Video chat and conferencing can be a hiring manager’s dream. Finding the right person for the job is challenging enough, but the time required to do so can make it even more painful. Videoconferencing (VC) can help alleviate both pain points.
More and more companies are opting to conduct their first round of interviews (or even all of their interviews) using VC tools, which are often enabled by cloud services. The reasons for the rise in this application are simple—it makes sense . . . dollars and sense.
Travel Cost Savings
Any hiring manager wants to cast as wide a net as possible for applicants, but often that can be cost prohibitive. You can only fly so many people in without busting the budget . . . and only so many people are willing to travel great distances unless they’re feeling confident about the job and the opportunity. VC breaks down those geographic barriers. Instead of being limited to who is within driving distance, hiring managers can choose any solid applicant with an Internet connection (and that’s pretty much everyone).
Those first virtual interviews can screen out the “no thank yous” at a much lower cost and narrow down the list of who warrants a face-to-face follow up.
Fewer Scheduling Headaches
The logistical nightmare associated with the hiring process is real. Trying to coordinate the schedules of both the interviewer and the interviewees can make anyone reach for the Advil. It becomes even more complicated if more than one company representative wants to be present for the vetting process.
With VC, all parties only need to block out enough time for the meeting itself, not the travel to and from the interview site. Plus, they can come together virtually, no matter where they are physically, as long as they can get online. And let’s say not everyone can actually make the meeting in real time—there’s the added benefit that most VC can be recorded and reviewed post-interview, at a more convenient time.
The Preference of Interviewees
Hiring by Skype or other video meeting tools isn’t just a boon for human resources departments. According to PGi, a leading provider of collaboration software and services, 66 percent of the talent pool prefers to use video during the interview process.
The Bottom Line
If you are concerned that today’s videoconferencing tools are similar to those of yesteryear, think again. You can rest easy when utilizing VC as a hiring tool for your company or embracing the medium if you are a job applicant. Gone are the days when VC sessions usually started with at least 10 minutes of confusion (“How do I connect?” “I can’t hear you.” “I can’t see myself.”). Most new generation VC tools actually deliver what they promise. Better mobile network bandwidth, more intuitive interfaces, and high-definition audio and video have made VC less of a gimmick and more of a go-to communication option.
Still not convinced? You may have no choice. Given the massive migration of millennials into the workforce, “Videoconference usage is destined to increased,” observes Andrew Davis of Wainhouse Research, “Price and the performance continue to move in the right direction, and that makes videoconferencing far more feasible for many, many people.”
The bottom line? For both job applicants and for HR, the use of VC makes the interview process less costly and more convenient for all involved. Empty slots get filled much faster, more conveniently, and at less of a hit to the budget.
Learn More: On-Camera Coach
If you found this information valuable, check out my book, On-Camera Coach: Tools and Techniques for Business Professionals in a Video-Driven World, now available from Wiley Publishing. On-Camera Coach aims to take the mystery out of communicating through the camera and provides specific tips and techniques that can make your message sing—and you, the messenger, feel confident in a job well done.