Dive Brief:

• Molly Weaver, director of employment for Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, says HR leaders can improve the candidate experience of applying for work by utilizing video interviewing technology.

• Weaver advises that there are certain limitations of online recruitment. Hiring managers don’t really have a chance to get to know candidates on a deeper level and candidates don’t have a chance to express themselves well. She says there is a, “basic desire of people wanting to express themselves and be heard — beyond what outdated application processes offer.”

• The introduction of their new ‘Introduce Yourself to Us’ program, utilizing a built-in video interviewing system has resulted in more personal, job-relevant dialogues between candidates and recruiters at CMHC. 

Dive Insight:                                                                                                   

Weaver talks about the frustrations over traditional online application processes, which, up to recently, were impersonal and limited. She shares how one job advertisement resulted in over 7,500 applications and 55 hires, but how candidate feedback brought to her attention the need for candidate’s to be able to express themselves more fully. This was the catalyst for trying something better – in this case, video interviewing.

As a result of the video application, Weaver advises that, “I hear more meaningful discussions about relevant prior experiences, where a particular candidate would fit here at Children’s Mercy, and where we think we should send people, instead of the rejection. We are getting more personal with people and it seems to be working. Candidates love it too.”

Others who recruit in challenging industries like CMHC can learn from this story. Sometimes, the answer to a problem is simple and just requires thinking from the perspective of candidates.