Chat-based interviews preferred over video: survey

Survey shows differences by gender with interview format

Chat-based interviews preferred over video: survey

Chat-based interviews are proving more popular with jobseekers compared to video interviews, according to a new report.

Sapia.ai Labs found in its analysis of over 1.3 million chat interviews that 60.24% of them were able to accomplish them within 24 hours.

This is much greater than the completion rate recorded for video interviews, where only 33.37% out of over 450,000 were able to accomplish them within 24 hours.

Chat-based interviews also garnered a higher overall completion rate of 79.10%, slightly higher than the 76.60% in video interviews.

"While candidates were generally satisfied with both methods, the speed in which they completed chat-based interview tasks over video interview tasks speaks volumes towards their preference. As does the difference in the dropout rate between the two," said Buddhi Jayatilleke, Chief Data Scientist and Head of Sapia.ai Labs, in a statement.

Source: Sapia.ai Labs

Video interviews 'disadvantages' women

However, the preference is split across genders, he said.

While figures relating to completion were roughly the same for chat interviews across both genders, women generally took longer to complete video interview tasks and were more likely to drop out.

According to the report, only 32.84% of women accomplished video interviews within 24 hours, while 20.57% took more than five days to finish the process.

"By leading with video interviews, companies are essentially leaving quality talent on the table with their recruitment process," Barb Hyman, CEO and founder of Sapia.ai, said in a statement. "We know, both from first-hand experience and now our data, that a video-first disadvantages women."

Sapia.ai Labs analysed the data from over 1.3million global candidates applying for roles using its text chat-based structured interview platform, Chat Interview, and asynchronous video interview platform, Video Interview.

Jayatilleke said their data shows that chat-based interviews can improve diversity outcomes during hiring.

"Faster access to talent makes a difference. Our data shows that chat-based interviews are not only more effective in engaging candidates but can also improve the diversity outcomes of the recruitment process," he said.

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