Do you work in HR?

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Online Video Interviewing How Leading HR Organizations Find the Right Talent & Streamline Hiring

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The Need for Speed (& Efficiency)

WHILE THE JOB MARKET HAS CHANGED,

HIRING AND INTERVIEWING PRACTICES

LAG BEHIND

In the wake of the recession, most

companies operated lean, filling only

mission-critical positions and often

waiting until the last moment to add

workers. But with clear signs of an

economic uptick, hiring activity is

increasing. As the war for talent heats up,

companies can no longer afford the risk

of waiting to find the “perfect” candidate

among a huge number of applicants.

Yet, though the labor market is shifting

rapidly, many HR organizations still rely

on the same old screening, interviewing

and hiring processes. At some companies,

recruiting and hiring move at the same

pace, no matter how tight the labor market

or how urgent the business need. Consider

that, in 2010, managers typically invited

five or six candidates for second-round

interviews, twice as many as in 2007,

according to The Wall Street Journal.

No wonder it can take months to fill

positions. And when the quest for the ideal

applicant drags on, the business suffers

due to higher administrative costs, lower

productivity and missed opportunities.

Like the business itself, most HR

departments have been leaned out during

the recession. That means they too must

do more with less. Reviewing more

resumes and applications (often via online

job boards and web-based submission

forms). Screening more candidates. Getting

offers out faster. Onboarding new hires

more efficiently. HR has embraced some

technology to help with these tasks, though

efforts have not yet paid big dividends

in shortening the path to great hires.

Many firms still rely on inexpensive but

not hugely effective or efficient phone

screening as the first filter.

While productivity and speed in hiring are

critical, HR is not just a volume game. Every

dollar invested in new talent must produce

tangible value. Competitive pressures have

increased expectations for all administrative

departments. Studies show that 60% of

CEOs are examining their HR departments

in terms of their ability to advance the

company against its core business

objectives. That’s why recruiters must build

value into every process in a way that

benefits their business stakeholders and

internal customers.

The bottom line is that, finding, filtering

and attracting the right talent – skilled,

experienced and a good cultural fit – may

be harder than ever. But the HR groups

that get it right make direct, bottom-line

contributions to the business. And with so

many workers available, winning the talent

war equates to competitive success.

PHONE SCREENING BEFORE

FACE-TO-FACE – IS THERE A BETTER WAY?

There’s no going back to the days of big

travel budgets for HR, or wining and

dining candidates to check out their table

manners. Interestingly, HR departments are

comfortable using time-saving technology,

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sourcing candidates via online search

services, using automated resume screening,

communicating by email and reaching out

through social media. But surprisingly few

recruiters have explored ways to replace or

enhance the initial phone interview.

Indeed, the initial encounter over the old-

school land line still holds an honored place

in the search and hire process. It is common

practice for HR staff to call candidates for a

pre-screening before inviting them in for a

personal interview with executives. This is

certainly a low-cost and high-efficiency way

to assess basic communications skills, gauge

levels of interest and share background

information about the position and the

company. Still, it’s worth asking just how

effective phone interviews are. Sure, they

may eliminate completely inappropriate

applicants and the least qualified candidates.

But preliminary phone screenings are not

exactly a precision tool. There is always a

great deal more to a person’s background

and skill set than recruiters can hear over

the phone.

By necessity, a phone interview is only

a precursor to a face-to-face interview,

which remains the gold standard for

finding candidates – and for good reason.

Research has found that at least 80% of

human communication is non-verbal. Some

experiments have broken down the non-verbal

cues even further, finding that the human face

conveys 55% of all communication, the tone

of voice 38% and actual words a mere 7%. As

business guru Peter F. Drucker once said, “The

most important thing in communication is

hearing what isn’t said.”

Why Hiring Practices Matter

Over the years, HR surveys (such

as that conducted by Development

Dimensions International in 2002)

have confirmed that hiring practices

and tools are closely linked to

an organization’s success. Such

studies show that companies with

more effective hiring systems rank

higher in financial performance,

productivity, quality, customer

satisfaction, employee satisfaction

and retention. There is even evidence

suggesting interactive technologies

are the new hallmark of HR success.

While lean HR teams shoulder a

greater workload today, the right

web-based technology enables a

large leap forward in productivity

and efficiency, which points the way

to broader business success.

Suffice it to say that impressions made

in a face-to-face interview setting are

overwhelmingly important. The way a

candidate waits in the lobby, walks across

the room to shake hands, makes eye

contact, smiles or doesn’t, dresses well

or poorly may all reflect the behaviors

and outlooks recruiters deem necessary

for success in the job, as well as the

fit with an organization’s culture and

environment.

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HELP WANTED: BETTER TECHNOLOGY

FOR BETTER HIRES

Online video interviewing combines the

simplicity, reliability and cost-effectiveness

of phone screening with the huge

advantages of in-person interviews. With

user-friendly, webcam-based interviewing

“rooms,” companies can more rapidly and

fully evaluate candidates’ skills, attitudes

and personalities. Stronger interpersonal

connections reinforce the “human” in HR –

allowing companies a well-rounded view of

applicants, and the applicants a clearer look

at the job and company.

There is simply no substitute for seeing

a candidate. Actions speak louder than

words even on a small screen. Though

recruiters can’t feel the handshake,

video conferencing allows them to see

many telling physical signals, including

those that telegraph attitude, interest

and attentiveness. You can see facial

expressions that equate to energy or lack

of it, and how posture suggests confidence

or anxiety. And of course clothing, hair

and grooming speak volumes about

professional and personal standards.

Video interviews also provide companies an

opportunity to sell themselves to top talent.

HR groups can show that their organizations

are innovative, value communication and

believe in a personal touch.

This is a critical consideration for

Generations X and Y, and for Millennials,

the huge demographic group that’s

transforming the workplace. These younger

candidates expect to communicate digitally

and are often more relaxed in front of

a webcam than in traditional interview

settings. They are also comfortable with a

less formal approach, and are attracted to

formats that can inject a little fun.

THE BENEFITS GO BOTH WAYS

Video interviewing offers breakthrough

gains in efficiency without adding

significant expense or risk to the hiring

process. For HR organizations, the

benefits include:

» Lower hiring costs based on

reduced travel expenses for

candidates

» Faster hiring cycles by narrowing

the field and eliminating

inappropriate applicants more

quickly and precisely

» Increased confidence that only

strong candidates will be invited

to face-to-face interviews with

business stakeholders

» More persuasive tools for “selling”

the company to top talent

And when it’s time for onboarding, video

meeting rooms can help integrate new

hires into the corporate culture faster and

more efficiently, a hallmark for long-term

employee success. Leaders can share

welcome messages with new hires, while

HR staff can provide access to necessary

orientation documents. They can even

invite employees to “drop by” their

online meeting rooms anytime they have

questions or just want to chat.

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But it is important to recognize that

candidates realize important benefits, too,

including:

» A richer and more detailed view of

the corporate culture and specific

job opportunities

» Quick access to company information

and the ability to ask questions

» More engagement and interaction

with recruiters

» The opportunity to make a great first

impression and demonstrate their

skills and qualifications

» Video interviews allow HR

professionals to do more with

less and take a shorter route to

finding and onboarding successful

candidates – perhaps even the

“perfect” ones for the business

What to Look for in Online Video Interviewing Technology?

EASE OF USE: Ideally, a video

conferencing service should

be as easy as making a phone call

or signing into a website.

AFFORDABILITY & RELIABILITY:

Many corporate video networks

are costly, complex and prone to

technical difficulties. Internet-based

services largely avoid such issues.

SIMPLICITY: Online meeting

platforms typically distract users

with too many features, clunky

interfaces and required downloads.

Focus on technology that is ready

for everyone, emphasizes the people

communicating, and allows sharing

of simple content, like videos,

documents and social media links.

PRIVACY: HR users should have a

private room or space to conduct

interviews or other meetings.

ALWAYS-ON AVAILABILITY: Because

schedules are tight, look for tools

that enable spontaneous video

interviews, without arduous set-ups

and scheduling process.

SUPPORT FOR MULTIPLE USERS:

The ability to conduct group

interviews can streamline the overall

hiring process.

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Welcome to iMeet®

The Proven Way for HR to:

» Find better candidates

» Evaluate them more effectively

» Hire them sooner

» Onboard them faster

iMeet is as simple as a phone call, but

much more enriching, powerful and fun.

That’s why we believe the world’s greatest

interviews happen in iMeet.

iMeet combines crystal clear, HD-like

multipoint video (up to 15 web cameras

simultaneously turned on) in a virtual,

personal meeting room that’s perfect

for interviews and initial screening of

job applicants. Designed for clarity and

instant access to anyone, it combines the

best parts of conference calling, video

conferencing, and social networking – all

cleaned-up, simplified and ready for HR.

» No difficult downloads or complex

interfaces – all you and candidates

need is a webcam and a browser

» Your iMeet room is always

ready, for formal interviews

or “drop-by” discussions

» Individual rooms ensure interview

privacy, but are perfect for groups

“iMeet is giving my team an edge in attracting and placing top talent. We needed a way to build the pipeline faster and the video interviewing in iMeet is helping us cut a lot of time out of the process. We’re rapidly solving our clients’ staffing needs.”

Greg Malever

President & CEO, The Lanta Group

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BETTER THAN A PHONE INTERVIEW

Get to know candidates:

» Assess communication skills

» Gauge confidence, enthusiasm

and interest levels

» Visit the social media links for

a full view

» See the dazzling smile

(or gaudy tattoo)

MAKE A GREAT FIRST IMPRESSION

& ATTRACT TOP TALENT

» Engage Gen X and Y, and Millennials

in their favorite formats

» Easy links to CEO messages,

corporate video, job descriptions

and other documents

» Position your company as

people-centric, innovative

and communicative

PUT THE HUMAN BACK INTO

HUMAN RESOURCES

With iMeet, HR recruiters can get to know

candidates and employees faster and

more personally. And your candidates can

understand your company and specific

opportunities more clearly. It’s all about

enabling real conversations and meaningful

collaborations during the hiring process –

and what could be more human than that?

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About iMeet

iMeet is a simple, elegant, wide-open space

where you can get together any time. It’s

your own personal meeting room where

you can see everyone and learn more about

them. Simply put, iMeet is the best parts

of conference calling, video conferencing,

and social networking, all cleaned-up,

simplified and ready for business. Our

goal? Do away with soul-sucking meetings

and make get-togethers as enjoyable as

possible. After all, great things can happen

when we’re all in the same room. iMeet is

the brainchild of PGi, a company that hosts

over 4 million meetings every month for

businesses around the world, including

75% of the Fortune 100 (needless to say, our

technology is rock solid). Thanks for reading

and hope to see you around.

iMeet.com

©2011 American Teleconferencing Services, Ltd. |PGi

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Do you work in HR?

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Transcript of Do you work in HR?