LET’S GET A FEW THINGS STRAIGHT ABOUT VIDEO IN RECRUITMENT

It will come as no surprise to learn that video interviews are the fastest accelerating form of technology in the hiring process. However, we are inadvertently lumping together several video formats, and treating them all as the same.

These are (in no particular order):

1.??????2-way video interviews, where the candidate and hiring manager share a live video call, and replicate most closely the traditional in-person interview.

2.??????Asynchronous video submissions. These are not actually interviews, but rather audition recordings, where a jobseeker is prompted to answer several questions on recorded video, and perhaps add a more free-form introduction to their skills, experience, and abilities.

3.??????Video CV’s / resumes. These are usually fairly brief, and are most similar to a traditional cover letter, in that they accompany a regular CV / resume document, and give a more 3-dimentional picture of the candidate.

4.??????Video portfolio. This is a more extensive collection of content on video, showing a broader range of the candidate’s work, and usually (if at all) appears in the middle of the hiring process.

5.??????Video job adverts, where the employer takes the first step, and potential applicants get to see their new boss on screen, introducing the role, the organisation, and sharing the prospects for the successful new hire.

6.??????Employer Branding video content: These can be as broad or focused as you like, but essentially share the experience of working in an organisation, and let prospective employees realistically picture themselves working there.

Only item 1 can be described as an actual interview, where both parties are able to engage, question, and assess each other in real-time. Remember that the purpose of the interview is as much for the applicant to assess the employer, and to gather enough information upon which to decide to accept an offer, if it is made.

By requesting an asynchronous video submission from a candidate, employers are effectively saying “We want to assess you before you get to judge us”. Even in candidate-rich markets, this will be seen as unfair, but in the current hiring landscape this will also have a detrimental effect on application numbers and quality.

Video applicants have a very real concern that they will be judged for their looks, their colour, and even any visible disabilities. They worry that those reviewing the video will switch off after 10 seconds, if they don’t like what they see. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to reassure candidates that this is not the case, by explaining your process.

In order to engender trust in your process, it is vital that employers make the first move, and put their hiring managers on screen for the benefit of potential applicants. Only by being open and transparent can you demonstrate your company culture, humanise your organisation, and authentically share the role you are hoping to fill.

More than that, by sharing your own video up-front, you are setting the tone, and making it clear that you are not expecting impossibly high production values from candidates. This is also a great way to demonstrate that you are not judging applicants on how they look, but rather, you are encouraging the greatest diversity from potential new hires.

There are a raft of video technology providers to the Talent Aquisition sector, including (but not limited to): SparcStart, HireServe, Odro, Willo, and VideoMyJob.

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220121-the-jobseekers-boosting-their-applications-with-video-cvs

Stephen O'Donnell is the Chief Growth Officer for TAtech , the organisation for technology providers to the talent acquisition sector.