Why Video? Getting Candidates and Recruiters Aligned
When it comes to the job search, everyone involved has their own experience – and opinion. Candidates have battle scars from jobs won and lost. Recruiters have scars, too, from interactions, interviews, and offers gone awry. Even so, both sides tend to think they know the others' perspective and purpose, but few things in life are that cut and dry, and the internet is full of horror stories. Heck, there's actually an entire sub-Reddit called "Recruiting Hell." Spend a little time browsing, and you'll quickly learn that when it comes to candidates understanding recruiters and vice versa, there's still some work that needs to get done – especially when it comes to technology and how it's used.
The general HR tech industry has known that there's a reticence on the part of recruiters to adopt some solutions, particularly those leveraging artificial intelligence. At first, many thought AI would replace them, but more recently, there's been debate about where AI fits into the process and how it supports hiring outcomes. What we didn't fully grasp was where candidates stood on these technologies, even video. It's true, what might seem innocuous to us, especially given the limitations put on in-person interviewing due to pandemic conditions, appears to be robot-driven to candidates. That's definitely NOT the case with Wedge. For those of us inside HR tech, this presents the opportunity to address misconceptions and offer a better understanding of why, where, and how our solutions operate. So, let's clear a few things up in the context of Wedge:
What's the point? We see Wedge as just that – a wedge – a simple machine used to initiate an action or development. In our case, we offer short, one-way video interviews that help recruiters screen candidates quickly. On the candidate-side, we give them the chance to respond to custom questions on their own time, from any device. It really is that straightforward.
Why video? As we've discussed in other posts, there are different types of video. We take an asynchronous approach to allow maximum flexibility as part of the candidate experience and incorporate rigor and standardization into the recruiter experience. We're not looking to remove the human element; we're looking to enhance it by helping both sides advance through the process.
What about the robots? There aren't any. Sure, we facilitate automation by streamlining things, but we don't supplant anyone. The candidate is the one doing the recording, and the recruiter is the one doing the reviewing. We're about easy, not artificial.
Why can't we just talk live? Wedge works as an alternative to live. Why would you want an alternative? Have you ever tried to coordinate multiple people's schedules across different calendaring systems? It's nearly impossible. Not to mention the pressure that live puts on both parties, personally, professionally, technologically. Relax.
What about my information? Wedge takes data privacy super seriously. We're SOC 2 Type II/SOC 3 compliant and meet HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and SSAE-18 requirements. We're also device agnostic, offering a seamless mobile and desktop experience with no app or download required.
Is this the only interview opportunity? That depends. We know that candidates are more than their resumes, and while there are organizations that hire straight from Wedge, we fit into the "getting to know you" stage more often than not.
There you have it: a look at what's going on behind the screen. Oh, and one last tip, we believe in overcommunicating. Ask questions and be forthcoming. That's what recruiting is all about – no matter the medium.