How to Integrate Video Interviews Into Your Hiring Process in 2013
Utilizing video interviewing is one solution many recruiters and hiring managers are finding helpful for connecting with top talent. In fact, a recent survey by Office Team found six in 10 companies were embracing video interviews in their hiring process.
But just how do you integrate video interviews into your hiring process in 2013 to connect with candidates and fill your open positions? Here are a few ways video interviewing can be implemented into your current process to make finding the best easier than ever in the new year:
Replace Phone Screens
Phone screens are often the first way you connect with candidates. You’re not quite sure you want to commit to bringing the candidate in, but their resume was intriguing and you want to know more. A phone screen is a good way to help you weed out good-on-paper but bad-in-person candidates before they’re sitting across the desk from you.
Unfortunately, phone screens can be just as ineffective as calling someone in for an interview based solely off their resume. This is because phone screens are actually fairly time-consuming in nature. The typical phone screen usually takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. However, after years of fielding candidates, the odds are you know within the first few minutes whether or not this person is right for the job.
The end result has you stuck on the phone with a lackluster candidate, wasting both your time and theirs in a bid for tact. And it’s certainly not like you can cut off a candidate if you want to maintain a positive candidate experience instead of harvesting bitter grapes.
Integrating one-way video interviews into your current screening process is a great solution to this common problem. In a one-way video interview, employers pose a set of questions candidates then answer on video. This allows employers to standardize questions across multiple candidates and not waste time when someone is immediately all wrong for the job.
In fact, a study by the Aberdeen Group showed employers can watch a whopping ten video interviews in the time it takes to perform one phone screen. If your goal in 2013 is to save time weeding through candidates, one-way video interviews could be a viable solution.
Connect with Far-Flung Candidates
The war for talent is still raging, and the skills gap has made the fight even more essential. According to the Job Preparedness Indicator, only 17 percent of hiring managers are finding candidates with the right skills and qualifications for their open positions.
This means it might be time to expand your geographical boundaries when looking for the right person for an important job. You can’t afford to ignore talent pools just because they’re not located in your own backyard. With the tough economy making wallets thinner, however, many companies just can’t afford to fly out multiple candidates for in-person meetings.
This is where integrating live video interviews into your process can really save both time and money. Instead of flying a candidate out, putting them up in a hotel, and showing them around you can merely start up your webcam and start interviewing. If the candidate doesn’t turn out to be the superstar you need or they change their minds about relocating, you’re no longer out the cost of a plane ticket.
Collaborate With Your Team
Getting the whole hiring team together can often be a nightmare. This can lead to several rounds of interviews with candidates and can even delay making a final job offer. With the war for talent we’ve previously mentioned, not jumping on a great candidate can be a fatal mistake. By the time you get around to making an offer, you might find that your competitor has swooped them up instead.
An easy way to integrate video interviews into your hiring process is to use them to get everyone in the team on the same page. You can share notes on a one-way video interview candidate or discuss candidates without being physically in the same room.
When it comes to performing live video interviews, these meetings can be recorded, so even team members not present can still evaluate the applicant. Making it easier for everyone involved to weigh in means you can make decisions faster and move on great candidates before they’re snatched up.
Video interview technology can help you cut down your phone screens, save money on travel, and make faster offers to top-tier candidates. So before the ball drops on 2012 and ushers in 2013, it might be time to evaluate how you can integrate video interviews into your existing hiring process.
What are some ways you can integrate video interviews into your hiring process? Share in the comments!