How Do Candidates Really Feel About Video Interviews

We know how hiring professionals feel about video interviews. Considering more than six in 10 human resources managers surveyed by OfficeTeam say their company often conducts job interviews via video, it’s safe to say that hiring professionals are finding luck with video interviews.

For hiring managers and recruiters, the benefits of video interviews are numerous. They can use visual cues to assess candidates, avoid pesky scheduling conflicts, meet with long-distance talent, save video interview recordings to share with colleagues or clients, and more.

But how do job candidates feel about them?

To gain a better understanding of the impact video interviews have on the candidate experience, here are some simple explanations to some of today’s widely-asked questions:

Do candidates like video interviews?

The short answer is yes. According to a recent study of 400 job seekers by Software Advice, nearly half of respondents with prior video interview experience prefer them to other long-distance interview formats (like the phone interview). That’s saying a lot, considering that video interviews are still regarded as a relatively new interview format.

So what exactly do candidates like about video interviews?

They’re convenient

Most of all, video interviews are convenient for all parties involved. Not only do they eliminate the need to plan the interview around multiple schedules, but they also make it easy for candidates to interview from anywhere, on any device, at any time -- even while on the go.

By making the interview process more flexible, candidates can save time and travel costs associated with traditional interview methods.

They’re easy to use

Video has taken over multiple aspects of our personal and professional lives, from how we stay in touch with loved ones to how we interview candidates for open positions. And because video chat platforms play such a prominent role in our lives, candidates often feel comfortable interviewing via video. The newest generation of job seekers is familiar with the technology and comfortable appearing on camera.

As for older generations of workers, who may not be as comfortable with video technology, video interviews are designed to be very user-friendly. If you can manage to play and record YouTube videos or Skype with a buddy, you can figure out video interviewing.

They create more possibilities

This is especially true for long-distance job candidates. Live video interviews make face-to-face interviews with faraway talent possible, thus attracting global applicants. Both two-way and one-way video interviews make it possible to visually connect with candidates you might not otherwise get a chance to meet in person.

By offering video interview options, you’re opening up your positions to a much wider talent pool -- and candidates will appreciate that.

How do video interviews reflect on the company?

Screening job candidates and conducting employment interviews via video reflects well on a company. For starters, when it comes to the candidate experience, video interviews paint companies as innovative, current, and tech-savvy. As a result, hiring professionals can expect to attract equally creative and tech-savvy applicants.

Additionally, more options means more talent. Giving candidates the opportunity to interview via video makes it easier for long-distance talent to take part in the interview process, which can help boost a company’s employment brand.

Do video interviews help or hurt the candidate experience?

In the end, the candidate experience is as good as you make it. But video interviews can help make the experience stand out for job candidates. They are convenient, easy, and exciting for candidates and hiring professionals alike. However, used incorrectly, video interviews can make for a negative candidate experience during the interview process.

According to the Software Advice survey on applicant preference, the top reasons for candidate apprehension when it comes to video interviews include connectivity issues (27 percent), comfort level on camera (21 percent), and poor audio/video quality (18 percent).

The key to creating a positive candidate experience with video interviews is to combat candidate apprehensions early on. By using a platform designed specifically for video interviews (as opposed to using video chat), hiring professionals can rest assured that candidates are experiencing limited connectivity issues and top-notch audio/quality.

In a survey of more than 20,000 candidates, people who completed a video interview on Spark Hire rated their experience 4.5 out of 5 stars with 4 stars representing a “Good” experience and 5 stars representing an “Excellent” experience.

As for individual comfort level on camera, reminding candidates that it’s no different than their video chat apps and that appearing on camera gives them a chance to be seen early in the process can help increase their comfort level, when it comes to video interviews.