Using interview intelligence in your hiring process requires research and investment, but it offers huge rewards in terms of securing top talent faster and more fairly. Interview intelligence is essential to create an inclusive, diverse and thriving workforce. Let’s take a closer look at what’s involved in implementing this approach in your hiring process…
What is interview intelligence?
Interview intelligence encompasses voice-led software and technology that supports inclusive hiring practices. It helps organisations to build teams that truly represent society and reduces the risk of bias. It also allows you to connect with and interview candidates that might otherwise sit outside your normal talent pool. By using a platform like Equitas, you can streamline and automate parts of the interviewing process. To bring the time-saving benefit alone, you can save 50% of interviewer time and get to offer stage much faster.
Implement a structured interview process
Without the right technology and tools, challenges may arise during the hiring process. There are major drawbacks to consider – interviewers will not be able to assess in an efficient or consistent way. A process without structure means that teams run the risk of being swept into a lengthy interview scheduling and set-up. Further complexity and confusion can creep into the picture when feedback rounds are based on gut feelings, or worse, when key information in candidates is omitted in human error. Candidates that might have been an excellent long-term fit can slip through the net, while affinity bias can lead to a loss of original thought within a team culture. Process and structure help to mitigate these risks.
Don’t forget candidate experience
According to a 2022 work trend report by Microsoft, 55% of employees say the best way for them to develop their skills is to change companies. That’s a lot of highly motivated candidates thinking of moving roles. This is the talent that you want to attract and retain in your interview process and strengthen it with interview intelligence.
It’s also very useful to take a step back and assess the current hiring landscape of 2023. We have moved into a new phase as the grip of COVID-19 on our lives and working habits loosens. The ‘Great Resignation’ or ‘Big Quit’ of 2021 has been bumped out of the spotlight and instead replaced by Quiet quitting and the Great Reshuffle. So what lies beneath these buzzwords? In essence, the attitude to have struck a chord with candidates relates to trends on the need for balance and fulfilling tasks listed in a job description only when it comes to Quiet Quitting. When it comes to the reshuffle, we see candidates ready to shift roles within the same industry but through a lens of wanting remote working, wellbeing and benefits. To drive home this point, according to the Cpl Salary Guide 2023 study, 76% of candidates would turn down roles that do not meet their flexible working needs.
The value of time and clarity
By using the right interview intelligence technology, you will streamline what is already working in your organisation. This allows you more precious time with candidates and to communicate important benefits like culture, values and questions around policies that candidates demand clear transparency on before making a decision. The initial communication touchpoints are so important in your process but so are feedback rounds. It is vital to give candidates the respect and actionable feedback they deserve. A 2022 study of 1,500 global workers found that 75% of candidates have never heard back from a company after a job interview. Take this huge opportunity to stand out from competitors who may be taking the route of ‘ghosting’ candidates and optimise and elevate your whole approach with Interview intelligence.
The need to score objectively
We must all be aware and never lose sight of the fact that we all carry unconscious bias as humans. Without even realising, our brain is assimilating and assessing information at rapid speed, and making judgements. To bring this home, the human brain can process 11 million bits of information every second. And to make us understand how fast the landscape has changed, over the last twenty years alone, 90% of the data globally was generated. Our brains are often so busy or multi-tasking across many different devices, platforms and switching between the physical and virtual world that our brains can make cognitive shortcuts and snap judgements. Why do we do this? In some ways it’s human nature and evolutionary. It is based on our personal background, culture, and unique experiences and often starts at a very early age.
The power of data capture
You can argue and present subjective opinions about many things. This can be enjoyable in certain settings at a social debate for example or in exchanging ideas, but one place it should be avoided at all costs is in your hiring process. This is a comforting thought: you cannot argue with evidence-based data. It doesn’t lie or hold prejudice or bias. Implementing strict process and consistency is key to mitigating the risks of bias. And this is where the power of Equitas software will help you to transform your hiring process, especially at scale. By creating a centralised system, you will enable hiring teams to work from a strong foundation and instil confidence amongst hiring teams that they are working in a consistent way. This has the knock-on effect of establishing a basis where everyone is evaluated in the same way. All candidates enjoy the respect and fairness of a level playing field.
Foster collaboration with interview intelligence
If your hiring process lacks transparency and is missing the opportunity for measurable collaboration at assessment stage, then it is a process open to pitfalls like miscommunication, bias and organisational chaos. Interview intelligence will allow for panel interviews and anonymous scoring by individuals for a collective and open approach to assessing candidates. Again, we circle back to the reality that you cannot argue with hard data and facts. This helps both hiring managers and candidates to progress in a fair, inclusive and authentic way.
To close, let’s quickly recap on the benefits of implementing a strong interview intelligence framework:
- Saves time
- Allows assessment in a fair and inclusive way
- Reduces time to offer
- Helps teams make more informed decisions
- Fights against unconscious bias
- Improves candidate experience
- Software is easy to use and onboard new users
- Upskills interviewers
- Creates a foundation of data-capture
- Offers analysis of trends
To find out more about Equitas interview intelligence and how it will transform your hiring process, book a demo.
