When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, an astonishing 42% of the U.S Labor force transitioned to work from home. The impact hit every facet of the workplace — including hiring. The process of a video interview is poised to be a dominant component of talent acquisition for the foreseeable future.
Traditionally, interviewing job candidates meant scheduling times for them to come on-site. The talent acquisition teams would need to coordinate all interested departments/parties within the company to be available for the on-site time slot.
This was the process for any potential candidate. Any candidate who made it past the Google job posting and the initial phone interview would be interviewed in-house.
But not in 2020.
A report by Checkster, which surveyed 400 U.S hiring managers after the pandemic hit, 43% had reported a large reduction in the number of in-person interviews, with 25% saying that had halted them completely. The surveyed group also claimed that video interviews were utilized 62% of the time throughout their screening processes.
But what exactly does a video interview consist of? What are the benefits? And what are some things teams should be looking out for when using them?
An On-Demand Video Interview Explained
With widespread access to video communication software — especially in today’s broader health climate — job seekers and hiring managers can save time (and safety) for both parties by conducting interviews through video.
Video interviews, at least in the early screening process, cut down on expense and time. And broadband internet access and the rise of video communications software such as HireVue and Avature have helped encourage a shift towards more video interviews for the hiring managers.
There are synchronous and asynchronous video interviews. In the case of synchronous, there is a live video chat happening between hiring managers/recruiters and candidates — a live 2-way conversation is held. Not unlike interviewing over the phone or in person.
With asynchronous interviews, also known as a one-way interview or an on-demand video interview, jobseekers record themselves responding to questions that the hiring team has sent them. The interviewee will be recording themselves “on-demand” in response to the pre-recorded questions.
The video component of these on-demand interviews helps the hiring manager get a better understanding of candidate demeanor and presentation. It usually replaces the phone screening process. This first interview is critical for making a good impression.
What To Look For In Video Interview Candidates
Hiring managers and recruiters spend countless hours of their workweeks interviewing candidates. To effectively use their time, they must know what desirable attributes to look for in hopeful job seekers.
Some of the desirable qualities to look for from candidates in an on-demand video interview are:
- Preparation and Attention to Detail
Qualified job candidates will come prepared for a job interview. They’ll have a great understanding of the company, brand ideology, and the position they are interviewing for.
If a candidate does not have their information straight or act collected in their presentation, chances are they aren’t ready for the position
- Presentation Skills and Enthusiasm
A video interview is a presentation. The best candidates will take advantage of the opportunity and give a great presentation of themselves, their qualifications, and their personality.
Candidates who are dressed inappropriately, cannot gather their words, and seem overly zealous for the interview to end are not ideal candidates.
How To Get The Most Out Of On-Demand Video Interviews
On-demand video interviews are great assets for talent acquisition teams. They not only provide an efficient way to screen candidates, but they are also data-rich informative tools.
Companies can better understand the quality of their job posts by reviewing their streams of candidates. Screening questions help to reveal recurring trends appearing within the candidate stream.
By intensively reviewing the applicants themselves — qualified and non-qualified candidates alike — the insights discovered can help craft better online job posts for future positions.
Talent acquisition teams can learn how to refine their messaging and targeting when creating online job posts, and sourcing future candidates.
Attracting The Best Candidates
Is the candidate stream that is coming into your business is consistently off-the-mark and not appropriate for the open positions? It’s time to reexamine the visibility of your online job posts.
Job posting platforms like Google for Jobs will allow you to align your job data accurately and create job visibility to clients who are qualified/seeking out what your company is offering. It’s time to get more strategic with your online job posts, and not waste time filtering out the noise.
To learn more about video interviews, online job posts, and how to post on Google for Jobs, please contact us.
