Human Resources Blog - Spark Hire

Discovering the Advantages of Video Interviewing at WSP Australia

Julia Murphy, the Talent Acquisition Projects Lead of WSP Australia, was initially looking for a platform to engage their graduate audience. Her goal was also to improve their screening efficiency for select positions. Murphy and her team receive close to 3000 graduate applications per year across Australia for around 125 positions, so finding an efficient and economical solution to screening was crucial. That’s when Murphy decided to look into video interviewing. She discovered Spark Hire, and it became a necessary tool for the HR team. 

Finding the Right Fit

When Murphy and her team began digging into video interview platforms, she knew they needed something reliable and easy-to-use. With such a wide talent pool she needed the ability to share recorded video interviews across the hiring team. Usually, WSP’s team would go through a process of reviewing resumes, screening candidates by phone, and then finally bringing in candidates for face-to-face interviews. Murphy quickly realised the team needed a screening and interviewing process that would save their organisation time sifting through candidates. She also knew saving time would save her team money, allowing them to grow their HR efforts. That’s when Murphy turned to Spark Hire’s video interviewing software for an innovative solution. 

Seeing the Results

After incorporating Spark Hire’s software into their hiring process, Murphy and WSP’s Head of Talent Acquisition and Mobility, Andy Cross, almost immediately reported significant improvement. Now, the team estimates it takes a fraction of the time to review a one-way video interview compared to the significant time commitment of organising and performing a 20 to 30 minute phone screen. As a result, they have saved an estimated 100 hours during their recent graduate candidate selection process. Not to mention the added value of being able to share one-way videos with key stakeholders across the business. Sharing interviews results in more insightful feedback and much more confident hiring decisions. 

“Video interviewing over Skype or MS Teams is nothing new for our processes in the Talent space,” explained Murphy. “However, the ability to coordinate a simultaneous response and have their answers pre-recorded as part of the selection process was very handy. This format also added credibility to the high-volume screening process that is undertaken with graduate recruitment.”

Video interviewing has also allowed WSP Australia to cast a wider net over their candidate pool. In the same amount of time it would have taken to interview 3 or 4 candidates by phone, Murphy and Cross can now cover more than double with video interviews. Casting a wider net led them to a more qualified candidate selection process. 

Introducing Video Interviewing to the Rest of the Team

Murphy and Cross knew they needed impressive results before introducing the new technology to the rest of WSP. They initially started using Spark Hire for graduate candidates, but once the process delivered results they extended the use to cover internal applications too. Everyone who has used the platform has been able to experience the many benefits of using Spark Hire’s easy-to-use video technology and simple process flow. Now, WSP’s team uses Spark Hire for graduate candidates, internal applicants, and senior appointments.

“Managers really appreciated getting to review the online short one-way interviews as part of the decision-making process, of who to interview. This not only added another layer of credibility and ease to our screening process but also positively impacted the business,” said Murphy.

An Essential Hiring Tool

Video interviewing is now an essential part of WSP Australia’s candidate selection process. By reducing phone screens and replacing them with one-way video interviews, WSP’s talent acquisition is streamlined.  Candidates are quickly qualified by key decision-makers and improve selection efficiencies. Beyond the screening process, Spark Hire’s software has provided a more interactive experience for hiring managers, allowing for better communication and insightful feedback. Overall, the team can’t imagine going back to a hiring process without the advantages of video interviewing.

Jordyn Shelton

Jordyn works as a B2B Copywriter on Spark Hire's marketing team. When she's not writing, she enjoys reading a good book, attempting new recipes in the kitchen, bingeing a true crime show, or snuggling her dog Lou.