The Pros and Cons of One-Way Video Interviews

For busy recruiters who’ve longed for someone else to do some of their screening interviews, a machine has stepped up to the plate.

Asynchronous interviews let candidates answer a set of predetermined questions on video and submit their recorded answers at their convenience. Often called one-way video interviews, asynchronous interviews can speed up the hiring process and give candidates the flexibility to submit their answers when it works for them. 

But while asynchronous interviews score high in convenience, they may leave candidates who are looking to build connections wanting something more. After all, there’s no one to engage with on the screen.

Whether you love them or hate them, it’s clear asynchronous interviews aren’t going anywhere. They have soared in popularity during the pandemic, and organizations have been exploring ways to add them to their recruitment process.

To use them most effectively, it’s important to know their strengths and weaknesses. Here are the pros and cons along with tips for making them work.

Pros of one-way video interviews

They offer flexibility for the recruiter and candidate

Using a 10-minute phone call to screen 60 applicants for a position would take a recruiter 10 hours. With asynchronous interviews, a recruiter can simply come up with a set list of questions and allow each applicant to upload their video responses at their convenience. There are no scheduling conflicts and the recruiter can watch all of the videos when they choose. And, by asking every applicant the same set of questions, you’re reducing some of the bias that enters the hiring process when candidates and recruiters spend a lot of time looking for commonalities in their backgrounds.

Perhaps the greatest benefit: Overworked recruiters free up time for other tasks. “Companies need to acknowledge the risk of burnout and improve the recruiter’s workday with on-demand hiring tools if they want to increase recruiter retention,” says Caleb Meyer, sales development representative with software development firm Qualifi. 

They provide a way to accommodate remote candidates

If your candidate pool is beyond your local area, asynchronous interviews allow candidates to submit their videos from anywhere. That cuts down on the time and expense that would be necessary for the candidates to travel, at least early in the interview process.

There are also no scheduling conflicts compounded by different time zones since candidates can submit their videos at any time.

They create a baseline for comparing candidates

When speaking to multiple candidates it’s easy to forget something profound that a certain candidate said. Likewise, in face-to-face interviews, the conversation with one candidate may steer off in a different direction than the other interviews.

With asynchronous interviews, you have the ability to watch all videos at the same time and, since all of the candidates are answering the same questions, you can more easily assess which ones have the skills you are looking for.

The hiring team can collaborate

The best hiring decisions are not typically made in a vacuum. They take a team. And with asynchronous interviews, recruiters and hiring managers can all review the same videos and give their input. 

Also, further along the interview process, the hiring team can go back to the video if they need clarification about something the candidate has said.

Candidates can show their best selves

Some candidates who get stressed out by interviews may welcome the opportunity to rehearse their answers in advance. Candidates also can rerecord the answers and only submit them when they’re satisfied, giving them some control over the image they ultimately present.

Cons of one-way interviews

Lack of human connection

If a candidate does not feel valued during the recruiting process, they may not trust that they will be valued in the organization. An asynchronous interview can give the impression that the candidate is not deemed worthy of an in-person interview. 

One-way interviews also deny a recruiter an opportunity to build a relationship with the candidate, when relationships with candidates lead to “better hires, happier clients, and a stable of candidates that you can tap into when you need to fill positions,” says Keryn Moriarty, national recruiting manager at Planet Professional.

Neveen Walker, business operations manager for Gulfside Healthcare Services, believes the lack of connection may even put introverts at a disadvantage. “Most introverts,” she says, “are sensitive to energy and thrive with one-on-one connection. . . . In this type of interview format, the connection aspect is missing and we are not able to gauge the energy of the person we are talking to, which means introverts will more than likely not perform as well as they would have in a traditional interview setting.”

The recruiter can’t promote the company

In a competitive job market, candidates know they have options. Some may already be considering other offers. When you’re trying to woo new talent, every interaction is an opportunity to sell them on the benefits of working for your organization. 

For example, in a face-to-face interview, if a candidate mentions that flexibility is important to them, you can chime in about your organization’s generous set-your-own-hours and work-from-home policies. With asynchronous video interviews, the focus is primarily on what the candidate can do for the company and not what the company can do for the candidate.

Not all candidates are tech-savvy

If the role you’re trying to fill requires a candidate who is comfortable speaking on video and knows their way around gadgets and apps, asynchronous interviews provide a good way to assess those skills. However, candidates that don’t need those skills — and don’t have them — may not perform well, causing you to overlook an otherwise capable candidate.

There is also the possibility that a candidate could experience technical challenges such as an unsteady Internet connection or faulty microphone. A candidate without the needed tech skills or tools may forgo the interview altogether and look for another opportunity. 

There is no organic conversation 

Some candidates have a knack for communication and building relationships — two skills that can benefit any organization. Since asynchronous interviews are one-sided, they never get to show that off. 

“My husband had to do one of these,” says Aamira Dixon, an executive assistant in Los Angeles. “He is a great communicator. People absolutely love talking to him. He was struggling with this because he felt like his strengths were in building rapport. He couldn’t do that here.”

They don’t yield authentic answers

Recruiters typically send candidates the questions in advance, allowing them to prepare their answers and rehearse before submitting their video. As a result, candidates can provide scripted answers rather than genuine responses that they would share off the cuff.

Best practices for making the most out of one-way video interviews

If you do decide to use asynchronous interviews, these tips can help you minimize the drawbacks. 

Provide instructions on using the technology. Assume candidates know nothing about uploading video, and give them a contact they can reach out to for help with tech problems.

Make sure other interactions are interpersonal. If you use asynchronous interviews, make sure all further interactions are two-sided. Even if a candidate is rejected, let them know and provide feedback via telephone or email.

Include an informational video about the company. Typically you can embed video clips to be viewed by candidates. Promote the organization by sharing some reasons it is a good place to work. 

Add a personal video message. Candidates may feel more connected if they can connect a face to the questions.

Allow candidates to ask questions. Let them know they will receive responses via a follow-up phone call or email.

Refer to video answers in subsequent interviews. Let candidates know that they didn’t waste their time. 

When done the right way, one-way video interviews can improve the recruiting experience for candidates.

When Katherine L., a product expert at Vocal Video in Walnut Creek, California, interviewed with several companies in recent months, the organization that stood out for her was one that used an asynchronous interview. 

“As I moved along in the interview process and spoke to different people from the company, it was clear they were drawing questions and prompts from the video I had submitted,” Katherine says. “They had watched my video! Instantly I felt important.”

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