As a founder, there are a few company milestones that bring incredible joy.
Fundraising is often one of them (Willo raised a Seed round in 2021 that I’m proud of). Helping our customers streamline video interviewing is another (the average user saves 6+ hours per week of admin with Willo).
But the real win for me is seeing candidates succeed.
I founded Willo because it was the interview tool I wish I had. My dyslexia made it difficult to write resumes and my personality comes out much more when I speak versus write. Every time I was able to speak to someone, I could get my message through. However, candidate screens are so often based on resumes and other written work (scanned by some AI platform half the time) that I rarely made it to the part where I could really shine.
I built Willo to empower candidates all over the world to share their experiences and job qualifications in simple, pre-recorded videos.
And I literally mean all over the world: Willo users have officially conducted over 100,000 interviews with candidates from over 195 countries.
We’ve touched almost every land there is, a signal to me that technology truly can break down barriers and let talent rise through.
Video bashing is ill-placed
I know a handful of people like to bash pre-recorded videos. Some claim that it shows a company doesn’t care about candidates at all if recruiters won’t make time to talk with them.
This couldn’t be further from the truth.
During our user feedback sessions, candidates from all over the world told us they wanted more flexibility in how they interacted with companies.
Often, candidates apply to multiple companies and hate the irritation of booking tons of phone screens only to be told they weren’t selected. Or they are like me and don’t shine in written tests but are great when they can express themselves verbally. A tool like Willo gives them the flexibility to show their true selves on a schedule that works for them.
Similarly, recruiters told us they are swamped—full stop.
The demands placed on modern recruiters is intense and time-consuming. Many told us that even when they can book calls with every candidate, they are only half-there. While trying to listen intently, they are also thinking about their next million tasks or, honestly, zoning out a bit because they are so exhausted. This speaks to a larger burnout culture, but it’s also something that can be seriously mitigated with a tool like Willo. And recruiters tell us they get feedback that candidates like this process even more anyway, for reasons I mentioned above.
I get that the premise might feel weird. After all, it certainly feels like a company doesn’t care about you if you apply for a job and the response is to record a video. However, features like email drips and ATS integrations make it so companies can build an amazing digital candidate experience. And, at the end of the day, offering candidates freedom to figure out their own schedule is a point of respect that forcing someone to take a phone screen simply can’t match.
The proof is in the numbers
As a founder, I am proud of what Willo has built. But more specifically, I’m proud we played a role in more people getting hired.
Since we started tracking Willo’s impact, we’ve noticed over 33,000 people have gotten hired at companies screening with Willo. This amounts to £795 million in annual wages created (around $1 billion USD) for people around the world.
Of course, Willo didn’t create these jobs or pay these wages. I don’t mean to imply we did. But I am proud we played our part. I’m proud that we helped local businesses like Sprigg Salad Bar in Glasgow, Scotland, charities like Worktree, and global leaders like Samsung.
And it’s only just the beginning.
