At the risk of sounding cliché, the pandemic kicked up plenty of new trends that employers and workers around the globe had to adapt to. Now while remote working and how to ace that practice is old news, what we’ve not really talked about is the other facet that has stuck around; video interviews.
All part of the hybrid element
The option of remote working has become synonymous with many jobs these days, so much so that it’s practically a requirement for an employee to have at least one day working from home, or wherever they like. In a similar way, many interviews, particularly the first ones are being conducted online. With Malta having inoculated some 70% of the population, which translates to herd immunity in terms of COVID-19, video interviews are as likely to remain as WFH.
Data shows that hiring managers are able to assess candidates more thoroughly, with reduced bias and it also improves the candidate experience. For the candidate, there’s no need to leave the comfort of their home, engage with traffic and parking issues and feel less pressure and can therefore give a better account of themselves.
Added to that, video interviews streamline the hiring process and make it more data-driven, inclusive, and predictive than traditional methods ever were. So, now that we know video interviews can bring out the best for all involved, how do you as an employer, make sure you’re getting across in the right way?
Here’s how to do it
Much like face-to-face meetings though, there’s an art and science to making sure you leave the best impression, whether it’s a first, second or last interview that you’re conducting. That’s right; given the way markets have been shaken up, you’re competing with other companies for the right talent. Offering a decent wage is no longer a deal clincher; office conditions, team spirit, and company values (among others) also need to be right for the candidate to choose your organisation.
First and foremost, interviews need to be as structured and objective as possible. Though this also applies to in-person interviews, it’s easier to get sidetracked during face-to-face interaction rather than screens. Structured interviews are far easier to conduct via video, especially if instead of conducting the interview yourself, candidates have to record a video of themselves providing the answers; it’s as objective as possible and completely negates the possibility of small talk.
Inclusivity and diversity are just as key as any other metric by which candidates judge a company. It’s also more than just the “fun” of having a diverse team; the more inclusive and varied, the more innovative and engaging they tend to be. Some video interviewing platforms even enable you to conduct the interview blind by disabling the webcam and hiding personal information, ensuring an equality-based interview.
Last but not least in this guide is focusing on candidate experience. The first step of showing a candidate that your company meets their expectations is by showing that your hiring process is a fair and inclusive one. You can also remind candidates that responses are consistently assessed against a set of objective criteria.
So, in summary…
Basically, video interviews are a great way of properly introducing a candidate to your brand. Added to that, your company benefits because the whole process is more structured, decisions are taken based on factual evidence and since diversity is pushed forward, opportunities for innovation and engagement increase, which eventually means increased profits.
Will you continue making use of video technology for interviews, or do we need to go back to traditional interview approaches?
