Author: Caribbean HR Solutions

Technology is at the core of our business. With Headhunting and High volume recruiting being one of our core services, we continue to evolve over the years by leveraging the use of technology in our everyday operations. We started this efficiency journey 8 years ago when we implemented our talent management systems, to process job applications and manage the hiring process hiring process at a faster yet more effective rate.

But we didn’t stop there; We continued to ask ourselves the question: How can we increase our efficiency levels and revolutionize the way we do business? The answer use video interviewing.

As our clients seek to recruit and select the best talent in the already competitive labor market, the initial screening process can be hectic and time consuming! Recruiters will be expected to reach out to prospective candidates, shortlist through primitive, standardized screening processes, and attempt to schedule interviews at a time convenient to the interviewer and applicant. Recruiters are generally confined to the schedule dictated by the clients as a result of their jam-packed itineraries. With this rigid approach to recruiting the candidates are typically required to adjust their schedules to suit the respective client. This approach can be tedious, and often times problematic to all parties involved.

The alternative to this would be to conduct an over-the-phone interview. This method, however, is limited by the recruiter’s ability to document verbatim what is said by the candidate. The client is therefore left to rely on the recruiters account of what the candidate said. In addition, phone screens are not time convenient, and notes taken is open to human error. As a result, Caribbean HR Solutions has implemented the use of a video interviewing tool that will aid in solving these recruiting and selection issues.

Scheduling a candidate for an interview, regardless of the nature or level of the job, generally requires that our client and candidate take 1 hour out of their day to facilitate this interview. Additional time for travel for both candidate and client (if in different geographical locations) must also be taken into consideration. Sometimes the interview process is delayed because the client or the candidate is out of country and would have to wait until either returns to the country to conduct the in-person interview. The video interview tool, however is a web-based application which enables both the client and the candidate to be anywhere in the world but still have access the tool. This means that there are no longer any geographical restrictions in the interview process with the use of a video interview tool. As the tool functions over the internet, candidates and the client alike are able to access the tool where-ever they are, on a desktop, laptop or mobile device, as long as they have access to the internet.

The video interview tool allows both client and candidate to conduct and review the interview at their own convenience. The client also has the leisure of re-reviewing the interview at a later date should the candidate move-forward. This is also an important feature for passive candidates who are not actively seeking a change in employment. As these candidates do not actively need a job change, they are less likely to be inconvenienced in the job-hunting process. This will allow them the opportunity to be considered as a potential candidate without the inconvenience of taking time off from work.

Oftentimes during an interview, a client is able to identify that the potential candidate is not a good fit from 30 seconds to 1 min of the interview. However, the client usually has to continue the interview for a period so as to leave the candidate with the perception as though they have been “interviewed”. With the tool the clients do not have to waste time interviewing unsuitable candidates. If they determine that the candidate is unsuitable after a short period, they are able to quickly rule out that candidate by hitting a “stop or “pause” button and moving on to the next candidate. By not having to conduct face-face interview they are able to quickly screen out bad candidates. Moreover, should a candidate decide to not show for a scheduled interview, the client would have wasted time waiting on that candidate. With the interview tool the clients will be able to review only applicants who were submitted by the recruiter so if a candidate decides not to submit their video interview, they would have been no wasted time.

Furthermore, the video interview tool fosters collaboration and comprehensive feedback as multiple team members are able to review, grade and comment on the candidate’s interview. The client also has the capability to compare the candidates directly with one another to ensure that they are choosing the best fit. Many candidates might find it intimidating to be in an interview with many interviewers. With this method the candidates can be reviewed by many potential team members without the fear of being in front of many persons. The interviewer is able to observe body language and pick up on non-verbal cues that might not have been otherwise present in a phone screen and the candidate is able to be more comfortable in their own environment.

With the high costs associated with bad hires such as increased turnover, back-filling and training costs, it is important for hiring managers to able to gain as much insight into their candidates from the get-go and hire the best person for the job. This tool enables recruiters to take all these factors into consideration as well as solicit input prior to making their final decision on the top candidate for the role.

With the incorporation of this tool into our recruiting and selection processes, our clients are pleased with the increase levels of efficiency and have lauded our efforts in leveraging technology to make their lives a lot less complicated.