Guest PostGiven the new landscape of work from home and hybrid working models, video interviews continue to gain popularity among recruiters. Apart from the convenience of reaching out to candidates from remote locations, video interviews will enable a plethora of other benefits.
In this article, we will look at why video interviews are the next big recruitment trend and its many benefits for interviewers and interviewees alike.
Types of video interviews
There are two types of video interviews: synchronous and asynchronous.
Synchronous interviews are typically conducted via a webcam interface and involve the interviewer and candidate being present during the interview. They are the closest alternative to face-to-face interviews,
Whereas, asynchronous video interviews mean the hiring manager is not present at all during the interview. The candidate generally has to give their responses on the video as questions show up on the screen.
6 Reasons Why Video Interviews Are The Future of Recruitment
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Time and cost-saving alternative
The first benefit is that it saves time for both parties. There is no need for travel or any other additional efforts on behalf of the recruiter or the candidate.
Video interviews also allow employers to weed out candidates who are unqualified for a position or who do not meet all the requirements listed on their job description. This saves time and resources which would otherwise be wasted on unqualified applicants.
Video interviews also allow employers to conduct multiple interviews in a day with candidates across different locations. This is extremely useful when hiring large teams at once since it reduces travel costs significantly while also improving productivity. This is because it allows people from different parts of the world to collaborate seamlessly on projects together without having to relocate if they eventually get hired.
With smart calendar tools and the right video call platform, remote interviews save a lot of time and effort that can be used for strategic decisions.
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Higher response rates
The second benefit is that it allows recruiters to reach out to more candidates in less time than with traditional methods like phone calls, emails or even face-to-face meetings. This will result in higher engagement from candidates who would otherwise be reluctant to respond to phone calls or attend in person due to time constraints or other unforeseen circumstances.
There are a plethora of factors when it comes down to trying to find employment and often candidates will look for more than just a decent salary; they will factor in the perks a company is offering. These could include healthcare coverage, holiday time, daily commute duration, work from home policy, company culture and other aspects before accepting a position with any company.
Conducting video interviews ties in here beautifully as you can immediately showcase to a potential hire that your company values their time. By eliminating the commute process and by adopting new methods of hiring, i.e., video interviews, you could stand at the forefront when candidates have to pick their final offer.
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Reduces bias
Thirdly, video interviews help reduce bias by allowing recruiters or trusted recruiting agencies to make their decisions based on what they see and hear rather than relying solely on written communication via emails. Additionally, it helps interviewers avoid biases like a first impression and the contrast effect.
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Personalized approach
Furthermore, it is a more personal way of conducting a job interview as compared to telephonic meetings. This helps in building rapport with the candidate and getting them interested in your job position.
The candidate can give better answers to questions asked by the recruiter since there is no pressure of being scrutinized by someone who is physically present. Also, the recruiter can take notes during the interaction and use that information for further analysis of their hiring decision.
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Allows interviewees to present themselves better
Video interviews are a great tool for candidates to showcase their personality and skills. They are also cost-effective, allowing you to reach out to more people in a short span of time. Since most of our communication is non-verbal, it’s important that candidates have the right body language and tone while speaking. Video interviews allow recruiters to assess this aspect before moving on with other parts of the recruitment process.
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Can be embraced by companies of any size
It can be used as an initial screening tool or as a final round interview depending on what kind of job you are hiring for (entry-level or senior level). A lot of major companies have even adopted this technology to keep up with the changing scenario of the working models. Similarly, small-sized companies can implement video interviews as part of their recruitment strategy as it helps them save money while also ensuring that only the best candidates are shortlisted in the interview process.
Video Interviews: Recent Statistics
Now that we know the benefits of video interviews, let us look at some of the current statistics:
- There has been a rather significant rise in video conferencing usage. The daily traffic on Zoom increased to 535% since 2020 owing to the pandemic.
- A majority of 78% of people use video conferencing for remote work.
- Video meetings have reduced costs by 47%.
- 51% of people see companies as innovative and 55% see them as collaborative when companies use video conferencing tools.
- Video interviews are deemed 6 times faster than traditional phone interviews.
- Recruiters are able to close open positions up to 14 days earlier because of conducting video interviews.
(These have been sourced from multiple places such as here, here, and here)
How To Create A Positive Video Interviewing Experience
While video interviews are a great way to vet potential candidates, if you do not conduct them properly, you may create a less than ideal experience for candidates. So, keep these points in mind before conducting your next interview to nail the video interviewing experience:
- Plan ahead and make sure you are in a no-distraction area during the interview
- Although a virtual process, try to create a ‘human’ experience for the candidates
- Respect the candidate by joining the call on time
- Additionally, prepare ahead by reviewing their resume and portfolio before the call so that you know what questions to ask them
- It is crucial to check the candidate’s availability for the interview. It becomes all the more important when you are speaking with people who are situated in different time zones than you.
Summing Up
The recruitment industry is evolving rapidly with the rise of remote working and hybrid working models. The traditional face-to-face interview is no longer practical for recruiters in these situations, so they are moving toward using video interviews as a suitable alternative.
Video interviews remove geographical barriers and allow recruiters to reach out to more candidates who would otherwise be unavailable due to location constraints. Video interviews also enable recruiters to conduct interviews at their own convenience and not have to worry about travel time or other logistical issues such as location availability, traffic conditions etc.
So, are video interviews the future of recruitment? Yes, they are and it is prudent to get on the bandwagon at an early stage. This way, you will not miss out on finding the right fit for your company.
About the Author
Denise Langenegger is part of the team at Instasize – a content creating tool kit for anyone editing photos and online content on mobile.
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