Video Interviewing: Smile for Me!
What about EEOC?
What if someone claimed discrimination?
What if the technology was too hard to futz with?
It was not accepted with open arms right off the bat. Companies like HireVue, GreenJobInterview and TakeTheInterview tried to explain away people’s fears, citing reduced cost for interviews, environmental benefits and snazzy collaboration features. So why are people still slow to adopt?
Blogger and HR Professional Jason Buss points out that the benefits are real in a four part series where he notes:
Done right, video interviewing is an end-to-end brandable solution that download-free, scalable and configurable to your workflow. It offers distinct capabilities and advantages: panel interviewing, enhanced candidate experience and engagement, and candidate support. Best of all, video interviewing is a solution drives higher quality hires and enhances your brand while reducing costs.
The EEOC has stepped in to give even more clarity on the subject likely spurred by a montage of new technologies entering the space. Startups in the HR Tech space have been going gangbusters since mid 2010 and video interviewing is no exception. Now that earlier concerns have been addressed, cost conscious recruiters have been asking different questions like:
How is it any different than using Skype or even a Google Hangout to facilitate a job interview?
Interestingly, there are best practices from several respected industry analysts on just those points and for certain types of organizations or jobs, Skype and similar solutions may work out fine. But one of the reasons that corporate accepted the older solutions were that they built features that make sense to HR Professionals and candidates alike and integrate more seamlessly (so sayeth the marketing documents) into current HR systems. Adding ATS integration, collaboration between hiring teams and technical support, sometimes even the webcams or equipment themselves, these solutions have become part of regular business practices in an increasingly global economy. Deloitte’s Talent Edge 2020 Report indicated that of the global talent initiatives mentioned by top business executives, assessment is high on the list:
Executives are aligning their talent management practices to identify and develop new leaders, create effective succession plans and build global workforces, the survey shows. A majority of executives surveyed say performance management (73 %), talent assessment (72 %) and high-potential employee development (71 %) are core talent priorities that will increase over the next 12 months.
Analysts like Bersin and John Sullivan stated five years ago that video interviewing was here to stay, in spite of the issues and concerns many HR Professionals fretted over. Now, they’re proven right as HireVue, arguably one of the strongest player in the space is used by thousands of candidates and hiring staff in more than 110 countries. Integrations with stalwart companies like Taleo, LinkedIn and more allow the trailblazers of video interviewing to make a strong case for total integration. Meanwhile, a new flock of pure play video interviewing solutions are being introduced into the SaaS HR Tech market. And while these are compelling, the social recruiting end-to-end companies are taking notice and building video interviewing into their platforms from launch.
It’s a strong vote of confidence across the board for a concept that many were touting as unthinkable and “not likely to last” just as half decade ago.