・ I want to increase the number of applicants
・ I want more diverse human resources
・ I feel like I haven’t been able to approach excellent human resources
・ Your precious time is taken too much for interviews
・ I want to reduce costs such as interview costs and travel costs
If you’re a company representative, I think it’s a problem you’ve ever had.
In such a case, I would like you to consider introducing a Web interview system .
Web interviews are a way to communicate with remote job seekers using a PC or mobile.
If you have an internet connection, you can have an interview anytime, anywhere using a mobile device or tablet computer.
Many companies are also paying attention to their convenience, and we know that they are highly regarded by job seekers. It seems to be a boon for companies that want to reduce the cost of hiring interviews.
However, not many people know exactly what to do.
Therefore, this time, we will introduce in detail the outline, advantages and precautions, and successful cases of enterprise introduction in order to operate the Web interview correctly.
Background of the spread of web interviews
First, let’s understand why the need for web interviews is growing.
Behind this are two aspects: (1) an improved internet environment and (2) a shortage of human resources.
①Enhancement of Internet environment
Web conferencing systems use, of course, Internet lines.
Unlike before, it has become common sense that the Internet can now be used due to the penetration of the Internet environment.
It’s no exaggeration to say that the Internet is the infrastructure of our lives .
Looking at the MIC’s “White Paper on Information and Communications in 2018” , it is clear that the Internet penetration rate is high.
(Reference: ” 2018 White Paper on Information and Communications “)
Nowadays, relatively stable communication (such as Wi-fi) can be used not only at home but also in public cafes and co-working spaces.
More and more people have actually used video calling, including Skype and Facebook Messenger.
As the number of companies adopting online systems that were used for private and in-house communication in interviews increased in this way, it is considered that Web interviews have gradually spread.
② Shortage of labor
Next, let’s look at it from a social perspective, such as a shortage of companies in Japan. One of the indicators for measuring the shortage of human resources is the effective job opening ratio .
The effective job openings-to-applicants ratio is set to an intermediate value of “ 1 ”, and the larger the number is, the more jobs are available and the number of workers is insufficient. Represents a situation.
So take a look at the following table.
The ratio of active job openings to applicants has been on the rise for eight consecutive years since 2010, with “1.50” in 2017 and “1.60” in 2018 the following year.
In other words, we can see that we are currently in a position of “high recruitment and lack of workers”. This is a critical situation for a company that is related to its survival.
Therefore, it is necessary to increase the number of parameters to be approached in order to keep excellent human resources.
Even if the recruitment rate is the same at 10%, if you can interview 10 people and interview 100 people where one is hired, you will be able to hire 10 people.
However, as in the past, face-to-face meetings do not include human resources such as home workers and local and overseas residents.
Therefore, the demand for Web interviews that can be reviewed remotely has soared.
What are the benefits for companies and job seekers?
Although it is a “Web interview” that allows you to make a remote selection using the Internet line, it actually brings great benefits to both companies and job seekers.
Let’s organize each one here to get a deeper understanding of web interviews.
Company
Saves time and effort
・ Reduced man-hours for preparing interview rooms
・ Cost such as transportation expenses and accommodation expenses can be reduced
・ We can utilize the gap time of the person in charge
・ Record and share interview patterns
Expand your target
・ Recruit people who are far away, including local and overseas
Can be adopted smoothly
・ Easier to see the real face because the tension of the applicant is eased
job seeker
Saves time and effort
・ Reduce the cost and travel time for interviews
・ Easy access to more companies
Easy to use
・ It is easy to adjust convenient interview time
・ You can be interviewed in your own environment
Benefits for companies
The main benefits of using a web interview are for companies to reduce costs, secure talent, and streamline the hiring process.
Web interviews can be started immediately with an Internet environment and device. This eliminates the need for staff to move to the interview venue, prepare and clean up the venue, and arrange personnel for that purpose. It is not a dream to condense the interview preparation time, which had been several hours until now, to 30 minutes, because there is no need to reserve a lot of time before and after the interview because the movement is not involved.
In addition, the definition of “job seeker” in a face-to-face interview was basically “the person who goes to the company’s office in the recruitment process.”
However, this is no different from the fact that the selection has been greatly reduced.
Missing talented human resources solely due to physical distance is a natural issue in this shortage of workers.
Using the web interview tool, you can meet with talented people who live far away. Of course, companies don’t have to cover travel costs. Communication through the screen also reduces the tension on applicants, making it easier to see their real faces.
In addition, the web interview tool ” V-CUBE Meeting (Pro) ” has a nice service that supports recruitment interviews.
▼ Service example
・ Video and audio communication
・ PC screen sharing
・ Questionnaire function
・ Notification function of connection status
・ Status display function
・ Use with browser (no need for special application)
・ Recording function
・ Chat function
・ Pointer during screen sharing
・ Invite function
・ Document sharing function from iOS application
Benefits for job seekers
When considering a web interview, also keep in mind why applicants are finding a need for a web interview.
The biggest benefit for job seekers is that they can make better use of their free time and save time and money.
This is because there are many reasons why job seekers do not apply because “moving takes time and money”.
According to a survey conducted by supporters, who operate a job hunting support service, for 560 job hunters who plan to graduate in 2019, the total cost of job hunting was ¥ 161,312 on a national average .
This is the amount of money that can be earned after a part-time job (1,000 yen per hour) is continued for about 3 months with a shift of 5 hours a day x 3 times a week.
It must be a significant burden for students.
(Reference: from Supporters official website )
In such a situation, if you have a schedule such as graduation thesis, part-time job and job hunting, you will be shy of no matter how many companies are interested.
On the other hand, if a web interview is introduced, you can easily enter without having to worry about time and money.
In fact, DISCO Caritas Research Co., Ltd. conducted a “Job Employment Activity Survey” (as of July 1, 2019 ) targeting fourth-year college students (1,261 students) who are planning to graduate in March 2020 . The student expressed a positive opinion, “I agree with the web interview.”
(Reference: Disco Caritas Research ” Job Hunting Survey “)
Given the chronic shortage of talent in every industry, increasing opportunities for companies and job seekers to match can be beneficial for both companies and job seekers.
In companies where web interviews are systematized, the influx of job seekers will be increasingly activated.
Points to be aware of just because a web interview
He mentioned that the web interview was an attractive system that was easy and cost-saving without the need for advance preparation. Face-to-face meetings wherever you are will help both companies and job seekers increase productivity.
However, there are some points that need to be taken into consideration for a successful web interview because it is not face-to-face.
Therefore, check the following points in advance.
1. Prepare internet environment and tools before interview
2. Be aware of the quiet and tidy places
3. Speak clearly with intonation
4. Adjust the camera position of the device as close as possible to the line of sight
5. Do not hit the keyboard during the interview
6. Introduce paid tools to avoid mistakes
1. Prepare internet environment and tools before interview
What you need for a web interview is an internet connection and a device such as a PC or smartphone.
Peripheral devices should be your own PC. Many of the cameras, earphones, and microphone speakers that send these images are built-in. If you are using a PC without a camera, attach a web camera.
When you want to clear the sound, it is recommended that you use an integrated headset instead of a built-in PC or a type that is placed on a desk. If it has a noise canceling function, you can cut off the surrounding environmental sound.
It should be noted that the convenience of selling web interviews is different from talking with friends. Because it is an official company interview, it is better to avoid attending on your usual iPhone or Android.
Also, try to connect the Internet to a stable line as much as possible. Avoid public cafes where communication is unstable, and select a place where you can use high-speed Wi-Fi, such as your home or co-working space.
2. Be aware of quiet and cleared places
During a web interview, it is desirable that there be as few people, objects, and noises as possible on the camera. Take great care to avoid the background of intense traffic or confidential materials.
If you use a public space, pay attention to the voices and noise of people around you.
3. Speak clearly with intonation
Communication through the screen makes it difficult for each other to grasp the conversation’s tempo and calories. Questions should be as simple and clear as possible.
4. Adjust the camera position of the device as closely as possible
When participating in a web interview on a laptop or mobile, adjust the screen to the level of your line of sight as much as possible. If you place the camera below your eyes, it will appear as if you are looking down at the screen of the applicant, which may give the opponent a sense of intimidation.
Interviewers are an important part of making a first impression of your company, so you don’t want to make a bad impression.
5. Do not hit the keyboard during the interview
Modern devices are also good at collecting audio, picking up sounds around you, talking to people nearby, and even hitting the keyboard. It is a good idea to avoid writing down the details of interviews with applicants.
6. Install paid tools to avoid mistakes
There are two types of web interview systems: free and paid. Free web conferencing tools are attractive because they don’t cost much to get started.
On the other hand, there is a possibility that lag (delay due to the line) may occur due to poor image quality and connectivity, and video calls with a large number of people. There are also concerns about security, such as limitations on recording functions, lack of support when problems occur, and incorrect ID management.
To avoid such troubles, consider a paid web interview system.
For example, a V-CUBE meeting (professional) can be introduced from 2,000 yen per month (up to 9 accounts) .
You can get various kinds of support through the paid web interview system.
There is no need to download a dedicated application, and you can talk to participants by simply opening the URL shared in advance. You can also get advice on how to use it according to the help desk and the recruitment scene, so you can safely and safely introduce the first Web interview system.
There are strengths and weaknesses in both free and paid systems, so we recommend that recruiters and departments work together to implement tools that are optimal and useful for your company.
12 times a day during busy season! Successful introduction of web interview [Ashitano team]
Tomorrow’s team , a HR consulting company that provides cloud services for HR evaluations, is actively engaged in recruiting local people using web interviews.
The company’s cloud service needs were centered on small and medium-sized enterprises that do not have a dedicated department for human resources, and such small and medium-sized enterprises had many characteristics in rural areas. Therefore, in order to provide more detailed services, we started to expand bases at a rapid pace in 2014, and in 2018 we opened all 47 prefectures.
The recruitment interview by the HR manager emphasizes communication stability and speed, and employs a Web interview at the V-CUBE meeting .
When there were many, it seems that interviews were held with as many as 12 applicants a day (30 minutes each).
If face-to-face interviews had been standardized, the same pace of implementation within the working hours of the day (8 hours) would obviously not have been achieved. With a Web interview system that can reduce time and costs as much as possible, we can say that we were able to proceed with recruitment interviews without any problems at such frequency.
Conduct web interviews with emphasis on speed. For employees with a short company history, the superior may remotely “accompany the business”.
Conclusion | The introduction of the “Web Interview System” will continue to be appropriately recruited in a Japanese society with a shortage of human resources and will grow and develop corporate activities
The effective job openings ratio is increasing year by year, and the number of companies and organizations that introduce a Web interview system so that they can conduct interviews more quickly and with less burden under the situation where companies compete for human resources is increasing.
As it is becoming increasingly difficult to secure excellent human resources as soon as possible, the Web interview system, which has many advantages for both companies and job seekers, is expected to spread and become mainstream in the future.
HR and interviewers are required to match job seekers with a wide range of skills and to hire talented people from Japan and around the world. The introduction of the “Web Interview System” is a tool to continue appropriate recruitment in Japanese society with a shortage of human resources and to grow and develop corporate activities. It may be necessary to consider it as one of the recruitment options.