If you have not yet joined the ranks of companies using video interviewing, you will soon be in the minority. A growing number of companies of all sizes and across industries are integrating this technique into their recruitment practices because it is versatile, flexible and efficient.
Video interviewing offer a number of benefits, regardless of your company’s size:
- Eliminate scheduling hassles.
- Save time and money on travel and associated expenses, whether you’re bringing candidates into town for personal interviews or sending HR staff elsewhere to conduct group interviews. Instead, HR can focus their time and other resources on your final, top candidates.
- It’s more efficient, especially compared to a traditional process that involves multiple in-person interviews. You can shorter the hiring cycle, something that becomes particularly valuable when you need to hire many seasonal workers quickly and/or are likely to get a large volume of applications for a position.
- It’s more convenient than a phone call when there are multiple interviewers involved.
- It shows you’re up-to-date, something expected by younger generations.
Video interviewing can help you land the best candidates.
More and more companies are hiring without respect to geographic location. Perhaps the most significant benefit of video may be that it gives you access to candidates anywhere in the world. That opens more hiring doors because you’re no longer dependent solely on candidates with easy access to a fixed worksite.
This is an enormous opportunity for all types of companies as well as the candidates they’re hoping to hire. Technology makes it possible to work remotely, so it makes sense to use what is now an everyday technology – video – to recruit and interview prospective employees.
The fact your company is putting technology to work smartly and the benefits candidates themselves derive from your use of video combine to give prospective employees a top-notch impression of your company. Finding a desirable place to work is a key decision-making factor for many candidates.
There are two types of video interviews.
Recorded videos.
There’s no need for scheduling here, on your end or for candidates who may be worried about navigating an existing work schedule to set a time to meet with you. Your people save time, yet any number of individuals within your company can view any candidate’s video at their convenience, together or separately.
Pre-determined questions ensure each candidate addresses the same issues. Because they can record when it is convenient for them, they can take time in advance to prepare well-thought-out responses. For some candidates, these one-way video interviews may be more relaxing, enhancing their ability to impress.
Live video.
Skype and other web-based platforms make it easy to connect face-to-face with candidates anywhere in the world. The visual aspect enables candidates to get feedback, to see how their responses are being received.
Video enables interviewers to get a sense of candidates in terms of demeanor, body language, sense of humor or other personality traits that can be very important factors in candidate selection. Hiring the right person involves more than determining if they “know the material,” it’s about finding someone who will also be a good cultural fit within your company. Workers who fit in comfortably are far more likely to stick around, and given the cost of churn, more effective hiring translates into distinct bottom line benefits.
Some people have expressed concern that incorporating a visual element early in the assessment process could support discriminatory practices. However, employers counter that video actually helps them promote diversity.
It’s not likely video interviewing will entirely replace the personal touch, but given its many benefits for both your company and prospective employees, it is easy to understand why so many companies are turning to video to enhance their hiring practices.
