Try This – Video Interviewing

Shawnee Love   •   January 9, 2020

We are kicking off the new year highlighting some of the newer practices and technology which we think will benefit people leaders and workplaces in Canada.

The place we want to start is with Recruiting and the wonderful process of Video Interviewing.

I love this process because it offers the face to face contact which is so important when getting to know candidates (Reading body language for consistency with what the candidate is saying and also to assess their level of interest in the role are key things to look for when hiring).  It is also a much more efficient way to screen candidates because:

  • Employers:
    • Don’t have to drag candidates all the way to their location, so can often meet candidates sooner.
    • There is less space required to do a video interview than if meeting rooms are necessary.
    • Candidates are usually on time for video interviews.
    • If the candidate isn’t suitable and is “cut loose”, hopefully, the candidate will be less upset than if he or she had to come a long way and/or take time off work to come to the interview (i.e., had more invested).
    • A cost effective method of screening out of town candidates.
    • Works for group interviews too!
  • Candidates:
    • Can do a video interview from the comfort of their home or car without coming to your location, so they have to invest less up front.
    • Often feel more comfortable being interviewed in their own space than at the potential employer’s location.
    • Appreciate not having to commute/ drive/ park for an interview.

I still believe in hosting job candidate finalists in person, because there is more to a person than simply what meets the eye. E.g., a handshake and/or how the person smells might be important too. But alongside phone screens, in person interviews, group interviews and background checks, video interviews gather good information and help you winnow down the pool while using less time for both the employer and candidate.

At LoveHR, we accommodate the technology needs of our candidates, and have thus conducted video interviews on:

  • Skype,
  • Zoom,
  • Facetime,
  • MS Teams, and
  • Google Duo.

Even though the technology can sometimes cut in and out and candidates don’t get to experience your workplace (which is another reason a face to face interview is still recommended for finalists), we think the pros of video interviewing outweigh the cons. That’s why we encourage employers to consider Video Interviewing in 2020. Any questions about how to include Video in your recruiting process? We are here to help!