In2Vista: helping create the right Chemistry

Chemistry is a very different type of recruitment company. Created to raise the level of service provided by recruitment companies to both clients and candidates, Chemistry has developed practical tools which directly address the frustrations felt by employers in seeking to attract, and retain, more of the right people.

As part of this, it continues to work closely with recruitment services specialist, In2Vista, in increasing the efficiency ñ and so improving the value - of the recruitment process by providing greater insights early on in the process.

The results to-date have been dramatic, with the hiring process proving to be three times more accurate than traditional recruitment methods in providing candidates for interview that are both suitable to the role and the right ëfití for the company.

Increased visibility
For Chemistry founder and managing director, Roger Philby, the need for change was long overdue. ìRecruitment methods have changed little over the 25 years and are simply not good enough,î he believes. ìRecent research has confirmed what we already know: that clients require hiring techniques based on rather more than just gut instinct.

ìWhat they want is a process which enables them to know, rather than just hope, that they are hiring the right talent every time. In response to this, we have developed an approach that is anchored firmly in scientific, rigorous and hard data analysis.î

In challenging existing recruitment methods and creating a real point of difference in the market, Philby identified lack of time as a critical problem area common to all clients. To help them make most effective use of the limited time made available for recruitment therefore, Chemistry turned to In2Vista, whose innovative solutions are designed to enhance the relationship between client, recruitment company and prospective employee.

In order for Chemistry to improve essential visibility and quality of a candidateís presentation to its clients ñ and, equally, that of the employer and specific role to the prospective employee ñ In2Vista integrates video with existing data and then packages and distributes it to create a more powerful, insightful and compelling case.

In particular, the company uses the In2View solution with all its clients. Here, part of Chemistryís initial interview with each candidate is captured on video: this is then automatically streamed and combined with other key predictors of performance ñ including a range of tests to assess intellect, values, motivation and behaviours, in addition to the traditional CV outlining previous experience.

This multi-media profile is then typically viewed by the clientís HR and line managers via an easy-to-use, secure web portal which allows individuals to add personal comments about candidates, create shortlists and even rank them in order of preference. ìThis enables our clients to get a much stronger impression of each candidate from the outset,î believes Philby.

ìWithout doubt, the broader scientific rigour we have introduced to the selection process plays an essential part in determining ëfití,î he says. ìAt the same time, the importance of those critical first few seconds of interaction between client and individual ñ the immediate ëchemistryí ñ similarly cannot be underestimated.

ìAs a result, it enables us to collaborate with clients much more effectively, as ëseeingí the prospective employee in this way triggers a very different ñ and more constructive ñ conversation about the individualís strengths and weaknesses. Equally, any subsequent meeting will be that much richer as, for the client, many of the issues around potential ëfití will already have been dealt with.î

In order for this to work effectively therefore, an essential element of each video is that it should be a true reflection of the candidate and not distorted or inflated in any way. To facilitate this, candidates are advised of the process in advance of the interview, during which the camera is placed unobtrusively in line of sight but not in line of view.

ìIn addition, in order to make it comfortable for the candidate, we start recording around ten minutes into the interview, by which time they are unaware of the presence of the camera,î confirms Barribal. ìWe then record straight through, creating an unedited ten-minute ësnapshotí, providing a realistic view of the interviewee, highlighting both their personality and their responses.î

In Chemistryís experience, candidates too have been almost universally in favour of this approach, with any initial caution rapidly overcome by the recognition that they have a unique opportunity to differentiate themselves before any selection decision is made.

Further, by utilising In2Vistaís Video Job Description service, Chemistry can provide a similar level of visibility regarding the company and the role. It enables the client to present itself effectively and provide essential differentiation in order to attract more of the right candidates, by communicating strong visual and verbal messages about the corporate culture, vision and working environment.

ìThis enables candidates to gain a more accurate impression of the business at an early stage,î confirms Barribal. ìFor both parties therefore the first interview is more meaningful, better-informed and less stressful ñ much more like a second meeting, in fact.î

Everyone benefits
By embedding In2Vista solutions within its recruitment process, Chemistry has also achieved greater efficiencies within its own operation.

ìA significant inherent cost within our business is that of repeat interviews,î confirms Philby. ìAny colleague can now access and assess a candidate on the basis of their video on file, rather than having to call them in again for interview. This not only speeds up the process for the client, but also saves us time and therefore money.î

Chemistry has two yearsí experience working with In2Vista and Philby is impressed with the companyís ìsimilar forward-thinking approachî in looking to provide major clients such as Yell, Pepsico and RHM with a demonstrably higher value recruitment proposition.

ìMany companies spend a lot of money yet put little time and effort into recruitment,î he says. ìEqually, they rarely have a clear picture of what they are looking for and just donít believe it is possible to tackle the shortcomings of the process.

ìYet Chemistry and In2Vista have proved that it doesnít have to be like this. By reference to video examples of possible candidates, we are able to work with clients much earlier in the process to define precisely what ëgoodí is: we can then speed up the process significantly, making best use of both the clientís and candidateís valuable ñ and limited ñ time.

For his part, Barribal belives that In2Vista offers recruitment companies, ìa no-risk solution, providing step-change improvement in making their processes more effective and profitable - without the need to make a large investment in deploying new technology.î

For Chemistry in particular, In2View and Video Job Description form an integral part of a radical new recruitment approach which has had a dramatic improvement on clientsí ability to choose the right candidate for the job. ìIn short, unlike recruitment methods based on CV and interview alone ñ which get three out of four appointments wrong ñ we get three out of four right,î says Philby.