How to choose the right pre-recorded video interview tool?
Obviously, there are many criteria to consider when choosing a tool, whatever its type. These include pricing, quality of customer support and so on.
This information is important to bear in mind when making your selection. But when it comes to pre-recorded video interviews specifically, here are the 5 main families of criteria to consider when thinking about the best choice for you.
Depending on what you're interested in, we advise you to create a grid listing all the criteria that impact your strategy. Then indicate the percentage of importance of each line to give a total of 100%. In this way, you'll reach a scoring grid perfectly adapted to your needs. Use the following criteria as a guide: choose only those that are of interest to you. For example, the criterion of a multilingual platform will only be important for companies recruiting internationally.
A flexible pre-recorded video interview tool: keep control of all facets of the platform
Generally speaking, a pre-recorded video interview tool needs to be flexible, enabling you to do exactly what you want in terms of recruitment and candidate experience. It's important to remember that any tool needs to adapt to your specific practices and requirements. So choose a tool that will enable you to :
- set up several types of questions (written, video, etc.) according to your needs
- define whether or not you propose preparation times / a limited number of attempts
- opt for standard questions predefined by the tool or create your own (or a little of both!)
- choose whether you prefer to send manual or automatic : invitations, thank-you messages, satisfaction questionnaires, various reminder or follow-up emails, etc.
- create a company presentation page, like a mini career site, or go straight to the pre-recorded video interview.
Don't hesitate to talk about all these possibilities (and all your ideas) when you ask for demonstrations from the various market actors.
A tool adapted to all screens for setting up AND recording pre-recorded video interviews
For your candidate, the tool needs to be as easy and accessible as possible. Recording a video interview should not be tedious. Also, the tool's design criteria are very important, but even before that, you need to be sure that you'll be offering a tool that adapts to all the devices your candidates might own.
As a recruiter, you'll probably be using the "hidden" part of the tool from your computer to set up, track, view and so on. Candidates use their PCs to record their interviews, but also tablets and, more frequently, smartphones. It is therefore essential that the tool displays correctly on all screens and in a perfectly adapted way.
There are two options:
- The tool you choose exists in a "computer" version and there is, in addition, an application for candidates who wish to record their interview from a tablet or smartphone.
- The tool you choose has a computer version and a mobile version, enabling the platform to be displayed on PC screens as well as on small portable screens.
Of course, ideally, the tool you choose should have both options: a computer and mobile platform, as well as the possibility for candidates to download an application, either to record the interview or to practice. Even if the application is of very high quality, be aware that you could lose candidates who refuse to download it. That's why the option of a mobile version in addition to the app is more than welcome.
If the tool you choose also has a mobile version for the so-called "back office" part (the settings interface), that's a real plus!
Good to know: when hiring managers or employees receive links to videos, they may open them from their phones. So ideally choose a tool that enables your internal stakeholders to view videos optimally from their smartphones.
The right options for capitalizing on pre-recorded video interviews for all your recruitment needs
Most tools are based on the same principles, but there are a number of small options that can be very interesting depending on your specific needs. Let's take a look at a few examples:
- If you have jobs open indifferent countries or for different languages: a tool that exists in several languages seems to be more suitable than one that is only in French or English, for example. Find out about the options available in terms of translations and/or versions.
- If you're always looking to improve your recruitment processes, opt for a tool that allows you to automatically request feedback from candidates who have taken part in a pre-recorded video interview. You'll then know what you can do to improve your candidates' experience.
- Your employer brand is your strength... It's important to be able to make it visible in the tool your candidates use: some platforms don't give you the choice to customize your colors, logos, etc. If this is important to you and in order for your candidate to be truly immersed in your identity, think about it when making your choice.
Don't hesitate to organize team workshops to define the options that could be useful to you.Some are more important than others: choose a few options that have a particularly strong impact and will really help you, rather than a range of useless options that you're sure to pay much more for.
Access rights, sharing, commenting and rating: a pre-recorded video interview tool that facilitates collaboration
More than just options, the pre-recorded video interview tool you choose must enable you to collaborate easily with all the internal stakeholders you need, whether they be other recruiters, hiring managers or other employees you call upon for a particular recruitment.
The tool must therefore be designed to facilitate exchanges, particularly as a pre-recorded video interview - in principle - doesn't imply any exchange with the candidate, or between a recruiter and a manager at the time of the interview.
Among the tools available, make sure you have the following options:
1 - Share, from the chosen platform, your candidates' videos/profiles with as many people as you like internally; the idea is to be able to centralize everything in the same place and make it easier for everyone to take in information. Make sure you have an unlimited number of users (at no extra cost) to anticipate your next recruitments, or at least the option of setting up guest users.
2 - Give different users the possibility, depending on their status :
- to rate candidates whose pre-recorded video interviews they view. This type of rating is the minimum requirement for collaborative recruitment.
- to add written comments to their rating, to make the feedback more constructive and to really share their opinion.
As a general rule, it's a good idea to opt for a tool that lets you define several levels of access rights, so you can keep control of who can do what: create questions, send invitation emails, view videos, comment, and so on.
Pre-recorded video interview tool: GDPR-compliant software that works with your ATS
The last major family of criteria is more than essential, and in part, even legal!
The pre-recorded video interview tool you choose shouldn't exist on its own: the aim is for you to be able to use this platform in conjunction with your other recruitment and HR tools in the broadest sense (for example, with an ATS - Applicant Tracking System).
So make sure you choose a tool that integrates with your existing solutions (or can be easily integrated). As video interviews of your candidates are part of your wider ecosystem, there is also the question of the security of the data you collect at this stage of the recruitment process.
It's therefore essential to choose a tool that will enable you to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (better known as the GDPR).
Don't hesitate to ask any questions you may have, to make sure you have all the protection you need.
You now have all the information you need to choose the best pre-recorded video interview tool! And remember, the right tool is the one that meets your needs.
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