Today, the job market is candidate-driven. Unemployment remains low, and competition for top talent is fierce. As a result, companies are having to consider deviating from traditional hiring paradigms. It is unreasonable to expect job seekers to jump through a lot of hoops or inconvenience themselves as they are being recruited. Instead, employers need to be flexible, and offering live video interviews could impact hiring success.

Current Hiring Climate and Candidate Expectations 

Candidates use the hiring experience to gauge what they can expect from an employer if they are hired. In a recent survey, 68% of respondents felt the candidate experience was a reflection of how a company treats its employees, and many will use their initial impression to determine whether they will accept an offer if one is presented.

Additionally, about 51% of survey respondents admitted they continue to seek out opportunities even after a conditional offer has been extended. Couple that with the fact that 67% of employers reported that approximately one-quarter of new hires did not show up even though they accepted a position, and one could easily assume that lagging hiring process could lead to no-shows.

In the current climate, speedy hiring processes are essential. Top talent rarely stays available for long, so presenting an offer in a timely fashion makes a difference. Further, giving candidates convenient options for completing necessary steps can have an impact on recruiting success.

Candidates Prefer Video Interviews

One of the biggest reasons to consider live video interviews is that candidates prefer the approach. One survey showed that 57% of job seekers favored live video interviews, while only 34% said in-person interviews were ideal.

Plus, companies benefit from these arrangements, too. Forty-seven percent of organizations said that video interviewing shortened their time to hire.

Live Video Interviews Accommodate Working Professionals

In 2019, 32% of working professionals planned to change jobs during the year. While this represents a potential influx of talent, it also means accommodations may be necessary. Candidates who are currently employed might not have the ability to miss work to attend an interview elsewhere.

While an hour-long interview may seem like a small commitment to employers, that time doesn’t reflect the total length of the commitment for candidates. Job seekers also have to factor in travel time to and from the destination, which can be cumbersome depending on your location. Additionally, they have to plan on arriving 10 to 15 minutes early.

Live video interviews don’t require the same total time commitment. Since a candidate can participate from nearly anywhere, they can eliminate the commute part of the equation. While they may need to be ready before the interview begins, that time could potentially be shortened from 15 minutes to just five. As a result, a candidate may be able to participate in an interview during a lunch break, requiring no significant change to their schedule.

Expanding Talent Pools With Video Interviews

Candidates who live outside of your local area can participate in a live video interview. This can increase the size of your talent pool, allowing you to pursue job seekers from other parts of the country with greater ease.

Without the video option, you are essentially asking job seekers to travel into your area. Depending on the distance, this could involve a lengthy ride by car, bus or train, or even plane tickets. In any of those cases, that might not be an expense or time commitment a candidate is willing to shoulder, causing you to miss out.

A Similar Experience to the In-Person Alternative

During a live video interview, both the candidate and the recruiter get to take part in an active discussion while being able to see one another. This mimics the in-person experience more closely than phone interviews. Every person involved gets to take part in all aspects of the typical interview experience (building a rapport, assessing personalities, monitoring nonverbal communication, etc.). The only difference is they aren’t in the same physical space.

Video Interviewing Makes Companies Seem Tech-Savvy

Many candidates view companies that embrace live video interviews as being more innovative or open to technology. The approach shows the organization is willing to step away from a traditional paradigm and explore tech-based alternatives. This gives job seekers the impression the same attitude applies to other areas of the company, suggesting the prospective employer is willing to change with the times and adopt tools that increase efficiency.

Ultimately, live video interviewing allows companies to elevate the hiring experience, make the process convenient for job seekers, and experience shorter fill times. If you would like to learn more about this alternative to in-person interviewing, the team at Cloutera wants to hear from you. Contact us with your questions today and see how our modern hiring expertise can benefit you.

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