Having an interview this weekend?

The weekend is already around the corner. The interview time is coming!

Did you know that a good number of all video interviews are done over the weekend? Let’s put this into context.

The recruitment market today is extremely competitive. People don’t stay that long with a company, especially in certain industries like technology, they move from one to another every 3 to 5 years. Talent is increasing, people are more skilled & prepared, and they are approached by many companies that want to get the best candidates. Competition is fierce in the recruitment space.

Recruiter’s perspective

I have 10 people I want to have a phone interview with this week for a job vacancy, all of them with an impressive CV. Unfortunately, I call them all and only 2 can make it this week. I schedule 2 phone interviews this week, 6 next week, and another 2 in two weeks’ time as they were traveling for work and couldn’t make it before then.

Candidate’s perspective

I get a call from a recruiter. I am at work so I can’t talk so I ask him to send me an email. I get the email and read it later in the day. Reply to my availability for a phone interview. Unfortunately, it needs to be at the end of next week as I can’t make it before then.

I am also involved in two different recruitment processes already. I passed the phone interview phase and have an appointment for a face to face interview next week.

Using automated video interviews – Recruiter’s perspective

I call the candidate but he is busy. I just say that I will send an invitation by email to do a video interview. It is Friday today. He says he would do it over the weekend. That’s great, I’ll get it on Monday!

Using automated video interviews – Candidate’s perspective

I got a call from a recruiter today. I was busy but he said he will send me an invitation by email to do a video interview and that I could do it at my own convenience, even during the weekend. That’s great as usually during the week I have very limited availability to do this in working hours.

What just happened?

The recruiter can send invitations to do the video interview to all 10 candidates. By Wednesday next week, if not before, he will have all of them already. He can start reviewing candidates and invite the 3 selected ones for a face to face interview next week already. He saved almost two weeks time just on this step of the process.

Candidates can do the interview when they have time, they are relaxed and ready. They don’t need to schedule anything on their agenda, get a meeting room at work to do a phone interview, and wait days until they can actually do it.