Video Interviewing Phenomena – Fad or Future?

Is video interviewing technology a fad or our future? Whenever I am asked this question, it makes me recall the success story of Netflix. Netflix originally wanted to partner with Blockbuster, but Blockbuster thought the Netflix concept would not last. Today, I hardly see any Blockbuster stores, while Netflix has become a household name. In other words, my take is that video interviewing technology is here to stay and will continue to evolve and be used beyond interviews and screening, such as onboarding and succession planning.

Not too long ago, I was sitting in my cubicle working on some non-value add presentation slides, when my then manager and a mentor Stuart Hockridge walked in and handed me a report that showed the cost of candidate travel. The amount was shockingly high. Stuart suggested I look into video interviewing technology as a potential solution to reduce candidate travel costs.

As I embarked on this journey and met vendors and organizations that use video interviewing technology, I quickly realized that this was not just about reducing candidate travel cost. According to IDC, 70 percent of workers have some sort of mobility. In this virtual environment, this technology not only reduces candidate travel, but also allows hiring managers, recruiters and interviewers who are working remotely to interact with the candidates – from anywhere and at a time that’s most convenient to them.

My top reasons for using video interviewing technology are:

• Boundary-less Recruitment: This technology enables companies to reach out to top talent globally and effectively manage the recruitment process from fewer locations.
• Transform HR from International to Global: If HR truly wants to be global in an organization, it has to adapt to mobile technology like video interviewing. Smartphones, for example, outsell PCs in growing markets like India and China, yet HR often times has yet to catch up on executing on a mobile strategy.
• Candidate Experience: It is all about candidate experience. According to an NPS survey I conducted, of our candidates appreciated the time flexibility that video interviewing afforded them since they could complete the interview at a time that was best for them; agreed it’s a fair and consistent process; and it's an effective way for an employer to get to know them.
• Hiring Manager and Recruiter Efficiency: Most talent acquisition organizations are trying to reduce costs. Video interviewing technology can reduce screening costs by up to 35 percent and interviewing costs by 50 percent.. Video interviewing removes the time intensive tasks associated with scheduling and rescheduling interviews and interviewing the wrong candidates, and gives managers and recruiters more time to focus on strategic tasks instead.
• WOW Hiring Managers: Hiring managers, who are not shy to embrace new technology, will be thrilled to use this technology. Compared to many other tools HR makes them use, this is by far the easiest technology to learn. Hiring managers can now record short videos introducing themselves, the culture of the organization and even video record questions in a recorded screening interview. They can spend time with the best candidates only and review candidates when on the road, from a hotel room, or while on vacation.
• Early Talent Recruitment: University recruitment as well as military recruitment (in US) initiatives can truly benefit from this technology. Recruiters can reach out to more candidates in more colleges and universities in less time.
• Branding and EVP: Companies can build branded video interviewing portals as well as share opening and closing short videos to promote employer value proposition. 

How to get started with video interviewing? I suggest partnering with a vendor and conducting a pilot study. Seek volunteers in your organization who understand technology and aren’t afraid of change, who want to use technology to reduce cost, improve efficiency and the candidate experience and who have the capacity to learn and try it out. Use success stories from your pilot to roll out the technology organization-wide. Involve IT and Legal in advance to make sure you have no surprises later on.

Shahbaz Alibaig is an accomplished Leadership and Human Resource Development professional with proven track record in learning, organizational development, recruitment, change management, strategic planning, and IT. He has passion for integrating people, technology and process to yield results