There's a new hiring tool on the rise, and candidates aren't happy.

Hiring managers are increasingly using asynchronous video interviews to screen job applicants. These are one-way interviews where candidates are given a short time to record their answers to pre-set interview questions.

Recruiters then review the videos at a later time.

According to this article from CBC, video interview platforms such as HireVue, Knockri, and VidCruiter saw dramatic increases in volume during 2020. Employers are rapidly adopting this technique.

One-way video promises efficiency and cost savings for employers, but there is also a huge downside that many fail to consider.

One-way video interviews might be turning away top talent.

How do one-way video interviews help employers?

One-way video interviews promise to save recruiters time, speed up the selection process, and reduce biases against qualified applicants.

In a typical recruiting process, qualified candidates are selected from the initial applicant pool. These candidates then go through a short pre-screen interview with a recruiter. The goal is to narrow down the field and identify the top candidates to bring in for formal interviews.

It can take a lot of time for the recruiter to coordinate schedules with applicants and conduct each phone interview.

One-way video interviews eliminate this time-consuming step, allowing multiple applicants to quickly complete this phase of the selection process on their own time. Video interviews also have the potential to create a fairer, more consistent process since each candidate responds to exactly the same questions.

What do candidates say about one-way video interviews?

I posted the question on LinkedIn and received quite a few responses. You can read the full conversation here.

Many people said they would not consider a company that required a one-way video interview.

"That right there shows me that I wouldn't want to work for that company," said Stephanie Persic, a customer service representative. "They can't even take the time to meet with me one-on-one so that we can gauge each other."

"Hell no," said Mark-Allen Perry, a technical project manager.

"When I was going through the interview process, I skipped over any companies that sent me these one-way video interviews," added Nick Poetsch, a project manager. "It's very impersonal."

Others reported a frustrating and awkward experience.

"It was appallingly managed and the worst interview experience I've ever had," said Fiona Barker, a change management leader. Barker explained that the request for a video interview came with no instructions on how to use the system and there wasn't an opportunity to practice or re-record answers if something went wrong.

"I did email the company with feedback on the process," said Barker. "They didn't bother to reply."

Lilly Obina, a senior project leader, described a stressful and time-consuming process. "You have to find a quiet room, look for lights especially for dark skinned folks like me. You need a great device to tape so it produces good quality video which was very expensive for me considering every penny counts when you have no job. Answering the questions are very stressful because you have to think of your answer, think of the short time you have and when recording around other people who are helping out to hold camera and lighting, you end up somehow disorganized."

Vanessa Penick, an alumni relations specialist, found it difficult to be authentic. "It was awkward and I was focused too much on what I looked like and how I sounded, vs really trying to connect with a person, be myself, and answer truthfully. I am a very personable person. How can you determine that with a one-way interview?"

Jasonda Desmond, an instructional designer, wrote that the experience was so bad that she would likely not apply to companies in the future that used one-way interviews. "I've done one of these as an interviewee and I hated it. It took me 2x the time to record as it would have to do the interview live. Some of the questions were vague and I couldn't ask for clarification."

The employee selection process is a reflection of your company's culture. While one-way interviews might save a little time, it's clear that many applicants are getting a strong negative impression from their experience.

Any cost savings is negated if you lose out on highly qualified candidates who won’t work for your company.

What are alternatives to one-way video interviews?

There are a few things companies can do to recruit more efficiently while maintaining a positive impression with applicants.

1. Create an ideal candidate profile

You can save a lot of time by creating an ideal candidate profile. This tool helps you fine-tune the qualifications you're looking for in a candidate.

Many companies rely on outdated selection criteria or biased assessments to vet candidates. The unfortunate result is many great candidates are excluded while too many unqualified applicants make it to the next round of interviews.

An ideal candidate profile can fix this by homing in on the qualifications successful candidates actually need. The process includes eliminating unnecessary qualifications and validating the criteria to make sure the model is accurate.

One client had a critical position open for months and struggled to find the right person. After creating an ideal candidate profile, they found an amazing hire in just a few days!

2. Develop consistent interview questions

Inconsistent, irrelevant, or inappropriate interview questions can hurt your selection process whether you're using a live recruiter or one-way video.

Some recruiters doggedly believe they can assess an applicant’s fit by having an informal conversation. The opposite is true. Research shows companies would make better hires if they skipped the interview altogether rather than rely on informal conversations.

Interviews can still play an important role in the selection process, but you must ask a consistent set of carefully-designed questions. The good news is you can quickly develop better interview questions with a few simple steps.

3. Focus on fit over skills

Many of the skills that employees need on the job are trainable. Finding the right fit with your workplace culture is the real challenge.

There are some potential pitfalls here. Without the appropriate safeguards, trying to hire for culture fit can lead to lower quality candidates and even illegal discrimination.

Do this right, and you'll attract a diverse group of amazing employees. Just follow this step-by-step guide.

Conclusion

A good interview process should help you attract highly-qualified employees.

Julianne Bennett, a public relations intern, passed on several companies that required one-way video interviews. "I ended up landing an opportunity with an in-person interview. For me, the energy of an in-person interview can't be beat by software."