Telephone and Video Interviews:
A Recruitment Barrier?
The nature of the interview process has begun to evolve due to an increasingly global and geographically dispersed workforce. A recent article by Derek Chapman and his colleagues of Calgary University, Canada, examined the reactions of candidates to different interview processes. They compared the traditional face-to-face interview with two technology-mediated approaches: video conferencing (interviews held by a video link) and the telephone interview.
Selection is now recognised as a two-way process - the candidate makes a decision about whether they want to work for the organisation, as well as the organisation deciding whether to offer the candidate a job. It is therefore essential that, particularly for external recruitment, a positive image of the organisation is created. The current research examined the perceptions of 900 applicants across a broad range of organisations (346 in total) to determine how these might be influenced by the different interview processes.
Key Findings
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Traditional (face-to-face) interviews were seen as more fair than either telephone or video conferencing.
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Both traditional and telephone interviews resulted in more positive candidate perceptions of personal performance than video conferencing.
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Applicants were more likely to accept a job offer following a traditional interview, than a telephone interview.
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Candidates who tried to create a favourable impression by controlling their self-presentation to match that of their interviewer (self-monitors) were more likely to see the technically driven processes as unfair than those who did not.
The results suggest that the use of technically mediated interview methods may in some instances create negative perceptions. Organisations may risk alienating potentially strong candidates if they use selection methods that are not perceived favourably. This needs to be considered carefully and worked around. There are, however, some benefits to telephone and video conference interviews. These include a reduced cost and increased convenience (e.g. easier to arrange schedules). The authors suggest considering the following points carefully when deciding on the method of interview chosen:
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Size and geographic dispersion of the applicant pool - e.g. when recruiting large numbers of employees, the video or telephone interview may be the only efficient method.
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Financial state of the organisation - e.g. if the budget is tight, investing in an expensive video conferencing suite might not be a sensible option.
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Industry norms (and candidate expectations).
How can Human Assets help?
If you are considering re-designing or implementing a new selection procedure, Human Assets can help by:
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Providing strategic advice on the design of your assessment processes.
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Developing assessment processes tailored to your specific organisational needs. We will consult closely with you, and ensure you enjoy the benefits of innovative methods without creating negative candidate impressions.
If you would like to find out more, please contact our consultants on +44(0)20 7434 2122 or by email enquiries@humanassets.co.uk
Reference
Chapman D. S, Uggerslev K. L & Webster J. (2003) Applicant Reactions to Face-to-Face and Technology-Mediated Interviews: A Field Investigation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88, pp944-953.
Newsletter: December 2003