One-way video interviews have emerged as one of the hottest hiring trends in the past few years. Some employers value this platform as a time-saving option, especially if they are hiring en masse. Yet, others question its potentially damaging effect on the applicant experience. And still, a great many others are left in the dark wondering “what exactly is a one-way video interview?”
During the one-way video interview process, an employer will ask the applicant to make a digital recording of themselves answering a set of pre-scripted questions. The applicant uses the video format as an opportunity to talk about their skills and experience. Later, the applicant sends the video to a hiring professional and hopes to hear back with a job offer.
Companies currently engaged in high-volume hiring may find the one-way video interview platform beneficial. The asynchronous video format is perfect for companies that can easily reach into an existing talent pool. However, despite the platform’s growing popularity, it is important to consider some potential drawbacks.
How a One-Way Video Interview can Affect the Applicant Experience
The applicant experience, or candidate experience, reflects the applicant’s overall perception of a company’s hiring process. And a negative applicant experience can have a disastrous effect on your business.
- Nearly 60% of applicants reported having a negative applicant experience
- 63% of applicants rejected an offer because of a bad hiring experience
- 57% of them boycotted the company’s products afterward
Clearly, the applicant experience matters. So, what do today’s job seekers think of performing a one-way video interview?
- In a study conducted by Lighthouse Research, one-way video interviews only received 9% favorability over other interviewing methods, such as live video interviews or in-person interviews
Applicant’s disdain for one-way video interviews can be traced the fact that there is no interaction with the potential employer. This may be why the no-show rates for one-way video interviews are so high. When an employer asks the applicant to speak to a computer screen instead of a human being the message quite clear: This company does care about its employees.
What Hiring Managers Think of One-Way Video Interviews
Some hiring managers enjoy the asynchronous video format because they can work it around their schedule. This may be because some hiring professionals prefer to devote their time at work to other priorities. Under this platform, they can watch the one-way video interviews during off-hours at their leisure. However, many hiring professionals complain that sifting through hundreds of pre-recorded videos actually takes longer than just holding the interview itself. So, from a hiring manager’s perspective, you have to figure out how the one-way video interview format can work into your current hiring process.