Tips Provided by www.Regus.com.

When it comes to wooing executive dynamos, a simple phone interview won’t do. Many recruiters insist on the importance of a face-to-face meeting, even if it means candidates must fly cross-country to shake hands. But as budgets shrink and competition heats up, the pressure is on to fill positions without wasting precious time, money, and resources on business travel.

As a result, more recruiters are turning to videoconferencing to get their “face time.” The Regus Group, which operates the world’s largest network of publicly available videoconferencing studios, says its videoconference business has grown nearly 30 percent annually in recent years due in part to increased demand from executive recruiters seeking a more efficient, cost-effective way to do business. And, as the cost of videoconferencing equipment has gradually decreased since its introduction more than a decade ago, some companies are saving millions in travel expenses – and countless hours of time — by outfitting their own on-site videoconference rooms.

Whether booking a studio by the hour or installing videoconference equipment in your own office, here are five reasons to consider hosting your next interview on-screen.

The bottom line: American Express estimates that the average domestic business trip in 2009 will cost $1,002, including transportation and lodging. That could be five times the cost of a typical one-hour videoconference according to The Regus Group. And the farther away your candidate’s hometown, the more you save by eliminating travel. Nixing just a few trips could provide enough savings to outfit your own videoconference studio.

Convenient comfort: Your candidates don’t need their own video equipment to connect on their end. Just direct them to the nearest videoconferencing provider. “Today, videoconference studios are available in metropolitan and suburban areas throughout the country, as well as worldwide, so it’s easy to find a private and comfortable environment from which to host a videoconference session,” said Guillermo Rotman, CEO of The Regus Group Americas.  With on-site staff to initiate the conference, business services such as copying and faxing, and even catering if needed, you can be confident that all of your candidates are treated to a professional and hassle-free interview experience.

Go nowhere, be everywhere: Not only is travel expensive, it wastes times too, especially when unavoidable travel delays throw a meeting schedule off track. With a videoconference, you can interview candidates in Los Angeles, New York and Dallas – all before lunch. Some videoconference studios are even available 24-7, so you’re not constrained by time zone differences or your candidate’s packed schedule. The ability to conduct more face-to-face interviews in less time can help you find the right candidates sooner.

No more Mr. Roboto: Videoconferencing sounds good on paper, but isn’t the picture all jerky and pixilated? That may have been true 10 years ago, but today’s videoconference technology has improved by leaps and bounds. Better equipment and faster connectivity enables more frames-per-second resulting in a free-flowing picture and high-quality sound that’s just like watching TV. With interaction so natural, you may forget that you and your candidate aren’t in the same room.

Green screen: The environmental impact of travel is of concern to many companies – and candidates — and driving and flying are major greenhouse gas contributors. According to the carbon calculator at the environmental website begreennow.com, one person flying a round-trip flight between Los Angeles and New York is responsible for contributing 1.76 tons of CO2 to the atmosphere. The carbon footprint of a videoconference? Next to nothing.

So while the traditional in-person meeting still has its place, the reach and capabilities of videoconference technology has come a long way to help companies more efficiently recruit the best talent. 

Videoconferencing Etiquette Tips: Businesses are beginning to do what they do in completely new ways in order to adjust to the challenges of the current economy.  Gone, at least for now, are the days of deep expense accounts, unquestioned travel and frivolous overhead expenses.  Many tools that companies have always turned to are being utilized even more in this new economy.  For example, as companies continue to slash travel budgets, eliminating all but only absolutely necessary trips, videoconferencing usage has risen dramatically.  In fact, according to Regus, the world’s leading workplace solutions and videoconferencing provider, it’s videoconference services have seen a 40 percent increase so far in 2009.

Because delivering new business presentations, conducting team meetings and interviewing job candidates for positions via videoconferencing is different from being live and in-person, Sande Golgart, videoconferencing expert with Regus offers the following quick etiquette tips on how to utilize videoconferencing most effectively:

• Dress to Impress – Think of television personalities. Remember, the camera can add a few pounds!  Solid, mid-tone colors are most flattering and give the best impression.
• Houston, We Have a Problem – Sounds simple, but make sure you know how to connect your PC, so you’re not trying to connect it during the videoconference.
• Be a Natural – Today’s technology easily picks up on normal conversational voice levels so there’s no need to speak loudly.
• Make a Mute Point – Use the audio-mute button especially when you need to have a private discussion with colleagues in the same room or if you need to simply move coffee cups or papers around – tabletop microphones are especially good at picking up every sound.
• Less Is More – Keep the setting behind participants simple so as not to distract viewers from what’s important – the person who is talking. 
• Over and Out –Turn off the microphone and power when the videoconference is complete – many embarrassing moments have been caused where participants forgot to hit the off or disconnect switch!