A Comprehensive Guide to Async Video Interviews for Recruiters

If you’re recruiting in today’s digital age, understanding and utilizing async video interviews is an absolute game changer. But how exactly should you use them, and what are the key benefits? This guide will provide you with everything you need to know about async video interviews.

1. Understanding Async Video Interviews

Async video interviews, short for asynchronous video interviews, also known as pre-recorded or one-way interviews, are a type of job interview conducted remotely. This type of interview doesn’t happen in real time but rather allows candidates to record their responses to interview questions at their own convenience.

2. Why Use Async Video Interviews?

2.1 Time Efficiency

Async video interviews allow recruiters to send out questions and review responses at a time that suits them, reducing the amount of time spent scheduling and conducting back-to-back interviews.

2.2 Consistency

Because you send out the same set of questions to each candidate, async interviews can lead to a fairer process, as each candidate is given the same opportunity to answer the same questions.

2.3 Scalability

Async video interviews are also highly scalable. They allow recruiters to process many more candidates than traditional interview methods.

3. Getting Started with Async Video Interviews

3.1 Picking the Right Tools

There are numerous platforms available that facilitate async video interviews, such as HireVue, VidCruiter, and SparkHire. Choose one that fits your hiring process and budget.

3.2 Crafting Your Questions

Develop a set of questions that candidates must answer in their recorded responses. Make sure to provide clear instructions on how to record and upload their video response.

3.3 Informing the Candidates

Brief candidates about the process, the recording timeframe, and how they can prepare for it.

4. Conducting Async Interviews

4.1 Send Out the Interview

Using your chosen platform, send out your pre-recorded interview. This usually involves sending a link via email that directs candidates to the interview.

4.2 Response Time

Give candidates an adequate amount of time to record and submit their responses. A few days is generally seen as a reasonable time frame.

4.3 Review and Rate Responses

Most async video interview platforms allow you to review and rate each candidate’s responses. Use this feature to evaluate which candidates meet your criteria.

5. After the Async Interview

5.1 Feedback

Regardless of their performance, provide feedback to every candidate. This helps to improve candidate experience.

5.2 Shortlisting

Utilize the responses and your ratings to create a shortlist of the most promising candidates.

5.3 Follow-Up Interviews

Arrange real-time interviews with shortlisted candidates. These could be further video interviews, telephone interviews, or even face-to-face interviews.

6. Best Practices for Async Video Interviews

6.1 Providing Clear Instructions

Always provide clear instructions on how candidates should conduct the interview, to avoid any confusion or technical difficulties.

Ensure that every question asked in the interview is directly related to the job for which you’re hiring.

6.3 Review Fairly

Ensure you review each candidate fairly, giving each video your full attention.

6.4 Respect Privacy

Handle and store candidates’ video responses responsibly. Inform candidates about how their data will be managed.

6.5 Keep in Touch

Maintain candidate engagement by keeping them updated about their status in the hiring process.

In conclusion, async video interviews can be an extremely valuable tool in a recruiter’s toolkit. They can save time, increase fairness, and scale up your hiring process. This, combined with an effective assessment and feedback system, can lead to a more efficient and effective hiring process overall.