Candidate screening – phone vs video interviews

Saxon Marsden-Huggins Recruit Shop

Phone interviews have long been the number one choice for companies conducting first round interview screening, but with the increased availability of online video technology employers are now considering more interactive channels such as Skype during their hiring process.

Video and phone interviews offer a variety of benefits for both recruiters and candidates. Where video interviews excel is in their ability to create a more personal connection than is possible over the phone.

They also allow the applicant to gain a better idea of the personality of your organisation. Video interviews can be more revealing – for both you and the applicant – because you can respond to facial cues and tone with greater ease.  After all, 70% of all communication is non-verbal.

As exciting and innovative as video interviews are, they do bring with them a few challenges. So before you abandon the humble phone interview it’s important to consider these points:

  • Lack of internet access – while the internet has become a necessity for job searches, research shows that around 30% of Australians still don’t have an internet connection at home. No internet will obviously put some candidates at an immediate disadvantage if video interviews are the screening method of choice.
  • Spotty reception – even for candidates that do have internet access, it might not always be reliable. Spotty reception can cause delays, make communication more difficult, or cause the video feed to cut off. So, always have a Plan B in case the connection gives you trouble.
  • Poor camera quality – poor camera or microphone quality can cause a candidate to become more uncomfortable, or can make it harder to conduct the interview. Echoes, hums, and buzzing can make it difficult to hear candidate’s answers and can make the interview disjointed.
  • Awkwardness – research has shown that over 20% of the population feels uncomfortable in front of a camera. Combine that with the nerves most candidates experience during an interview and it’s easy to see how some candidates may feel awkward and make more mistakes than they would under normal circumstances.

For some, the benefits of a video interview may outweigh the challenges. But for others, these risks may simply be too great. If you do choose to use a video interview, make sure you have carefully considered the pros and cons. It may be a great recruitment tool, but it all depends on how well you use it.

Saxon Marsden-Huggins, Managing Director, Recruit Shop