virtual interviews require a valid meeting URL from a supported platform" Solution: Make sure you've pasted a complete meeting link from Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, or Webex. The URL should start with https:// and include the full meeting path.

Problem: Error message "Please enter a valid US phone number" Solution: Phone interviews currently support US phone numbers only. Format the number as +1 followed by the 10-digit number (e.g., +1 555-123-4567). Remove any spaces, dashes, or parentheses.

Problem: Error message "You must verify a phone number to use as caller ID" Solution: Before conducting phone interviews, you need to verify at least one phone number. Click the verification link in the dialog to complete the phone verification process, then return to create your interview.

Problem: Cannot see the "Interview" button or option Solution: Only Owners, Recruiters, and users with Hiring Manager or Recruiter permissions on specific roles can create interviews. If you're a Team member, contact an Owner or Recruiter to create the interview. Also verify the role is in "Ready to Screen" or "Interviewing" stage - roles in other stages cannot be used for interviews.

Problem: Error message "This role is in the '[stage name]' stage and cannot be used for interviews" Solution: Only roles in "Ready to Screen" or "Interviewing" stages can be used for interviews. Move the role to one of these stages first, or select a different role.

Problem: Candidate phone number not auto-filling Solution: The phone number only auto-fills if the candidate record has a phone number stored. If the field is empty, the candidate may not have a phone number on file - you'll need to enter it manually.

Problem: Meeting link not being recognized Solution: Lavalier auto-detects meeting platforms from the URL. If your link isn't recognized, ensure it's a direct meeting link (not a shortened URL) and includes the full path. If you're using a platform other than Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, or Webex, it will be treated as a generic "virtual" meeting.

Problem: Cannot schedule for a specific date/time Solution: Scheduled interviews must be at least 3 minutes in the future. If you need to start immediately, use the "Interview Now" quick mode instead of scheduling.

Problem: Dialog closes without creating interview Solution: This typically indicates missing required fields. Make sure all required fields are filled: Candidate Name, Role, Interview Type, and any type-specific fields (like meeting URL for virtual or phone number for phone interviews). The submit button will be disabled if validation fails.

Best Practices

Follow these recommendations when creating interviews:

• Pre-fill meeting links: If you use the same Zoom room or meeting link regularly, keep it copied to your clipboard for quick pasting
• Verify candidate contact info: Before creating a phone interview, confirm the phone number is correct to avoid calling the wrong person
• Schedule with buffer time: When scheduling back-to-back interviews, add 5-10 minutes between them to allow for running over or setup time
• Use consistent interview duration: Standardize interview lengths for similar roles (e.g., all phone screens are 30 minutes, all technical interviews are 1 hour)
• Create interviews in advance: Schedule interviews as soon as candidates are confirmed to ensure the recording bot can be properly scheduled for virtual meetings
• Link to applications: When possible, create interviews from the application card so they're automatically linked to the candidate's application
• Check permissions first: If you'll need other team members to access the interview, ensure they have the appropriate role permissions before creating it
• Test your setup: For your first in-person or phone interview, test the recording method beforehand to ensure your equipment works correctly
• Use role context: Create interviews from the role page when interviewing multiple candidates for the same position - it pre-fills the role and maintains context

Understanding Interview Status

After creation, interviews have different statuses:

• Pending: Scheduled for future - appears in upcoming interviews list
• Running: Interview is currently in progress
• Processing: Interview completed and recording is being transcribed/analyzed
• Complete: Analysis finished and results are available

What Happens After Creation

After you create an interview:

1. Quick Mode ("Interview Now"):

   • Interview status is set to "Running"
   • You're redirected to the interview page
   • For virtual/in-person: Recording interface opens
   • For phone: Call is initiated immediately

2. Schedule Mode ("Schedule Interview"):

   • Interview status is set to "Pending"
   • For virtual interviews with meeting links: Lavalier's bot is automatically scheduled to join and record
   • Interview appears in "Upcoming Interviews" section
   • You and selected interviewers receive notifications
   • At the scheduled time, interview status changes to "Running"

3. For All Interviews:

   • Interview is linked to the specified role and candidate
   • Interview appears on the role's interviews list
   • Interview appears on the candidate's profile
   • If interview was created from an application, it's linked to that application

Additional Resources

• Managing and Editing Interviews
• Understanding Interview Permissions
• Recording Best Practices
• Verifying Phone Numbers for Caller ID
• Understanding User Permission Levels
• Inviting Interviewers to Your Account

FAQs

Q: Can I create multiple interviews for the same candidate? A: Yes! You can create as many interviews as needed for a candidate. Each interview can be for different roles or different stages of the same role's hiring process.

Q: Can I edit an interview after creating it? A: Yes, you can edit interviews before they start. Click the menu icon (•••) on the interview and select Edit Interview. Once an interview is running or complete, you cannot edit the core details, but you can update notes and feedback.

Q: What happens if I schedule a virtual interview without a meeting link? A: You must provide a meeting link for virtual interviews. The form validation will prevent you from submitting without one. If you don't have a meeting link yet, save it as a draft or schedule it once you have the link.

Q: Can Team members create interviews? A: No, only Owners, Recruiters, and users with Hiring Manager or Recruiter permissions on specific roles can create interviews. Team members can only participate in interviews they're assigned to.

Q: How far in advance can I schedule an interview? A: You can schedule interviews as far in advance as needed. There's no maximum future date limit. The only constraint is the minimum - interviews must be scheduled at least 3 minutes in the future.

Q: Can I use the same meeting link for multiple interviews? A: Yes, you can reuse meeting links (like a personal Zoom room). However, make sure the meetings don't overlap in time, as the recording bot can only join one meeting at a time per link.

Q: What if the candidate doesn't have a phone number on file? A: You can enter the phone number manually in the interview creation form. Consider updating the candidate's profile with the phone number so it auto-fills for future interviews.

Q: Can I create an interview without assigning it to a role? A: Currently, all interviews must be associated with a role. This ensures proper organization and permission management. If you don't have an appropriate role, create one first or use a general "Candidate Pipeline" role.

Q: How do I add multiple interviewers to an interview? A: During initial creation, you select one interviewer. After the interview is created, you can add additional interviewers by editing the interview and adding them to the interviewers list.

Q: What meeting platforms are supported for virtual interviews? A: Lavalier supports Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Webex, and Slack Huddles. Other video platforms can be used but will be categorized as generic "virtual" interviews.

Q: Can I cancel a scheduled interview? A: Yes, you can delete scheduled interviews before they start. Go to the interview page and click Delete Interview. Note that interviews created from calendar integrations cannot be deleted from Lavalier - you must delete them from your calendar app.