Video Interview Applications:
Worth Your Time As A Job Seeker?

“The brick walls are there for a reason.  The brick walls are not there to keep us out.  The walls are there to show us how badly we want something.” – Randy Pausch.

Back in the day, you looked through a newspaper or saw a sign in the window of a store that said they were hiring.  You walked in with your resume and a person read it over before giving you a face-to-face interview.  Job opportunities were limited to your immediate radius.  Now, with digital technology, practically every job conceivable from anywhere in the world is at your fingertips.  There’s practically no limit to where you can apply online.  However, that also means everyone else has the same access.  And employers are constantly relying on technological advances to try to sift through applications to find viable candidates.  In this blog, we’ll talk about the growing number of “brick walls” Job Seekers like you must climb to apply for a job.  We’ll pay particular attention to a growing trend: Video Interview Applications.  And we’ll ask the question: “Is it worth your time as a Job Seeker?”.

The Current Job Market

We’re all still waiting for this “recession” that may or may not hit.  The pandemic brought our economy to a crawl, but it created an interesting phenomenon: the great resignation.  Many chose to quit their jobs, even during a pandemic, to pursue a better work-life balance and possible increase in pay and benefits.  Unemployment dropped to near historic lows in spite of widespread layoffs, particularly in technology positions.  But now, things are getting back to “normal”, whatever that is.  Layoffs are slowing, new job postings are slowing, people aren’t quitting, and nearly 75% of those surveyed are at least somewhat satisfied with their current jobs. 

Remote work is still a priority for job seekers, but the remote job postings have declined significantly.  A lot of that has to do with the industries that are hiring.  After over-hiring during the pandemic, many tech companies have made sizable layoffs as the increased tech demand has dwindled.  Industries hit the hardest over the last few years (construction, hospitality, tourism) are now growing quickly.  And those aren’t jobs that can be done from home.  

So when a remote position does get posted (like an Acumatica Consultant or a Sage Intacct Administrator or an Odoo Analyst), these ERP hiring managers are swamped with applications, most of whom are not qualified.  So how do they separate the wheat from the chaff?  Technology and Recruiters.

The Job Application Process

In general, the process for applying for a job has become exponentially easier than ever before.  You search for a job title, read the description, click apply, upload your resume, and click send.  And then you wait and usually never hear back.  Part of this is because there are simply too many people doing exactly what you just did.  Trying to stand out in this process is like trying to get a TikTok video to get a million views.  I actually made one of those.  One.  

In order for Hiring Managers to sift through the seemingly endless number of resumes, they need to have some way to comb through and find the “good” ones.  Hiring Managers really have three options:

• Spend their valuable time and resources going through each one
• Hire an outside recruiter to do the heavy lifting and presenting only the best qualified talent (that’s what we do at DyNexus Recruiting)        
• Or rely on technology for assistance

All three basically rely on the same technique: scan the resumes.  If you find what you’re looking for, reach out for an interview.  If you don’t, discard the resume.  All 3 are very good at scanning resumes, which is why it’s very important that yours is designed to show exactly what you bring to the table.  Earlier this year, we wrote a blog on how to Effectively Use Your Resume to Stand Out.  

Another trick in the playbook is to get Job Seekers like you to take an online assessment or record a video interview as part of the application process.  This kills two birds with one stone, so to speak.  These extra steps can weed out applicants who aren’t serious (though it can also deter some really qualified Job Seekers), and it gives them more information from which to make a decision.  But is it worth your time as a Job Seeker?

Is It Worth Your Time as a Job Seeker?

Honestly, at this point, it’s really up to you.  We don’t have enough data yet with this new technology to know if recording a video interview helps or hurts your chances of getting seen.  Like submitting a resume, you’re still relying on either a human sitting through however many video responses they get, or an algorithm that is programmed to find very specific responses.  

Your resume might be the best one out there, but if you don’t have the keywords that a computer or human eyes are looking for, you won’t be selected for an interview.  Your responses might be accurate, but if you don’t use certain keywords in your recording, the algorithm might prevent a human from ever seeing you.

Now, it’s still not common practice, but it is at least being talked about more and more.  Because of that, there are more and more helpful tips out there to give you a better chance of getting through the video application round.  The Forage has a really great article listing some great pointers:

• Test your Tech
• Find a good place to record your answers
• Use the practice round
• Rehearse your answers
• Check your surroundings
• Maintain “eye-contact”
• Ignore your own image
• Watch your movements
• Be yourself
• Smile
• Take advantage of do-overs

We are currently filling a role for a Sage Intacct Implementation Consultant.  During the process, we’ll be asking candidates to perform a written self-evaluation of skills as well as an oral exam.  Too many applicants and bad hires can really make a Hiring Manager do everything they can to increase their odds of making good hiring decisions.  

So whether you’re an Acumatica Report Writer, an Odoo Developer, a NetSuite Administrator, or any other ERP Job Seeker, the tech is integrating more and more into the interview process.  It’s up to you to stay informed on how it works.  With each job application, you must also ask a question that only you can answer: is it worth your time as a Job Seeker?