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Screening talent? Face to face is best – even if it is electronic
MODERN video conferencing techniques are coming into their own when casting the net for talent.
Video conferences are broadening horizons for employers and employees in ways that have not been possible before, judging by the experience of People Intelligence managing director Lindsey Morgan.
Her business has always concentrated on placing executives that People Intelligence pre-qualified through a rigorous face-to-face interview process. 
“The value presented by in-person meetings cannot be replaced, however, we have found a great alternative in a product called GoToMeeting, which allows us to see and interact with our candidates without the need to travel,” Ms Morgan said.
“We can find, in some cases, with the focus only on the head and shoulders, the visual aspect of that candidate is magnified as there are fewer distractions than if they were in the room with you. This allows us to pick up all the visual clues to someone’s personality that we need in order to make a rounded decision about them.”
While it works for the recruiter, Ms Morgan said the experience of a video interview worked in favour of the interviewee as well.
“In addition to the flexibility that video conferencing provides our agents with, we’re thrilled by the feedback from our candidates that use it with us,” she said.
“They enjoy the freedom it gives them to fit in the recruitment process around their own lives, creating a more relaxed and accessible process for all.”
This broadened horizons for recruitment, People Intelligence discovered.
“Globalisation is now a fact of business, especially when it comes to recruiting talent,” Ms Morgan said. “In a competitive recruitment environment, organisations need to be ensuring they’re reaching the right candidates whilst maintaining a level of cost effectiveness and efficiency in the process.
“People Intelligence is a recruitment consultancy that operates throughout Australia, mainly along the Eastern Sea Board. We have always placed candidates that we have had the chance to meet face-to-face and have always felt that having a candidate ‘on the ground’ is preferable.
“In today’s working environment however, we have come to accept that this is not always possible.”
With new video conferencing technologies becoming increasingly affordable and utilised by businesses of all sizes – and switched-on individuals – Ms Morgan said it was a boon to the recruitment process.
“When looking to place candidates in a role, we have found the process of telephone interviewing to be extremely two-dimensional and have also struggled when face-to-face contact was not possible,” she said.
“More and more organisations are turning to technology, specifically video conferencing, to engage with and interview prospective candidates.
“This method of recruitment strikes a healthy balance between accessing remote workforces and improving productivity without losing the important face-to-face interaction and chemistry, which is so important when it comes to selecting suitable employees.”
ends
POSTED MAY 14, 2014
