PM&C + VidCruiter
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) has been working with VidCruiter since March 2020 to streamline its annual face-to-face hiring event. Faced with recruitment challenges presented by COVID-19, PM&C’s hiring team implemented VidCruiter’s platform solutions to transition away from face-to-face interviews and towards an efficient remote hiring process.
About PM&C and the PM&C Graduate Program
PM&C is a modern, collaborative and responsive organization that drives excellence across the Australian Public Service (APS). PM&C is at the heart of government, delivering quality outcomes for the Australian public. In order to accomplish this, PM&C places an emphasis on shadowing and working alongside other departments to influence and help shape policy. By understanding a topic from every perspective, PM&C ensures a diverse view as part of policy creation. As part of the Graduate program, graduates are encouraged to participate in a range of rotations that will help broaden their policy experience and establish strong stakeholder and relationship skills.
The Challenge
Complex logistics involved in hosting an annual in-person hiring event with panel interviews and 300+ candidates
PM&C hosts an annual hiring event to interview and assess applicants for their graduate program. The aim of the four-day event is to ensure new hires are purpose fit for the department and have a growth mindset to develop and grow within the role. Before COVID-19, PM&C’s annual hiring event was held in person and involved flying 300+ candidates to the event location. During the event, candidates would participate in face-to-face speed interviews with up to ten panel members each day. Skills assessments and collaborative group exercises were also facilitated on premises during the event.
Prior to working with VidCruiter, a large part of PM&C’s hiring process involved coordinating travel logistics to bring candidates to the event. Scheduling and rescheduling including coordinating back-and-forth with candidates were an additional expenditure of time resources.
The Solution
VidCruiter’s automated scheduling and online in-person interviews to streamline the coordination and execution of their annual two-day hiring event
PM&C’s hiring team first came across VidCruiter when looking for a live technology recruitment solution. While a number of other solution providers made video interviews possible, PM&C wanted to leverage a platform designed specifically with high-volume recruiting in mind and that had already been proven as a strong solution for assessment centers in particular.
In addition to VidCruiter’s platform features, what stood out most was the strong relationship and support provided to meet PM&C’s specific needs. In particular, having VidCruiter online and readily available on the first day of assessments provided the team comfort.
Kate Boyton shared that during their search, they wanted to find a platform that enabled candidates to complete a written assessment. They loved the idea of proctoring in order to mitigate the risk of cheating by asking candidates to hold up their licenses and then record the testing process.
Additionally, due to the amount of paperwork generated during the hiring event preparations and 300+ two-way flights involved, environmental impacts were a part of their evaluations.
When it came to conducting live interviews remotely, PM&C was looking for a system with strong technical capabilities that would be ‘fail proof’ and wouldn’t lag. In light of hiring challenges resulting from COVID-19, they needed a fast solution that could be accessed via a URL. As a government, they also needed a platform that wouldn’t have difficulty with their firewalls, or require the involvement of their IT team.
Prior to using VidCruiter, one of PM&C’s biggest logistical challenges had been scheduling. In particular, having to reschedule could be complicated if flights had already been booked. Now, the PM&C hiring team can easily reschedule candidates 85% faster. Finding an extra spot for a group exercise also posed a difficulty given the number of candidates needed to make up each group exercise. VidCruiter’s platform has given PM&C much more flexibility around scheduling and rescheduling; the platform allows them to reschedule on the fly and visualize where they have available spaces for group exercises.
“Having a platform that gives us full access to do everything including uploading our candidates into our system means that we don’t have to check multiple platforms. It gives us much better quality control and makes sure all our candidates have what they need to do.”
Kate Boyton
Assistant Director, Entry Level Programs
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
The Results
A streamlined and accessible hiring processPM&C leverage VidCruiter’s hiring tools to create a virtual hiring event, which includes Live Video Interviews, Pre-Recorded Interview, Automated Scheduling, Skills Testing, Proctoring, and Reference Checks, to provide a seamless experience for both the hiring team and graduate program applicants.
Candidate interviews are saved and embedded within their profiles in the platform, creating an efficient data storage solution. For the hiring team, this means that they can easily go back and rewatch interviews at any point in order to clarify ratings. This saves time spent asking the interviewer, who may not remember that candidate specifically given the number of interviews they conducted.
The hiring team also benefits by leveraging a single platform for all of their communications. Candidate emails can be scheduled for a specific time, whether to nudge a candidate to schedule an interview or to send out pre-reading materials. This provides efficiency and time back to focus on other preparations.
Kate shared that VidCruiter has been very consultative in understanding their needs and optimizing the recruitment process. For example, when PM&C first transitioned to remote interviewing, each interview panel member in the event space would physically get up and rotate around to the next computer station as part of their speed interviewing process. Now, each panel member operates through their own dashboard and is able to use the extra time to finalize their notes and put scoring into the system.
From the candidate’s perspective, using VidCruiter’s platform provides a more accessible experience. For example, candidates are presented with welcome videos and transcripts, as well as requests for accommodations. The platform is also compatible with all screen readers, adding further accessibility.
When accommodating candidates’ schedules, the platform makes it easy to add time extensions or send out interview questions further in advance. Kate explained that using a technology platform that supports accessibility features helps them demonstrate their culture of inclusivity to candidates right from the start.
Using VidCruiter also gives candidates the flexibility to select their own times for interviews based on what works for them. PM&C can now give candidates located in specific time zones early access to book their interviews. Regardless of where candidates are located, VidCruiter’s 24/7 live applicant support team ensures the scheduling process runs smoothly for additional peace of mind. PM&C sees the freedom to self-schedule as a huge advantage to candidates who are located across various time zone, and who may have multiple jobs, responsibilities, and dependencies to consider.
The platform’s ease of use has helped to create a positive experience for candidates with the streamlined interview process continuing to support the building of rapport between candidates and interviewers. PM&C has received great feedback from candidates, many of whom have applied to multiple graduate programs, including that candidates have enjoyed their hiring experience with PM&C the most.
“VidCruiter listens to your requirements and needs and offers a tailored solution. When it comes to finding the right vendor, it’s that customer service aspect that’s the really important part. The VidCruiter team cares as much about my hiring process as I do.”
PM&C + VidCruiter = A rewarding partnership
Virtual hiring events on a single platform
Eliminated the need to email references
A streamlined exam assessment process
Flexibility to evaluate interviews 24/7
