Video Interviewing with Wedge-Vendor Review

The selection process in recruiting can be draining, especially in high volume recruiting environments. I always struggle with the amount of time spent reviewing resumes, scheduling initial interviews and screening multitudes of candidates who seem to be a fit for the role. The idea of video interviewing platforms taking lead on this process has always intrigued me so I was excited to spend some time with Matt Baxter from Wedge to view their platform.

About Wedge

The product is designed as a video screening tool prior to a recruiter interviewing a candidate. It gives candidates an opportunity to go beyond the traditional, and often inefficient, resume as the entry point for consideration for roles. Matt shared how the platform adds an added benefit for recruiters to spend more time in an in depth interview with qualified candidates. The typical pleasantries of, “Tell me about yourself” or “Why are you interested in this role” can be replaced with more detailed, value added interviews with candidates since most of this information would be captured in the preliminary video with their service.

A couple of added benefits with Wedge is the ability for the platform to be a stand alone product or fully integrated with your Applicant Tracking System. I’ve noticed some competitors only offer full integration for their platforms to work which is an obstacle if you have rigid security protocols associated with access to data in your ATS.

Setting up your questions

I was most impressed with how little time it took to set up the questions for the platform. During the demo, Matt shared how the company offers a bank of behavioral based questions, sorted by the competency you want to measure.

This feature is particularly valuable for small to medium size companies who may not have access to large compensation departments to help develop behavioral questionnaires. As you click on the drop down menus, you can select the preferred question and drag it to the Organize column to include it.

Another feature that impressed me was the ability to choose between a text or video delivery of the questions. The video formatted questions are performed by actors and provides a more personal touch to the platform.

When creating the questions, you can select the preferred length of the video as well as the option for candidates to have retakes to perfect their responses.

Setting up the questions during the demo took roughly five minutes at most. It was easy to use and intuitive. The goal for the video is to be between 3 to 5 minutes long which helps recruiters select the most impactful bank of questions for candidates to answer as the first step in the screening process.

The Candidate Experience

If you choose the stand alone product, you will be able to simply send the video invite to candidates who receive an invite with instructions on how to complete the step. Candidates can receive either an invite with text marketing the job and providing the necessary instructions or you can choose to include a video for a more personal, branded touch. The invite options were impressive and I liked the ability to tailor the message to include branding and video content.

As mentioned above, candidates have the option to use the retake option if they are not pleased with their video response. Matt and I discussed the benefit candidates have to provide answers in a less stressful environment, providing them more of an opportunity to sell themselves for the role compared to the traditional resume. I often worry about how many great candidates I may have overlooked because of how their resume presented their experience. This solution would definitely allow me to potentially find more candidates without sacrificing time and efficiency.

The Recruiter Experience

I am always one who favors simplicity in design and Wedge definitely delivers. Candidates’ submissions are displayed in a simple yet thorough dashboard for recruiters to quickly review. The videos are viewable on any platform and you have the option to watch or download the videos for review.

The real treat of this product is the ability to create and share a link to the candidate’s responses to share with the hiring team. There are many instances when I am 50/50 on a candidate and like to have a hiring manager review their responses to provide feedback. In my current process, this would require a phone call or email summary to the manager. The ability to share a quick link to gather feedback on a video presentation of the candidate would be a much needed boost for this process. This feature was definitely one of my favorites.

Summary

Matt and I spent roughly 30 minutes on the demo of the product but accomplished more than others that have lasted much longer. In a world of high intensity and demand, I love the simplicity of the product and the benefits it gives both recruiters and candidates during the recruiting process. The pricing for the product can definitely be recuperated by the efficiencies in the recruiting process within the first year.

If you have considered implementing a video interviewing platform or are considering products to help increase the efficiency of your recruiting process, I’d definitely reach out to Matt to schedule a demo. It’s definitely worth your time. Reach out to Matt and let him know I sent you – Matt Baxter matt@competitivewedge.com.