Before the Internet, recruiters sourced senior executive candidates with a phone and a phone book, calling companies and doing whatever it takes over the phone to gather a few names. Sounds time-consuming, and a little devious. Fortunately, we have live-streaming video as a 21st century way to help recruiters with senior executive recruiting. Here's how to do executive recruiting using live-streaming video:
Record Video on Skype
"It's a wonderful conduit for connection," said Hank Stringer, chief strategy officer for Novotus, a Texas-based recruitment process outsourcing firm. "As I started in executive search... I did not want to do some of the traditional things that we see in executive search, for instance, traveling to see every candidate."
To break away from tradition, Stringer started using Skype to talk to candidates and to record video. Stringer provided a list of several technologies and applications that work with Skype to record video. This way, you can keep the candidate interviews and give your clients a chance to see them as well. These technologies include:
- Pamela for Skype
- Evaer
- Quality Time
- SuperTinTin
- VodBurner
If you don't happen to use Skype, then Stringer recommended two solutions that were similar to Skype, but just as helpful and reliable. The two solutions are TalentCircles and Hire Vue.
Best Practices with Live-Streaming Video
It's mid 2013, and most of us are familiar with how to use tools like Skype and how live-streaming video works. However, you need more than that to have live-streaming video work for you as an effective senior executive recruiting tool. Stringer suggests these best practices for using live-streaming video:
- Ensure good candidate video and sound.
- Use Client Qualifying Questions - Stringer suggests that you ask the client what questions they would like you to use to qualify talent, and use those questions in the interviews.
- Be able to edit.
- Store Your Videos on a Hard Disk or Private Site - These videos can take up a lot of space, so your laptop or desktop isn't the best option. Also, Stringer recommends a private site for its access, security, and storage. Since these videos contain personal information, these are things that you want accessible to anyone or vulnerable for someone else to take for your own use.
- ABSOLUTELY Do Not Post to the Public Internet i.e. YouTube - Depending on the terms and conditions, you might not own the content once it's posted.
What's Next in Senior Executive Recruiting?
What makes tools like live-streaming video such a relief for recruiters is that it fits right in with the changing times and the direction senior executive recruiting is going. Everyone is available all the time and business models are aligned with productivity gains. The Internet is overflowing with candidates, resumes, and job descriptions, so companies and candidates will be looking for opportunities ahead of demand. They will be looking for significant places to interact with each other based on very strict and specific needs.
"Never forget that whether you are inside a company managing RPO, or whether you are an RPO provider, you are of high value," Stringer said. "No matter how great technology gets, the ability to understand a value proposition, and compel and sell and successfully deliver talent to an organization, is a talent that is of very high value."
To learn more about using LinkedIn and video for senior executive recruiting, and to hear more of what Hank Stringer has to say, you can view the full webinar. This webinar addresses how LinkedIn and video streaming have dramatically changed the traditional executive search industry providing greater talent reach, quicker assessments and faster time to executive hire. Click the link to watch the webinar.
Related Links:
Setting the Foundation for a Successful Recruiting Strategy
