Video Interview by Ben Savage

 W

''' Video Resumes: Wave of the Future? '''

 By Ben Savage 

In a global marketplace, employers are beginning to realize that their best potential employees might not live in the same city, the same state, or even the same country. The connecting power of the Internet and social media, however, give companies the ability to recruit and screen potential applicants no matter how far away they may live. Online video is playing a huge role in this shift in the way hiring is done. Inc. Magazine has a fascinating article on companies and job seekers using online video to replace some of the more traditional steps in the hiring process. They speak with several hiring professionals who are using Skype and other customized video-based services to help narrow the group of potential employees.

Video Chat -  Imagine the money they could have saved by conducting those interviews on Skype instead of in person. Services like Skype are a godsend to hiring managers, and the accounting folks love it too. Inc. interviewed Perry Blacher, the CEO of a company called Covestor. Covestor uses Skype heavily for recruiting, and Blacher's a big fan because he's able to see a candidate's appearance and non-verbal communication without having to be in the same room physically: “You can sort of see in people’s body language things like enthusiasm. Visual signals [are as important] as the things people say.” Blacher has even used Skype to allow multiple people in his company to speak with the same applicant on a party line. Another company profiled by Inc. is J. Arnold & Associates, a research and analysis firm. Jon Arnold thinks video is rapidly replacing old-school hiring and employment practices: “These things are really starting to make video such a common part of our vocabulary now. It’s almost like you’re getting to the point where you’re going to expect it, not so much that it’s a bonus. That’s how fast it’s moving.” There are also emerging competitors for Skype, such as VuCall, which provides a subscription service for high-definition video conferencing for 100 people at a time--and it's secure, which is a huge plus. VuCall video sessions can also be recorded for reference later.

Conclusions Video hiring, like video résumés, is inevitable. Just as it's

thumb|300px|right

now common for employers to Google prospective employees or check out their Facebook pages, video interviews will be the norm. There's just too much upside. Employers save money and time, and are able to tap into a wider pool of applicants. Applicants get a chance to stand out from their competition by showcasing their professionalism and personality. However... we're not there yet, as Inc. reminds us in their final sentence: all the hiring managers interviewed for the article say they still perform in-person interviews as a final step before making a job offer, but the trend is underway, and it's probably irreversible. Video interviews convey more than phone interviews ever can, while sparing the cost of the in-person variety. You might even use Skype to help land your very next job. rite the text of your article here!