The concept of video
job interviews isn’t new. We can’t pinpoint exactly when employers began using the internet’s bandwidth to
see candidates instead of just listen to them, but most recruiters agree that, in the 12 years since Skype launched, the number of employers working video into their recruiting process has steadily grown. Today, a majority of companies
use some kind of video when they’re hiring. According to HR.com, 62 percent of businesses with 1,000 or more workers conducted video interviews in 2018. (That compares to 32 percent of those with fewer than 100 employees.) Meanwhile, 45 percent of the HR professionals who haven’t used video are either considering it or have decided to start soon. As they’ve become more popular, video interviews have also become more sophisticated. HR.com says 29 percent of the employers using them have moved beyond Skype, Slack or similar tools to take advantage of dedicated solutions. Platforms such as HireVue, Montage and VidCruiter, for example, allow companies to do everything from offer interviews on-demand to analyze tone of voice and physical movement to gauge a candidate’s level of comfort or stress.
Video: More Intelligent Recruiting
Most video-interview tools include features designed to relieve recruiters of mundane tasks such as transferring information or scheduling meetings. In some cases, they do even more: Interviews are “conducted” by the system, not a live recruiter or hiring manager. Candidates sign in, agree to the terms of service and talk their way through a series of pre-recorded questions. If responding to a machine sounds dry, or even Big Brother-ish, VidCruiter CEO Sean Fahey said employers can use these sessions to introduce the company’s culture. Candidates interviewing with the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, for example, take their questions from a videoed
Dominique Wilkins. “That’s a pretty cool experience for a candidate,” Fahey said. “They see prerecorded videos of Dominique Wilkins and then answer their questions to Dominique Wilkins.” Convenience is also a factor, said HireVue CEO Kevin Parker. “Our customers are interviewing candidates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year,” he said. Around 60 percent of those interviews are delivered to customers outside of normal business hours, while 40 to 45 percent are conducted on mobile phones. “When you think about the all the logistical challenges associated with just getting to an office to sit across the table from somebody, you democratize the process by making sure everybody can interview at a time and place and location that’s the most convenient for them,” he said. “The modern candidate’s experience is central to everything we do,” added Greg Meyers, vice president of technology strategy at Montage. “Our product innovations are focused around enhancing the candidate experience, accelerating the hiring process and using A.I. and predictive technologies to facilitate smarter decision-making among both candidates and recruiters.”
Streamlined Process, Faster Pipeline
Some video platforms can be integrated into applicant tracking systems and assessment tools, simplifying and speeding up the pipeline. VidCruiter, for example, comes with a tested workflow. Others, such as HireVue, help develop interview questions that can tease out traits that align with successful current employees. Montage automates routine tasks such as initial applicant screenings and interview scheduling to give recruiters more time for strategic work. But most importantly, these platforms can help organizations improve the way they interview. “We all understand the value of structured interviewing. It turns out that humans are the weakest part of that process,” Parker said. Often interviews begin with small talk before people get down to business, which can push the discussion off-track. “We sit down with someone or get on the phone with someone and it becomes, ‘I grew up in New York. You grew up in New York?’ or ‘Did you play lacrosse? I played lacrosse.’ Suddenly the whole idea of a structured interview goes out the window.” For companies wrestling with improving their candidate pipeline, these kinds of tools can certainly streamline the process—and hopefully ease at least some recruiter stress.
