27% Of Hiring Teams Are Recording Their Interviews

27% of hiring teams are recording their interviews. Does that number surprise you?

We recently surveyed our community of 50K+ TA leaders to see whether or not they’re recording interviews at their organizations, and I wasn’t surprised by this result. Why? Because, while recording interviews is a rather new concept, it’s been common practice in other areas of the business - like sales - for years.

When we ran this same survey a year ago, only 6% of teams were recording interviews. That’s a substantial jump in just a year!

Even though only a quarter of hiring teams are recording their interviews, I expect this trend to double, if not more, within the next 6-12 months.

So why is recording interviews such a game changer for companies? Well, let’s talk about how it's beneficial to the hiring process and address some of the common concerns we receive.

First, let’s get into the benefits of recording interviews…

1.) Improved Decision Making

When it’s time to make that next great hire, have you ever thought, “I wish I could remember exactly what both of those candidates said about their leadership experience (or any other key skill)”? Recording interviews gives hiring managers the ability to review a candidate’s responses in detail, helping make more informed decisions based on their skills and fit for the role.

2.) Minimizes The Need For Notetaking

Recording interviews means you never need to take notes again - nice thought, huh?! By freeing interviewers from this task, they focus on engaging with the candidate, actively listening to their responses, and asking follow-up questions as needed. This results in a more natural and productive interview dynamic, a far better candidate experience, and a more accurate view of a candidate's fit.

3.) Speeds Up Time To Hire

Recorded interviews can be shared with other members of the hiring team. This minimizes the need for repeat interviews or follow-up meetings to clarify information. Those people with tough calendars can review highlights from other interviews and make a judgment or give an opinion. The result? Quicker decision-making and a more efficient candidate selection process.

4.) Eliminates Bias

The transparency of recorded interviews promotes a more open and equitable hiring process. Interviewers feel more accountable and they maintain consistency in evaluating all candidates, which significantly decreases the risk of biased decision-making.

5.) Provides The Ability To Coach Interviewers

Many interviewers aren’t trained on how to conduct effective interviews. Recording interviews presents a valuable opportunity to coach interviewers. The recordings can serve as training material for newcomers and be shared with peers to help identify both strengths and areas needing improvement. 

There are many more reasons, but let’s dig into some common concerns we hear about recording interviews and how to address them:

1,) Privacy & Consent

Concern: Teams worry about ensuring compliance with data protection and other laws.

Solution: Implement a clear policy for recording interviews, including obtaining explicit consent from candidates before the interview. Communicate the purpose of the recording and how the data will be used and stored.

2.) Candidate Comfort

Concern: Candidates may feel uncomfortable knowing they are being recorded, which could impact their performance.

Solution: Inform candidates in advance that the interview will be recorded and explain the benefits, such as fairer evaluation and feedback opportunities. Ensure that they can opt out if they feel uncomfortable. In our experience, most candidates are unphased by the recording, and we only see 0.04% of candidates opting out.

3.) Internal Resistance

Concern: Introducing recorded interviews may be seen as ‘big brother’ and require adjustments in team dynamics and processes.

Solution: Role out interviewing to a core team first and create an army of advocates. When they see all the benefits that come from it, they won't be able to live without it. Provide support to ease the transition.

4.) Where Interviews Take Place

Concern:  Not all interviews happen virtually - some meetings are on the phone or in-person. 

Solution: Most platforms can record phone interviews and in-person teams can use laptops or other devices to record those interviews.

5.) Fear of Discoverable Information

Concern: Legal teams will sometimes come in with concerns that recordings might be used as discoverable information in legal disputes.

Solution: It’s true that recorded interviews provide teams with greater visibility into what’s happening. This enables teams to have more data as to why they hired who they hired, which better supports and defends hiring decisions. Instead of creating risk, recordings offer concrete evidence of consistent and fair practices. _________________________________________________________________________
Just like anything else, the hiring landscape is ever-evolving, and recording interviews is becoming a valuable tool for organizations. While there are some concerns about interview recordings, proactive strategies can effectively address them.

Looking ahead, it’s likely that the trend of recording interviews will not only continue to grow but will also become an integral part of recruitment strategies. If you’re ready to start recording interviews, I’d love to chat about how Pillar can help. Shoot me a DM here, and we can connect.

Until next month,

Mark Simpson
Founder & CEO