How Fall Recruiting for Retail is More Efficient with Video Interviewing

 Video interviewing is not just the latest fad in human resources, there is a detailed past, present, and future to video interviewing. One study suggests that 60 percent of companies with 20 or more employees are conducting video interviews with some frequency. Implemented in the right ways, video interviewing can be an extremely useful tool for the retail industry. It is possible to address some of the challenges facing the retail industry, find better retail employees, conduct more interviews in less time, and develop a career path for employees using video interviews.

Retail industry hiring challenges

The retail industry is up against some hard statistics and tough competitors. “Retailers report a median turnover rate of 67 percent for part-time store workers.” On top of that, online retailers are eating away at the tight margins traditional brick-and-mortar retailers are working with. This means savvy retailers need to make the most of every minute they spend in the interviewing and hiring process. This begins with finding better employees.

Find better employees

Given that, “82 percent of retailers surveyed expect to see the most turnover among their store hourly workers,” it’s important to find the right employee for the job. This begins by asking questions that relate to the culture and working conditions within a business. These questions can help identify candidates that match well with the company goals and objectives while eliminating those who may be a better fit elsewhere. However, this can take up a lot of time when these interviews are conducted in person. Using video interviews, it’s possible to conduct many more interviews in much less time.

More interviews in less time

With rising hiring costs and shrinking budgets, human resource managers are being asked to do more with less every year. Twenty-six percent of retailers are reporting that hiring costs have increased from last year. When interviews are conducted with video, there are two major benefits. First, the interview can be saved and reviewed at any time and by anyone in the organization. This makes it possible to refer back to the video from an interview when making a critical hiring choice. Second, video interviews make it possible to request that candidates respond to pre-defined questions via video. In this scenario, the interviewer simply reviews the response and is not required to take the time to ask every applicant the same set of questions. This feature alone results in huge time savings when sorting through a pool of applicants.

Make a lasting impression

The use of video interviewing shows that a company is forward thinking and innovative. This experience is the same for every job candidate and it offers an opportunity for applicants to speak up for their resume. This can make a positive and lasting impression on job applicants in search of long-term opportunities with your company.

This fall, retail companies should consider conducting video interviews to help reduce turnover, reduce costs for hiring, and help employees develop a clear picture for growth along a career path within the company.