With the UK unemployment rate rising to 4.8% in the three months to September (BBC, 2020),  it’s safe to say the job market is not what we’re used to. There are so many changes happening in the world which means job seekers and recruiters need to be prepared for interviewing in ways they aren’t used to. This blog looks at digital interviewing in particular and answers why your company should be using Zoom for interviews. 

The Ease of Online Interviews

A lot of companies may be familiar with Zoom thanks to lockdown and working remotely, but Zoom doesn’t have to be used solely for team meetings. It’s one of the easiest tools for businesses to use in interviews. In fact, according to Indeed, more companies are choosing to conduct interviews over Zoom because “it tends to be more convenient for remote positions or initial screening interviews”. So what does this mean from the employers and the candidates perspectives?

From the job seekers point of view, Zoom interviews mean they get to skip the stress of getting stuck in traffic, trying to find the right building and arriving late. While, from the business’ perspective, Zoom calls provide a higher chance of smooth interviews, which reduces the time and money that it takes for them to find the right person for the job. From both perspectives, it’s easy to use, free and is a lifesaver during the Pandemic but it also allows the two parties to converse with each other organically.

Real Conversations

Aside from the odd internet connection problem, Zoom is extremely reliable for both candidates and job seekers. With the current restrictions, some companies prefer job seekers to send in a video of themselves as part of the interview process. However, this may not give the recruiters the best idea of who the candidates really are. According to Twinemployment, 65% of interviewers said that candidates who failed to make eye contact didn’t get the role that they were applying for which can be a real problem with jobseekers recording themselves on their mobiles.

Unlike with these videos, Zoom calls are real conversations. Candidates are speaking to people and not into their phone, which can make it easier to focus on one object. It enables them to become more comfortable in the interview process and they interact as actual people, rather than reading from a script. This in turn allows recruiters to engage with them and assess how they are reacting to the questions being asked and the interview process as a whole. 

While it allows the recruiters to determine whether the candidate is right for the job, it also allows the candidate to add to points the interviewer may have brought up, making the interview process smoother for both parties.

Record the interview to refer back to 

Despite candidates trying their hardest to be the one that recruiters remember, it can be quite difficult for businesses to remember all of their interviews. Which is why Zoom is perfect for interviewers. 

Zoom calls can be recorded, which allows companies to go back over all of their interviews and ensures they are selecting the perfect candidate for them. This also means that interviewers aren’t missing any telling signs (such as the body language of the candidate) when they’re making notes during the interview.

Hiring Internationally

As we briefly mentioned earlier, a lot of businesses already use Zoom for remote work. With only 12% of 4,700 knowledge workers wanting to return to full-time office work after the pandemic (Future Forum Research, 2020), it seems as though there may not be a reason for employees to work in the office at all. Businesses are adapting to not having people in the office at all times, which means they can start to explore their options a little more when it comes to hiring. 

By using Zoom, employees can work in different locations to the office and still be able to communicate with their co-workers. This opens up the interview process globally and ensures that companies aren’t missing out on talent from other areas of the country or even other areas of the world. 

It’s clear that for a world that is constantly changing, employers and employees need to learn to adapt to changes in the workplace. These changes begin with the interview process, and adapting to Zoom interviews will not only benefit the candidate but will also benefit the company hugely. 

A number of our clients have no taken on new staff using zoom interviews with great success. If your not sure how to go about it we would be happy to help you. 

If you enjoyed this blog, check out our blogs on 'Above the keyboard dressing’ and ‘How to run a virtual interview and recruitment process’.

The Precision team can be contacted on 0116 254 5411 or email hello@precision-people.uk