Hyundai Motor Resumes Hiring Halted Due to COVID-19... "Introducing Video Interviews"

Resumption of Suspended Hiring Process... New Recruitment for R&D Division Including Entry-Level and Experienced Positions

Hyundai Motor Company's video interview room set up at Hyundai Motor Group's Yangjae-dong headquarters in Seocho-gu, Seoul (Photo by Hyundai Motor)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Ji-hee] Hyundai Motor Company will resume recruitment, which was suspended due to the impact of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), starting from the 30th of this month. In particular, Hyundai plans to introduce video interviews for both new and experienced hires to reduce concerns about the spread of COVID-19.

On the 26th, Hyundai announced that it will resume recruitment procedures, including the application submission and document screening stages that had been halted, as well as new hiring for research and development (R&D) positions for both new and experienced candidates. For the time being, until COVID-19 is under control, interviews for general and research positions for new (intern) and experienced hires will be conducted via video interviews, and even afterward, the company will actively support the use of video interviews in operational departments. However, practical skill assessments, discussion interviews, group activities, and other roles requiring offline attendance will be excluded from video interviews. Recruitment procedures for these positions will proceed once COVID-19 is under control.

Previously, Hyundai had limited the use of video interviews to overseas talent and experienced hires. This expansion aims to normalize new recruitment, which has been disrupted by COVID-19.

A demonstration of attending a video interview via smartphone (Photo by Hyundai Motor Company)

The company already began upgrading its video interview infrastructure at the end of last month. Recently, it has completed a video interview system capable of multi-person and group interviews, equipped with dedicated video interview spaces, high-definition cameras, high-performance microphones, and large screens. Through this system, applicants can attend interviews via laptops, PCs, or smartphones, engaging in Q&A sessions with multiple interviewers. Interviewers can also conduct interviews from separate locations if unavoidable circumstances prevent them from being in the video interview room.

One of the main reasons for this decision is that video interviews are effective for timely securing global convergent talent suitable for the Fourth Industrial Revolution era. Outstanding talent from overseas or distant regions and experienced professionals with time constraints find it difficult to attend in-person interviews. Video interviews reduce spatial and temporal limitations, expanding the pool of potential candidates and enabling a faster screening process, which benefits both the company and applicants.

Hyundai expects that resuming recruitment will resolve delays in securing personnel for operational departments and alleviate the anxiety of applicants and job seekers whose screening processes had been halted.

A Hyundai official stated, “To overcome the difficult domestic economic situation and fulfill the company’s social responsibility, we have decided to actively utilize video interviews to resume new recruitment,” adding, “To secure excellent talent suitable for the recently announced mid- to long-term future strategy execution, we will further strengthen the online-based screening process and continue to innovate recruitment by applying artificial intelligence and big data technologies in evaluations.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.