5 Efficiency-Boosting Uses For Virtual Reality In Recruitment
As technology advances, the recruitment industry has started embracing virtual reality (VR) and its benefits. VR’s immersive and sophisticated capabilities create a unique and engaging candidate experience.
This technology revolutionizes how recruiters connect with potential candidates, from virtual job fairs to remote interviews. This guide looks at how VR is used in the recruitment process.
1. Virtual job fairs and exhibitions
Virtual job fairs have become increasingly popular as more companies use remote hiring practices. Potential employees can visit a group of different career opportunities in one digital space, just like the real thing.
Booth displays allow people to chat directly with representatives from the business and learn more about the job.
Job fairs are an easy way for people to stay connected. The time and money saving for companies are significant, and candidates will discover that attending is much simpler.
Did you know? Deutsche Bahn has successfully used VR at job fairs to overcome its aging base of employees. VR experiences appealed to younger people and effectively demonstrated the roles on offer, gaining up to 10 times more applications than usual.
2. Job explainers
School leavers and college graduates often only learn what a job involves once they start the role. VR is excellent at putting people in the box seat to see what a day in the life of a doctor, police officer, or architect might look like. The British Army saw a 66% rise in applicants by offering immersive parachuting, tank driving, and mountaineering virtual sessions. Find out how the military uses virtual reality here.
The video below shows how a fire department uses 360° video content in its recruiting process. It allows the user to see a range of fires and other emergencies through the eyes of the first responder.
People that may have never thought they could do the job may be more likely to apply once they see what is involved.
Of course, virtual reality also helps weed out the time wasters that apply for jobs without understanding the typical daily tasks.
3. Virtual interviews and assessment tests
VR can assist with conducting remote interviews or assessments, allowing employers to better understand a candidate’s potential. They can watch them interact with various scenarios via 360° videos or other immersive content formats.
It also eliminates bias associated with traditional forms of interviewing since all applicants are judged equally based on their performance in the same environment.
Conducting VR interviews will offer a reasonable midpoint between meeting in person and phone chats. While a phone call is a good starting point, meeting virtually is a time-saving way to meet before committing to a physical meeting. It is a helpful way for HR personnel and recruiters to work more efficiently.
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia uses VR to test a candidate’s ability to make smart decisions on the fly.
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4. Employee training and onboarding
VR makes onboarding and employee training consistent and highly experiential. Companies can create realistic simulations that replicate different workplace scenarios. This step helps ensure that everyone understands safety protocol, company policies, and procedures before they start work.
Jobs with risk factors that could result in injury are ideal candidates for VR training. People can learn in a safe environment where they can’t harm themselves or others.
5. Pre-interview assessments
Employers can use VR to assess applicants’ skills before inviting them for an interview. They can create tasks that simulate real-life scenarios, such as problem-solving or team collaboration exercises.
This information helps employers identify candidates with the aptitude and capabilities needed for specific roles without them coming to the office for testing.
What is virtual reality?
Virtual reality (VR) is an interactive computer-generated environment that submerges users into a 3D world. It simulates real-world scenarios through audio, visuals, and haptic feedback. Users move around the space and interact as if they were there.
Benefits of VR technology in recruitment
Using virtual reality technology in recruitment has several benefits both for employers and potential employees:
- Offers a more accurate way to evaluate applicants’ abilities since it allows recruiters to observe how they interact with simulated environments.
- Saves time by reducing in-person interviews and providing instant feedback on performance.
- Reduces costs associated with hiring since it eliminates the need for travel expenses or physical testing spaces.
- Increases diversity by allowing employers to assess candidates from anywhere in the world.
- Offers a more accessible way for candidates to meet with the recruiter.
- Provides a more comfortable way for people to meet, a valuable benefit for candidates who suffer from interview anxiety.
- Creates a positive impression amongst potential applicants by showcasing a modern corporate culture through immersive experiences, which could lead to higher engagement levels when compared with traditional methods
4 disadvantages of virtual reality in recruiting
There are some potential pitfalls to this technology that recruiters should be aware of when considering adding VR to their process.
- Lack of interpersonal interaction: Virtual reality doesn’t offer the same connection as face-to-face meetings. Recruiters may struggle to assess an applicant’s personality traits accurately.
- Setup cost: Setting up and maintaining a virtual reality system can be expensive. It requires specialized hardware and software, making it inaccessible to businesses on a tight recruiting budget.
- Privacy and security risks: As more data is stored digitally, there becomes an increased risk of security breaches and misuse of personal data.
- Technical challenges: There may be resistance from both employers and job seekers when implementing virtual reality solutions.
Virtual reality software for recruitment
VR software uses 3D graphics, audio, video, eye tracking, and algorithms to create a realistic representation of a candidate’s environment that helps recruiters make informed decisions about their suitability for the role.
- Using HR software, recruiters can create an appropriate virtual setting that accurately reflects the company’s culture, values, and brand image.
- Design engaging questions that will help assess each candidate’s skills and personality traits.
- Gather and analyze data using algorithms that measure things such as eye contact, speech patterns, facial expressions, and body language.
Are there VR software options for recruiting?
Several virtual reality software options are available today, each with unique features and capabilities. Some popular programs include:
Virti
Virti uses virtual reality technology to help remotely train and upskill their workforce. It is a helpful tool for onboarding, workplace training, and developing soft skills.
Onsight
Onsight, by Librestream, offers an interactive augmented reality platform where employers can invite job seekers into a shared space to assess their teamwork skills, communication style, and problem-solving ability.
Why is VR growing in popularity in recruitment?
Using VR technology in recruitment is becoming increasingly popular in countries across Europe and North America. Companies are discovering cost savings and efficiencies. It also provides recruiters access to global talent pools, providing immersive experiences that phone calls or emails can’t compete with.
Using this technology helps companies reduce bias during the hiring process since there are no physical interactions between recruiters and candidates. Everyone gets an equal chance at success no matter where they live or how they look.
Final words
Virtual reality is already used in recruiting processes, but it only scratches the surface. This technology has vast potential as the hardware improves and software developers create exciting new solutions.
Creating virtual job fairs, conducting remote interviews, and providing employee onboarding programs are a few use cases for VR. It effectively allows recruiters to streamline processes while ensuring that everyone gets equal access, regardless of location.
As this technology continues to develop, it will likely become a mainstream tool used by most recruitment agencies and organizations looking for the best possible talent.
