It is safe to say that technology is evolving and expanding at an exponential rate. This is what many are calling digital Darwinism, a time where technology and society are changing faster than most businesses can naturally adapt.

A 2018 report found that organizations that are highly invested in digital transformation are more profitable and possess higher market valuations than those that do not. As the founder and CEO of a platform for complete candidate skills and job fit assessment launched in 2003, I have witnessed the rapid evolution of the pre-hire process thanks to technology.

It is no surprise that recruiters need to adapt quickly to the ever-evolving environment around them in order to succeed in todays tidal wave of digital progress. While video interviews have been around for some time, recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are able to streamline and advance the hiring process even further, but not without introducing some newfound risks and pitfalls.

Automation And Artificial Intelligence

The advent of video calling as we know it, ushered in 10 years ago, provided recruiters the ability to interview candidates remotely. Since its emergence, it has been embraced by top organizations. Just like with most technologies, advancements have been made to video interviewing that can speed up the recruitment process and rely on less human power to operate. One-way video interviews, which firms like ours are increasingly making available, are a relatively new method in which candidates do not see the interviewer; instead, they simply record responses to preset questions at a time convenient for them.

Now, AI is emerging as the next potential digital revolution, automating the interview process even further. Unilever reportedly began using AI to detect facial expressions during video interviews in 2016. Candidates record their one-way video interview, and AI measures their facial expressions to assess personality traits, mood and even the honesty of their answers, vocabulary and question response speed. In April, IBM CEO Ginny Rometty announcedthat AI had replaced 30% of the company's HR staff. And although humans will always be needed in the HR field, IBM believes that eventually, machines will understand individuals better than the HR personnel.

As a word of caution, for both accuracy and legal compliance, it is still critical to make sure any AI used for scoring has scientific backing to prove that scoring correlates with job performance. Its an even better step to test the AI on your own employees to see if AI interview scoring correlates with performance within the most relevant population your actual staff.

Talent Is Everywhere

Whereas hiring was once limited geographically due to the high cost of flying in candidates for face-to-face interviews, today, candidates can be properly vetted no matter where they are located and in large numbers, thanks to the speed of automation and AI. This can increase the talent pool infinitely. Not only are companies able to recruit from locations they would not have previously, but they are able to do so faster and more efficiently than traditional interviewing processes would allow. The speed of analysis afforded by being able to review candidate interviews at any time and anywhere is revolutionizing the hiring process.

Improve The Candidate Experience

Jobseekers value video interviews, too: Nearly62% of candidates believe video technology gives them a competitive edge. Prioritizing the candidate experience is critical to attracting top talent in a tight labor market. The 2018 Talent Board North American Candidate Experience Benchmark Research Report found that organizations that created a positive candidate experience were more likely to reduce their cost per hire and time to hire. Maintaining a competitive edge throughout the recruitment process is vital to cost-efficiently securing talent in a tight job market.

The Downside Of Dehumanizing The Process

Although job seekers do find value in video technology, some see this as yet another hurdle to jump over before ever have the opportunity to speak live with a person. This obstacle may prevent qualified candidates from moving on in the interview process, resulting in a smaller candidate pool. Others who proceed with the one-way interview may be uncomfortable speaking to a machine, ultimately negatively impacting their performance. Since candidates are not able to actually interact with a hiring manager, there is not a chance for either party to ask clarifying questions, leading to possible misinterpretations.

Given the risks of dehumanizing the interview process, it is important for recruiters to take steps to mitigate the negative impact by maintaining open communication throughout the process, following up quickly once candidates complete interviews and creating opportunities that encourage candidates to provide feedback.

The Risk Of Bias

Companies may be hesitant to utilize video interviews due to the ability to see the candidate in the early stages of the recruitment process, which could lead to unconscious or conscious bias. Therefore, recruiters must specifically define the relevant job competencies, behaviors and attributes that are required in each role. Candidates must be specifically rated against these requirements to prevent video interviews from being susceptible to bias.

The ability to monitor when recruiters end their viewing of individual video interviews will help to shed light on biases. For instance, if male video interviews are being watched to completion 85% of the time and female video interviews are being watched to completion only 46% of the time, it is possible to prove the recruiter is biased and needs to be retrained or replaced. Maintaining a data-driven approach in all aspects of recruiting is becoming more essential, and fortunately easier to monitor as technology continues to advance.

In an era of digital transformation, it is wise to heed the advice of Jack Welch: Change before you have to, and prepare your business for the future now.

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What Video, Artificial Intelligence And Automation Mean For The Future Of Recruiting - Forbes