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By Simone Lockhart

Video interviewing – love it or hate it? With the bigger question being...is it here to stay?

Of course, many companies used video as part of their interview process long before Covid-19 hit, but with multiple lockdowns and travel restrictions it’s now commonplace.

But will we revert back to our old ways when restrictions lift? Or have we recognised that utilising such technology – in the way we have pretty much been forced to – has its benefits?

Recent statistics show there has been a rise from 22 per cent to 79% of employers adopting video interviews during the pandemic. However, only just over 50% state they will continue to do when restrictions lift.

READ MORE: Good tech learns from good recruiters

So, have we really thought about all of the benefits, many of them tangible such as reducing the cost and time to hire? And with us all being much more comfortable conducting meetings and doing business on screen, have we hopefully removed any self-consciousness that might have stopped us in the past?

The use of video within recruitment was on the rise prior to the pandemic. Some would say it was already one of the biggest disruptors in the industry: challenging the market with benefits over telephone interviews; demonstrating efficiencies in the process of bringing multiple people together to meet potential new recruits; and not to mention the reduction in travel costs to do all of this face-to-face, multiple times and in some cases internationally.

And the interview is only part of it. Video can also be a great way to bring your vacancies to life. The market is as competitive as ever for quality candidates and the demand for niche skills is on the rise so the pressure to stand out and be seen in a crowded market is as important today as it’s always been.

READ MORE: Balancing act on blended working

Isn’t it better to show people what it’s like to work for your company, versus them just reading pages of information on your careers page?

As businesses move to a more remote and hybrid way of working, maybe we should look to the same with our recruitment and selection. It’ll be important to scope out the full end-to-end process to establish which elements work best virtually and which in-person and, as always, we should consider the candidate experience in how we build the process to ensure it is professional, inclusive, and easy to navigate, as well as fully engaging with lots of information and touch points along the way.

As someone who couldn’t previously bear the thought of seeing themselves on screen, I’ve learned to put that aside to embrace the positives that video technology and software platforms can bring as an efficient way of attracting and selecting talent and say “Vive la Video!” I’m a definite fan.

Simone Lockhart is group commercial director of the Taranata Group