How to record an interview online

Recording online interviews has become an essential practice for professionals who need to document conversations accurately. The technology not only helps create reliable records but also enhances the quality of interactions by freeing participants from note-taking. This article explores why recording interviews is valuable, how to prepare properly, and best practices for using Circleback, a tool designed specifically for this purpose.

Why record online interviews?

Recording interviews offers numerous benefits:

Recording interviews gives you an accurate document of what was said. You don't miss important details while taking notes. You can focus fully on the conversation instead of writing. Later, you can review the conversation to extract insights you might have missed. You can transform interviews into articles, social media content, or training materials. And you create a reliable record of what was discussed and agreed upon.

Preparing for your online interview recording

Technical setup

Before recording any online interview, ensure you have:

• A stable internet connection (ideally wired rather than Wi-Fi)

• A quality microphone (even a basic headset is better than your computer's built-in mic)

• A quiet environment with minimal background noise

• Proper lighting if recording video

• Your notes or questions positioned near your camera

Legal and ethical considerations

Always obtain explicit permission before recording anyone:

• Inform participants that the call will be recorded

• Explain how the recording will be used

• Get verbal consent at the beginning of the recording

• Consider providing a written consent form for sensitive interviews

• Check local laws regarding recording consent requirements

Using Circleback for interview recording

Circleback is a comprehensive solution for recording online interviews with AI-enhanced features.

Getting started with Circleback

1. Create an account on circleback.ai

2. Schedule your interview using Circleback's scheduling features

3. Share the meeting link with your interviewee

4. Join the meeting room 5-10 minutes early to test your audio and video

Recording your interview with Circleback

Once your meeting begins:

1. Start the recording feature in Circleback

2. Make sure the recording indicator is visible

3. Start with introductions, stating the date, purpose, and confirming consent

4. Conduct your interview while Circleback handles the recording

5. Stop the recording after concluding your interview

Circleback's advanced features

Circleback goes beyond basic recording tools:

AI-powered transcription and notes

Circleback automatically generates:

• Complete text transcripts with speaker identification

• Concise summaries of key discussion points

• Automatically identified tasks from your conversation

• Transcription in over 100 languages

For example, if a participant says, "I'll send over those market reports by Friday, and we should schedule a follow-up call next week," Circleback will extract the action items: "Send market reports by Friday" and "Schedule follow-up call next week."

Integration capabilities

Circleback connects with your existing workflow through integrations with:

• Slack

• Notion

• Linear

• HubSpot

• Salesforce

• Attio

• Zoho

• monday.com

• Zapier

• And more

After an interview, you could have the meeting notes automatically sent to your CRM, action items assigned in your project management tool, and a summary posted to your team's communication channel—all without manual work.

Enterprise-grade security

For sensitive interviews, Circleback provides:

• SOC 2 Type II certification

• EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework compliance

• HIPAA compliance

• Data encryption both at-rest and in-transit

• Commitment not to use customer data to train models

Best practices for online interview recording

Before the interview

1. Conduct a quick test recording to check audio and video quality

2. Have your interview structure ready

3. Send your interviewee guidelines on technical requirements

4. Close unnecessary applications and silence notifications

During the interview

1. Start with easy questions to help your interviewee get comfortable

2. Let Circleback handle note-taking while you focus on the conversation

3. Address any audio or video problems promptly

4. Nod and maintain eye contact to encourage detailed responses

5. Give your interviewee time to think and elaborate

After the interview

1. Check that the entire interview was captured properly

2. Review the automated summary and action items

3. Make any necessary adjustments to the transcription

4. Distribute the recording or notes according to your agreed usage

5. Send a thank-you message to your interviewee

Real-world applications

Job interviews

HR directors can use recorded interviews to:

• Review responses without relying on memory

• Compare candidates objectively

• Share interviews with decision-makers who couldn't attend

• Extract action items for follow-up steps

Client consultations

Consultants can record client meetings to:

• Capture detailed requirements without missing anything

• Generate comprehensive meeting notes automatically

• Create accountability for deliverables

• Extract and assign client action items

Expert interviews

Content creators can record subject matter expert interviews to:

• Produce accurate transcripts for content creation

• Extract key insights for articles or reports

• Maintain a library of expert knowledge

• Generate multiple content pieces from a single interview

Troubleshooting common issues

Poor audio quality

If your recording has audio issues:

• Use an external microphone for better sound

• Ensure both parties are in quiet environments

• Ask participants to use headphones to prevent echo

• Consider recording backup audio using a separate device

Internet connection problems

To minimize connectivity issues:

• Connect via ethernet when possible

• Close bandwidth-heavy applications

• Ask participants to do the same

• Have a backup recording method ready

Participant hesitation

If interviewees seem uncomfortable with recording:

• Explain the purpose and benefits clearly

• Offer to share the recording afterward

• Agree on what will be recorded and how it will be used

• Consider starting with off-the-record conversation to build rapport