Human resource and talent acquisition professionals in every industry constantly seek ways to reduce “time-to-hire” and make the candidate interview process more efficient. The video interview software from Wedge provides them a solution.

The one-way, recorded interview system from Wedge allows HR to interview job candidates without the need to schedule in-person or by-phone meetings, eliminating one of the biggest headaches for HR and making the entire process more streamlined.

The system doesn’t require an app for the employer or the job candidate. It provides an automated way to identify the top talent applying for every job. As Wedge notes on its website, the system allows companies to “find the right candidates 75% faster than traditional screening methods.”

That saves recruiters an average of five-plus hours a week. That’s a significant impact for all industries, especially the cannabis industry.

Rapid Growth in the Cannabis Growth

The cannabis industry is in a boom that started years ago and shows no signs of slowing. With cannabis now legal for recreational use in 15 states and for medical use in 37 states, companies need to quickly grow to match consumer demand.

But the ability to “quickly grow” requires efficient HR operations. It’s not only important to fill positions efficiently, but also to beat the competition to the best job candidates. And there’s plenty of competition. There are at least 28,000 businesses operating in the cannabis industry.

Cannabis Jobs Keep Growing

As the number of businesses grows, so do the number and variety of jobs. In 2020 alone, the cannabis industry added 77,000 jobs in the middle of a pandemic, a growth rate of 32%. U.S. cannabis companies now support 321,000 full-time-equivalent jobs, according to a report from Whitney Economics and Leafly. That’s more jobs than those who work as electrical engineers, dentists, paramedics and EMTs

And the job variety continues to grow. A review of current job openings includes these titles:

• Nurse practitioners for medical cannabis evaluations
• Writers for websites
• Sales representatives
• Social media specialists
• Customer happiness representatives
• Budtenders
• Grow house workers
• Data Catalog Associate
• Director of Cultivation

Helping HR Streamline the Hiring Process

Against this backdrop of incredible growth in the cannabis industry, HR and TA pros are looking for ways to streamline how they identify and interview the best candidates for job openings. As things stand, phone screening job candidates can become a full-time job in itself, with hundreds of applicants for every opening.

The Wedge system provides a solution. Employers create a job interview for specific jobs and send it to job applicants. The applicants then answer the questions in a video interview they record anywhere they want on any device. They do not need to download an app to record their interview. They then send the video to the employer, who can review it at a time that is convenient for them.

The Wedge recruiting experience offers many benefits to users.

• Candidates can record their “wedge” interview on any device – phone, laptop, tablet – without having to do any downloads. Candidates can record their interview in as little as two minutes after it is requested.
• The system can integrate with existing HR software systems
• HR can share a link to an interview with others in the company they want to review it, even if that person does not have a Wedge account.
• The system has a high level of security that meets HIPAA, PCI-DSS & SSAE-18 requirements.

Wedge brings innovative technology to solve one of the biggest issues in hiring, especially in a rapidly growing industry such as cannabis. It’s not only beneficial to companies, but also for cannabis job candidates who can more conveniently apply for the jobs they aspire to hold.