Save on Recruiting Costs with Video Interviews!

I ran across the following article by Peter Capodice from Capodice & Associates on the use of video interviewing to reduce recruiting costs (by nearly 50% they estimate!). I thought it was excellent and wanted to pass it along! 

Video Interviews as a Phone Screening Alternative

Top talent are more mobile than ever thanks to technology. Accessing them means employing that same technology to get through to them. Many organizations are beginning to embrace video interviews as a way to save time and money while dramatically increasing the pool of potential candidates.

There are many great reasons to replace phone interviews with video interviews.

Four such reasons are as follows:

• Increased convenience for candidates and hiring managers – Many vendors allow an organization to set up specific questions to be asked. Candidates can record the video on their schedule. Recorded interviews can also allow great access to passive candidates.
• Increased access to talent worldwide – Live interviews via Skype or Face Time allow candidates and hiring managers to have hiring conversations at anytime, anywhere.
• Decreased interview bias – The same questions are used for all candidates, which creates a level playing field. Other biases based upon dress or quality of handshake is also eliminated.
• Interviews can be reviewed by more than one person – Videos can be viewed by several key decision-makers to determine if the candidate should move onto the next stage of the interviewing process. This allows for a panel interview to be conducted without placing the pressure of the panel upon the candidate.

One of the biggest apprehensions with video interviews is that the candidate can script their responses. If an outside vendor is used, the probability of this is low. The organization will load in the questions. When the candidate clicks start, the question will appear. There will be a short time delay to allow the candidate to think about their response, and then the webcam begins recording. To attempt a second or third take in recording the answer to any question is typically not allowed. When viewing the final footage, hiring managers can look for body language, such as reading from a script. The body language a candidate uses in a video can sometimes be more authentic than that of an in person interview. After all, candidates are not sitting directly in front of you with your gaze upon them. As the interviewer, you will be able to ascertain a more authentic and genuine version of this candidate; such as degree of confidence, deceit, comfort, honesty, eye contact, ethic, etc., than you may otherwise have been able to ascertain if interviewing in person (some may know how to “fake it” in person, but not necessarily to a device).

Video interviews are not for everyone, every organization, or every candidate alike. Organizations should pilot a video interview program before completely abandoning phone screenings. Phone screenings may never be completely eliminated for some. Approximately one-in-three candidates will refuse to do a video interview. It is up to the organization to determine if this is a self-selection process or if phone interviews will be conducted with those individuals.

Many video interviewing vendors can integrate into an existing ATS (applicant tracking system). This allows for the video to be saved on the candidate’s file. The hiring manager can make notes on the candidate and determine which first round candidates should be invited to the second round of face-to-face or live interviews.

Video interviews are not a final decision-maker, but are a great way to screen many candidates in a short period of time.

I hope you found this interesting and perhaps useful. Feel free to pass it along!

If there’s a topic that affects franchising that you wish you would hear more about, I’m all ears! Our goal over here is to support the wonderful world of franchising!

Have a fantastic rest of the week.

More soon…

Katrina

P.S. If recruiting and retaining employees is a hot button for your franchisees, let’s talk. We have a handful of awesome speakers that could run a fantastic breakout session at your next event!