Video interviewing set to ‘go mainstream’ in graduate recruitment, employers say

RA Now

Graduate recruiters are increasingly turning to video interviewing in many market sectors, according to in-house specialists from companies including KPMG, BA and Microsoft.

A seminar featuring 75 graduate recruiters from 51 companies, organised by e-recruitment provider WCN, heard that while recruiters don’t yet agree on how quickly video interviewing will be taken up, most of them have adopted the technology already.

Typically, most companies attending the seminar seemed to be using the process early on in the hiring cycle, and often used it as an alternative to telephone or first-round interviews, the event heard.

“Online and social media has revolutionised the way in which the recruitment industry is able to work,” said Charles Hipps, CEO at WCN e-Recruitment. “The online revolution has allowed a wider talent pool to be reached, and third party endorsements via social media channels are becoming more important. This year I believe that video interviewing is going to play an important role in more forward thinking organisations.”

Four other key trends were highlighted by recruiters: mobile, Google+ Hangout, gamification and tracking. A recruiter from investment bank JP Morgan remarked on the importance of job vacancies being mobile: “No matter what time zone, graduates can and will access the internet anywhere.”

Recruiters also agreed that creating virtual events on Google+ hangouts featuring their company’s CEO could attract budding talent, and brands that use gamification tend to experience higher levels of retention, improve employer branding, build bigger online communities and increase the efficiency of recruitment processes.