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Video recruitment is changing the way IT leaders hire and for good reason. By reviewing a small number of pre-recorded candidate videos, you can accelerate the hiring process while maintaining quality, clarity, and confidence in your decisions. But speed only works if it's paired with structure. When you're presented with a shortlist of top-tier candidates, typically the top 3 who best match your brief, it’s critical to evaluate them consistently and effectively. Here’s how to get the most value from the process.
What a Video Shortlist Really Delivers
Unlike traditional CVs or phone screens, a video shortlist gives you early insight into how each candidate presents, thinks, and communicates. You’ll typically receive 2–3 minute clips per candidate, responding to questions tailored to your specific role or project.
This format allows you to:
- Understand communication and interpersonal style
- Gauge confidence, clarity, and technical fluency
- Save hours of early-stage interviews
- Share feedback across your team quickly and clearly
Most importantly, it helps you make faster, more informed shortlisting decisions without compromising on quality.
Define What You’re Looking For — First
Before watching the shortlist, take a moment to align internally on your core criteria. When hiring contractors, clarity matters.
Ask yourself:
- What competencies are non-negotiable?
- What type of communication or stakeholder skills are essential?
- What kind of mindset or delivery style suits your team culture?
Having this framework upfront helps you avoid “gut feel” reactions and focus on what actually drives success in the role.
Evaluate with Context, Not Just Impressions
It’s easy to be impressed by a confident delivery or turned off by nerves. But the real value in these videos is in the content not the performance.
As you review each candidate:
- Focus on how they explain technical challenges or past projects
- Look for clarity of thought and problem-solving ability
- Note their attitude—are they proactive, adaptable, detail-oriented?
Video gives you a richer picture than a CV, but it still requires intentional, focused viewing. It’s not about picking the most polished presenter it’s about choosing the person who can deliver from day one.
Compare Objectively, Not in Isolation
One of the advantages of a tightly curated video shortlist is that all candidates are already aligned to your core requirements. Your job is to decide which one fits best not whether any of them are suitable. Consider watching all videos before scoring or discussing them with colleagues. This avoids anchoring your opinion on the first person you see and makes the comparison process fairer.
If you’re reviewing with a team, try using a shared scorecard with agreed metrics (e.g., technical fit, clarity, relevance, communication style). Consistent evaluation leads to faster consensus and less back-and-forth.
Follow Up with Purpose
A video shortlist isn’t the final decision point—it’s the filter before the interview stage. The goal is to help you confidently choose one or two candidates to move forward with, saving you from wasting time on unproductive calls or second-guessing later. Once you’ve chosen who to progress, communicate clearly and quickly with your recruiter. Strong candidates in IT are often on the market for just a few days. Unnecessary delays risks losing them.
When used well, a curated video shortlist is one of the most powerful tools in modern IT recruitment. It streamlines your process, protects your time, and improves hiring outcomes—especially when decisions need to happen fast. By staying structured in how you review each candidate, you ensure that speed doesn’t come at the cost of rigour and that every interview that follows is truly worth your time.
Want to see what a video shortlist looks like in practice? Request a free sample and experience the process first-hand with no obligations.