Recording Job Interviews: The Comprehensive Guide

You're busy scheduling interviews and sifting through resumes, but have you ever considered recording your job interviews? Not only can this help you keep a more accurate record of your candidates, but it also offers numerous benefits for both employers and candidates. In this guide, we'll explore why recording job interviews could be a game-changer for your recruitment process.

1. Why Record Job Interviews?

1.1 Benefits for Employers

Recording job interviews offers significant advantages for employers. Firstly, it can help ensure consistency and fairness in the hiring process. When you have multiple interviewers or several rounds of interviews, recording allows you to review the conversations in detail, ensuring that each candidate is evaluated on the same criteria. This can lead to more objective hiring decisions. You can also easily revisit interviews to cross-check facts and clarify points, making it less likely to miss out on crucial details.

Moreover, recorded interviews can serve as an effective training tool for your recruitment team. By reviewing past interviews, new interviewers can learn best practices and see real-life examples of good and bad interview techniques. Implementing recording can also help identify inconsistencies and improve the overall quality of your interviews. Additionally, having a recorded archive of interviews can prove beneficial during dispute resolutions or any compliance requirements that may arise.

Pro-tip: Use these recordings as part of ongoing training sessions to continually refine your interviewing skills and processes.

1.2 Benefits for Candidates

For candidates, the benefits of recorded job interviews are equally compelling. One key advantage is that it promotes fairness. Knowing that the interview is recorded can instil confidence in candidates that the hiring process will be transparent and unbiased. Candidates often appreciate the ability to request access to their interview recordings, which allows them to reflect on their performance and identify areas for improvement.

Recorded interviews also serve as a great preparation tool. Candidates can study recording policies and potentially even practice with friends or through mock interviews beforehand. This preparation can make candidates feel more at ease and better prepared for the actual interview. Additionally, recording can help capture the nuances of communication, especially in virtual interviews where technical glitches may occur.

Fun fact: Some candidates find comfort in knowing that they can refer back to what was discussed, ensuring that they haven’t misunderstood any key aspects of the role or company.

Recording job interviews can clearly provide mutual benefits, enhancing both the recruitment process and the candidate experience.

2. How to Record Job Interviews Successfully

2.1 Choosing the Right Tools (Zoom Vs Evidenced)

When recording job interviews, picking the right tool can greatly impact the quality and ease of the process. Zoom is a popular choice, offering reliable video quality, ease of use, and the ability to record sessions directly to your device or the cloud. With Zoom, you can also schedule interviews, send meeting links, and ensure accessibility for all participants. However, it might not provide advanced features specific to recruitment needs.

On the other hand, Evidenced is designed specifically for recruitment. It allows you to not only record the interview but also features like a structured question timeline, automatic transcription, and bookmarks for key moments. Its interface is tailored to help recruiters quickly find and review important segments of the interview, making it a specialised tool that enhances the hiring workflow.

2.2 Tips for successful video recording

Ensuring a successful video recording of an interview involves several practical steps. Test your equipment beforehand. Check your microphone, camera, and internet connection. Ensure the lighting in your room illuminates your face clearly without casting harsh shadows. This setting makes you appear professional and keeps the focus on the conversation.

Create a distraction-free environment. Find a quiet space and ensure there's little to no background noise. Inform family or housemates about your interview schedule. Prepare a backup plan, such as having another device ready or using a different internet connection, just in case something goes wrong.

2.3 Gaining Candidate and interviewer consent

Always notify the candidate and interviewer upfront that the session will be recorded. Explain the reason behind recording the interview, such as improving the hiring process or for training purposes.

During the interview you can reconfirm consent verbally before starting the recording. This establishes transparency and ensures both parties are aware.

2.4 Meeting Data Protection Requirements

It's crucial to handle interview recordings with care to comply with data protection regulations like GDPR. Clearly inform candidates about how their data will be stored, who will have access to it, and the retention period of these recordings. Use secure, encrypted storage solutions for storing the recording, ensuring that only authorised personnel can access them.

One drawback of using tools like Zoom, MS Teams or Google Meet, is the extra headache of managing the interview recordings. You need to be careful with who has access to the recordings and have a deletion policy in place if your candidates request the interview to be deleted. It’s hard to track recordings down and show proof of their deletion.

Evidenced however offers built-in compliance features, including data encryption and secure storage options. Access control is synced with your permissions from your ATS and it’s easy to handle any interview deletion requests.

Regularly review and audit your data storage practices to ensure ongoing compliance with regulation updates. Set internal policies regarding data retention and deletion post-hiring decisions.

2.5 Using the recording

Using interview recordings efficiently can streamline your recruitment process. With Evidenced, you can easily navigate through recordings using the timeline and bookmarks. Mark important moments in the interview so that you can quickly reference them later.

Transcripts can also be a powerful tool, offering a written record of the conversation. This makes it easier to review and share with other hiring team members. Automatic transcription services can save significant time and effort, ensuring accuracy and quick access to critical decision-making points.

2.6 Automatic question detection

Automatic question detection is a unique Evidenced feature that identifies and segments questions within the interview recording. This is incredibly useful as it allows you to quickly review the questions asked in the interview and the candidate's responses without watching the entire recording.

You can use these segments to compare how different candidates respond to the same questions, ensuring a more fair and thorough evaluation process. It not only saves time but also enhances the accuracy and efficiency of your hiring decisions.

2.7 Bias-free reviewing and decision making

Recording interviews can significantly help reduce bias in the hiring process. By having a record, multiple internal stakeholders can review the same content independently, minimising individual prejudices.

Implement structured reviews of recordings. Consider creating a checklist or scoring system aligned with your job requirements, ensuring each candidate is assessed equally. This method encourages objective decision-making and reduces the risk of overlooking qualified candidates.

Recording job interviews serves as a powerful method to streamline your hiring process while ensuring fairness and compliance. Choosing the right tools, maintaining clear communication, and adhering to data protection guidelines are crucial for successful implementation.