Moving from Paper to Digital Interviews: A Comprehensive Guide

You've relied on the trusty paper interview processes for years. But now, the pile of paperwork is overwhelming, and manual tracking is a nightmare. The transition from paper to digital interviews is not just about cutting down on paper use; it's about modernising and streamlining your entire hiring process. In this guide, we'll delve into understanding digital interviews, the process involved, and the key benefits that digital interviews hold over traditional paper methods.

1. What are Digital Interviews?

1.1 Understanding Digital Interviews

Digital interviews utilise technology to facilitate the interview process. Instead of the classic face-to-face interview with printed questions and notes, you engage with candidates through video calls, online assessments, and digital platforms. These interviews can be live, where you interact with the candidate in real-time (like our platform, Evidenced), or asynchronous, where candidates record their responses at their convenience, and you review them later. Although these one-way interviewing tools can be problematic.

By recognising what digital interviews entail, you can better prepare your team and adapt your processes. It's not merely a shift in medium but an evolution in how you attract and assess talent efficiently.

1.2 The Process of Digital Interviews

The process of conducting digital interviews starts with selecting the right technology platform that aligns with your company’s needs. After choosing the platform, you set up your interview questions, send out invitations to candidates, and conduct the interviews. Post-interview, your team can review, rate, and compare candidates in an organised manner using the platform’s features.

Here's a breakdown of the steps involved:

1. Platform Selection: Based on your needs, choose a platform that offers features like scheduling, live video, and asynchronous recording.

2. Preparation: Draft and upload your interview questions to the platform.

3. Scheduling and Invitations: Use the platform to send interview invites and manage schedules.

4. Interview Execution: Conduct the interviews.

5. Review and Analysis: Use built-in tools to rate and compare candidate responses efficiently.

Pro-tip: Make sure your chosen platform integrates well with your existing ATS (Applicant Tracking System) for seamless workflow management.

1.3 Benefits of Digital Over Paper Interviews

Switching to digital interviews offers several compelling benefits. Firstly, it saves significant amounts of time, reducing your time to hire. Scheduling becomes hassle-free, especially with tools that offer calendar integrations and automated reminders. The ability to review and compare candidate responses easily is a huge time saver compared to sifting through paper notes. Additionally, digital interviews can also reach a wider talent pool, especially when candidates are not local.

Key Benefits:

• Efficiency: Automate scheduling, reminders, and the review process.

• Accessibility: Engage with candidates remotely, expanding your reach.

• Consistency: Ensure uniformity in questions and assessment criteria.

• Environmentally Friendly: Reduce paper waste drastically.

• Data Management: Store and retrieve interview data easily.

By leveraging digital platforms, you modernise your recruitment approach, making it more strategic and aligned with contemporary best practices. This shift not only benefits your HR team but also creates a more professional and appealing process for candidates.

Pro-tip: Highlight these benefits when presenting the case for digital interviews to your senior management to gain their full support.

2. How to Transition from Paper to Digital Interviews

2.1 Preparing Your Team for the Change

Transitioning to digital interviews starts with preparing your team. Start by openly communicating the benefits of digital interviews to all stakeholders. This might include HR, recruitment teams, and department heads involved in the screening process. Emphasise how digital interviews can save time, reduce paperwork, and provide a more streamlined experience.

Engage your team with the following steps:

• Hold informational sessions: Explain the transition and its benefits.

• Provide use cases: Share successful transformation stories from other enterprises.

• Offer hands-on demonstrations: Familiarise your staff with digital platforms.

Encouraging open dialogue is key. Address concerns promptly, listen to team members' apprehensions, and provide clear answers. Setting up a dedicated support team can also help manage any initial teething problems. Reinforce the message that this transition is aimed at improving efficiency and not adding complexity.

Pro-tip: Create a FAQ sheet detailing common questions and their answers about the upcoming changes. This will act as a quick reference guide for team members.

2.2 Choosing the Right Digital Interview Platform

Selecting the right digital interview platform is critical. You might choose to evaluate different platforms based on their features, ease of use, and integration capabilities with existing HR systems.

Consider the following criteria when choosing a platform:

• Scalability: Can the platform handle the volume of interviews your organisation conducts?

• Integration: Does it integrate smoothly with your current applicant tracking system (ATS)?

• User Experience: Is the interface intuitive for both interviewers and candidates?

• Reputation: Does it have case studies and positive reviews?

Test your chosen platform with a trial period or pilot programme. Gather feedback from HR staff and candidates to make data-driven decisions. It’s also beneficial to check the customer support and training resources available for each platform to ensure a smooth transition.

Pro-tip: Evidenced offers a range of functionalities suitable for both small and large enterprises.

2.3 Training and Best Practices for Digital Interviews

Once a platform is chosen, training your staff is the next step. Offer comprehensive training sessions to ensure everyone is comfortable using the new tools. These can be conducted via workshops, webinars, or online tutorials. Emphasise practicing mock interviews to get familiar with the software functionalities.

Include these steps in your training programme:

• Onboarding sessions: Provide a thorough walkthrough of the platform's features.

• Mock interviews: Encourage teams to practise using the platform.

• User manuals: Distribute easy-to-understand guides and resources.

Establishing best practices for digital interviews is crucial. Develop a set of guidelines covering aspects such as technical setup, maintaining professionalism on camera, and ensuring consistent interview questions. Make sure these guidelines are communicated clearly to all involved parties, including candidates.

Pro-tip: Regularly update training materials and best practice guidelines based on user feedback and any updates to the digital platform.

3. Ensuring Success with Digital Interviews

3.1 Creating Engaging and Effective Digital Interview Questions

When transitioning to digital interviews, it's essential to craft questions that maintain engagement and provide the necessary insights. This process involves focusing on clear and concise language. Avoid overly complex questions that might confuse the candidate. Break questions into smaller, manageable parts to make them easier to understand and answer.

For example, instead of asking a broad question like, "Describe your problem-solving process," you could break it down into:

• What is your initial approach to a problem?

• How do you gather information to understand the problem?

• Describe a specific instance where you resolved an issue.

Additionally, balance technical and behavioural questions. While technical questions assess specific skills, behavioural questions evaluate how candidates will perform in different scenarios. This dual approach ensures you get a comprehensive view of your potential hire.

Pro-tip: Take a look at our comprehensive guide on how to write interview questions.

3.2 Scorecards Allow You to Assess Candidates Consistently

Interview scorecards are essential tools in modern hiring, enabling organizations to evaluate candidates in a structured and consistent manner. By breaking down assessments into specific competencies and skills, scorecards reduce personal bias and facilitate objective comparisons among candidates.

These scorecards align hiring teams around a common understanding of what constitutes a strong candidate, eliminating ambiguity and minimizing decisions based on gut feelings. This is particularly beneficial in enterprise settings where multiple stakeholders are involved. Additionally, the quantitative ratings provided by scorecards allow organizations to analyze trends and refine their hiring criteria over time, promoting a data-driven approach.

While scorecards enhance consistency, they should complement qualitative feedback from interviewers. By combining structured assessments with nuanced insights, enterprises can improve the fairness and effectiveness of their hiring processes, leading to better outcomes and a stronger workforce.

Pro-tip: Take time to understand what scorecards are and how to use them in your process.

3.2 Technical Requirements and Setup

Transitioning to digital interviews means ensuring you have the right technical setup. Start with a dedicated video interviewing tool like Evidenced. These platforms offer robust features, including scheduling, recording, and easy access for candidates.

Ensure all participants have necessary devices and a stable internet connection. Provide a checklist for candidates:

• Check your internet connection is stable.

• Test your video and audio settings.

• Set up in a quiet space to avoid interruptions.

Pro-tip: Run a test interview. Schedule a mock interview session to test your equipment and platform functionality. This helps identify any technical issues before actual interviews.

Beyond the basics, consider security and privacy measures. Ensure your chosen platform is compliant with data protection regulations. Use secure methods for sharing sensitive documents or information during the interview process. This is another benefit of using a specialist platform like Evidenced, all of these considerations are accounted for.

3.3 Feedback and Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement requires collecting feedback after each digital interview. Feedback is vital to refining your process and improving candidate experience. You can gather feedback through surveys or direct conversations with candidates and interviewers.

Key points to ask include:

• How smooth was the technical experience?

• Were the questions clear and relevant?

• How comfortable did you feel during the interview?

Use this feedback to identify pain points and make necessary adjustments. For example, if candidates report technical issues, it may be time to upgrade your software or provide better guidelines.

Pro-tip: Regularly review and update your interview questions. Over time, company needs and roles evolve. Ensure your questions remain relevant and aligned with current requirements.

Also, consider monitoring and reviewing interview recordings. This practice offers valuable insights for improving interviewer techniques and better assessing candidates.

Transitioning to digital interviews can improve efficiency and candidate experience if done thoughtfully. By asking the right questions, ensuring technical readiness, and continuously improving through feedback, you position your company for success in attracting and selecting top talent.

In conclusion, moving from paper to digital interviews involves careful planning and execution. Engage your team and continuously refine your approach through regular feedback and updates. This ensures a seamless transition and supports your goal of more effective and efficient hiring processes.