How to Migrate From HireVue: Step-by-Step Guide to Switching Assessment Platforms

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Why TA leaders are moving away from legacy video interview platforms

Talent acquisition directors across UK and European enterprises face mounting pressure for relying on some legacy video interviewing platforms. These platforms historically used AI scoring algorithms that analyzed facial expressions; practices now prohibited under the EU AI Act's February 2025 emotion recognition ban. Note that major platforms like HireVue discontinued facial analysis in 2021, shifting focus to content-based evaluation.

Compliance exposure from black-box algorithms: TheEU AI Act banned emotion recognition in hiring effective February 2, 2025, with fines reaching €35 million or 7% of global turnover. Systems claiming to judge mood or character from facial expressions or tone are now prohibited outright. Simultaneously, NYC Local Law 144 requires bias audits within one year of deploying automated employment decision tools, with penalties up to $1,500 per violation. Legacy platforms using opaque AI video scoring create legal liability your organization cannot defend in tribunal proceedings or regulatory audits.

Cost inefficiency of per-candidate pricing: Per-candidate pricing models create a "taxi meter" effect where organizations artificially narrow talent pools to control spend. This model punishes volume hiring and contradicts skills-based hiring principles requiring broad, objective top-of-funnel assessment.

Operational friction from fragmented tools: Using separate vendors for psychometric tests, video interviews, and virtual assessment centers forces TA teams to manually export CSVs, reconcile scores across platforms, and update ATS records by hand. Sky's assessment transformation case study demonstrates how consolidating to a unified platform achieved significant efficiency gains through automation.

Organizations migrating now gain first-mover advantage on compliance while reclaiming strategic capacity from administrative overhead.

Prerequisites: understanding your data rights

Before extracting candidate data from your current platform, establish legal and technical boundaries governing what you must retain, what you can transfer, and what regulations require you to preserve.

GDPR Article 20 and EEOC requirements

Under GDPR Article 20, candidates possess the right to receive personal data in structured, machine-readable formats like CSV files. This right covers information candidates provided (application details, test responses, uploaded documents) but excludes your organization's analytical work product. You must export candidate-supplied data, but proprietary scoring algorithms and internal ranking methodologies remain your intellectual property not subject to portability requirements.

Organizations operating in the US must retain all candidate records, including applications, résumés, interview notes, and testing records, for at least one year under EEOC requirements. This retention period starts from the date the record was created or the hiring decision was made, whichever occurred later.

What data exports from video interview platforms

Based on HireVue's data export functionality, administrators can download tables of raw candidate data filtered by date range and team. Exportable data types include candidate metadata (name, email, application date), assessment scores, and structured response data.

However, three critical data categories typically do not export cleanly. Storage and bandwidth constraints create these limitations:

1. Raw video files: Many video interview platforms have storage limitations that make bulk video migration impractical. Check with your specific vendor about data export capabilities and retention policies before planning your migration timeline.
2. Proprietary AI analysis: Under data portability guidelines, only candidate-provided information transfers, not your organization's analytical work product. Emotion detection metadata and algorithmic ranking derived by proprietary models are not portable.
3. Platform-specific configurations: Custom question libraries, interview workflows, and assessment templates built in one vendor's system do not translate to another platform's architecture, requiring rebuild rather than transfer.

Phase 1: conducting your pre-migration data audit

Successful migration starts with understanding exactly what data exists, which subsets require preservation, and what will rebuild fresh in the new system.

Audit historical data and extract compliance records

Segment your candidate database into two populations: active candidates currently in-process across open requisitions, and archived candidates from closed requisitions whose data you must retain for compliance but who will not interact with either platform again.

Log into your current platform's admin portal and execute exports covering candidate rosters (names, emails, application dates, requisition titles, final disposition), assessment scores, timeline metadata showing progression through stages, and any assessor notes. EEOC requires one year from the date of making the record or the personnel action involved, whichever occurs later, for US roles. GDPR requires retention only as long as legitimate processing purpose exists, typically 6-12 months after final hiring decision for unsuccessful candidates. Export data before contract termination and store in your organization's secure document management system alongside other employment records.

Map data fields to new platform architecture

Work with your customer success manager to map exported fields to the new platform's architecture. Common mappings include:

This mapping exercise identifies which historical data fields have equivalents in the new platform, which require custom field creation, and which historical metrics will not transfer, requiring fresh baseline establishment.

Phase 2: selecting a platform that solves the black-box problem

Migration presents the opportunity to escape compliance risks and operational limitations built into legacy architectures. Evaluate replacement platforms against five critical criteria.

Transparent, validated scoring methodology

Your Legal and Compliance teams need to defend assessment processes if challenged in employment tribunals or regulatory audits. Platforms using black-box AI to analyze facial expressions create indefensible selection processes under the EU AI Act's emotion recognition prohibition.

Sova's assessment library addresses these requirements by using organizational psychology principles with validation against job performance outcomes, allowing your Legal team to explain scoring methodology under cross-examination rather than relying on proprietary algorithms. The platform provides transparent scoring rubrics showing exactly how candidate responses map to competency ratings and job analysis documentation linking assessed traits to critical success factors for specific roles.

Native ATS integration eliminating manual workflows

Fragmented tools force TA teams to export candidate lists from the ATS, manually upload to the assessment platform, export scores back out, and update ATS records by hand. Confirm your replacement platform offers native connectors (not generic APIs requiring custom development) for your specific ATS.

For Workday, Greenhouse, SAP SuccessFactors, and iCIMS integrations, the platform should automatically trigger assessment invitations when candidates reach designated stages, write scores back to candidate profiles as structured fields, and advance candidates to next stages based on performance thresholds.

"One of the best providers of psychometric assessment in the market." - Tim T. on G2

Dedicated implementation and ongoing support

Self-service platforms leave you troubleshooting integration failures without expert guidance. Migration complexity demands hands-on support from professionals who have executed similar transitions. Look for vendors providing dedicated Customer Success Managers who guide ATS integration configuration, help select assessments measuring competencies critical for your roles, and provide same-day technical support during live candidate processing.

"We have a very supportive Customer Support team, the platform is customized to our needs, and it's user-friendly." - Ramona C. on G2

Unlimited candidate pricing eliminating volume constraints

Per-candidate pricing creates perverse incentives to narrow your talent pool before assessment, defeating the purpose of objective, top-of-funnel evaluation. When each assessment carries per-candidate fees, organizations artificially limit who gets measured to control budgets.

Sova's engagement framework starts with a baseline estimation that scales based on your actual hiring volume and candidate pool evaluation. Initial scoping establishes a starting point that adjusts according to realized outcomes and assessment utilization, creating flexibility as your program grows without per-candidate cost barriers.

Candidate experience features reducing drop-off

Assessment completion rates directly impact your ability to build diverse, high-quality talent pools. Platforms with clunky mobile experiences and zero preparation resources create candidate frustration. Look for platforms offering preparation resources with practice questions and FAQs, accessibility features including adjustable text size and contrast settings, progress transparency showing assessment length and time remaining, and constructive feedback explaining candidate strengths regardless of hire outcome.

Sova's Candidate Preparation Hub provides these features as standard, helping organizations achieve strong completion rates by reducing assessment anxiety through transparency.

Phase 3: executing the technical migration

With your replacement platform selected, implement the four-step technical cutover sequence minimizing disruption to live hiring operations.

Step 1: Configure ATS integration and field mapping (Week 1-2)

Your implementation begins with connecting the new assessment platform to your ATS through native connectors. Work with your customer success manager to complete these four configuration steps:

1. Establish authentication: Configure SAML2 or OAuth2 single sign-on so TA team members access the assessment platform using existing ATS credentials.
2. Map status triggers: Define which ATS candidate statuses automatically trigger assessment invitations (example: when Workday status changes to "Assessment Stage," send Sova invitation).
3. Configure score fields: Create custom fields in your ATS to receive assessment data (overall score, competency ratings, completion timestamp).
4. Set workflow rules: Establish automated advancement logic (example: candidates scoring above 75th percentile automatically move to "Video Interview" stage).

Test the integration in your ATS sandbox environment with test candidates before deploying to production. Verify that invitations send correctly, scores populate in the right fields, and workflow triggers function as configured. While setup requires collaboration with Sova's team rather than self-service configuration, this hands-on approach ensures ATS integration works correctly the first time rather than forcing your TA team to troubleshoot API errors during live candidate processing.

Implementation for pre-built assessment configurations typically completes within 2-4 weeks, while custom assessment development requiring validation studies extends to 6-12 weeks for complex programs.

Step 2: Build assessment workflows and customize branding (Week 2-3)

Configure your candidate journey defining the sequence of assessments, video interviews, and virtual assessment center exercises candidates will complete. For early careers graduate programs, typical journeys include:

1. Initial screening: Cognitive ability tests measuring numerical, verbal, and logical reasoning
2. Personality assessment: Questionnaire evaluating learning agility, teamwork orientation, and resilience
3. Situational judgment: Scenarios presenting realistic work challenges with multiple response options
4. Video interview: One-way recorded responses to behavioral questions or two-way live interviews with hiring managers
5. Virtual assessment center: Group exercises, presentations, and role-plays conducted via Microsoft Teams for finalist candidates

Select pre-built assessments from Sova's Skills Library measuring 38 validated competencies (analytical reasoning, collaboration, resilience, customer focus) rather than designing custom instruments from scratch, reducing your implementation timeline. Customize all candidate-facing pages with your employer brand elements: logo, color scheme, welcome messages, and preparation resources.

Step 3: Establish the parallel running period (Week 3-6)

Rather than attempting a hard cutover where all candidates immediately switch to the new platform, implement a parallel running strategy where both systems operate simultaneously for 2-4 weeks.

Parallel running logic:

• Active candidates in legacy platform: Individuals already invited to assessments or scheduled for video interviews in the old system complete their full journey there without interruption
• New candidates in replacement platform: All newly applied candidates entering requisitions after the cutover date receive invitations from the new system only
• No mid-stream transfers: Do not attempt to migrate candidates who have partially completed assessments, as this creates data integrity issues and candidate confusion

During parallel running, activate Integrity Guard monitoring in the new system to flag suspicious candidate behavior (copy-pasting, browser tab switching, extended pauses suggesting external assistance) without invasive proctoring, establishing baseline data integrity before full cutover.

Set a firm cutover date (typically 4 weeks from parallel start) when you will close all remaining requisitions in the legacy platform and move 100% of volume to the replacement system.

Step 4: Train hiring managers and assessors (Week 4-6)

Assessment platform migration fails when hiring managers lose confidence in new reports they do not understand or cannot find the data they need to make selection decisions.

Conduct two training sessions covering platform administration including how to invite candidates, monitor completion rates, and troubleshoot technical issues (TA team training), and how to access candidate reports, interpret competency scores, and use tailored interview questions generated by the platform (hiring manager training). Emphasize that reports translate psychometric data into plain language describing strengths, development needs, and specific behavioral examples to probe in interviews.

"The platform is easy to use and user-friendly for Recruiters, Assessors and Candidates... The team is also incredibly responsive to feature requests and suggested areas of improvement." - Verified user review of Sova

Provide quick reference guides and recorded training videos your team can revisit when questions arise during live candidate processing.

Phase 4: managing candidate experience during transition

Platform migration creates potential moments where candidates encounter confusion or communication gaps that damage your employer brand.

Communicating the change to candidates

Draft three email templates addressing different candidate populations during cutover:

• Active candidates completing in legacy system: Confirm they should continue using their original invitation link and ignore any subsequent emails mentioning a different platform.
• New candidates receiving first invitations in new system: Introduce the assessment, provide preparation resources, and set completion timeline expectations.
• Candidates who received invitations during cutover transition: Apologize for any confusion, provide the updated assessment link, and reassure them the change does not affect their candidacy status.

Emphasize transparency and clear next steps in all communications rather than corporate jargon about "system enhancements." Download template examples in the migration checklist.

Setting up candidate preparation resources

Assessment anxiety drives drop-off, particularly among candidates from non-traditional backgrounds who lack familiarity with psychometric testing. Configure practice questions showing sample cognitive test items with explanations, video setup guides with step-by-step instructions for testing camera and microphone, FAQ sections answering common questions about assessment length and how results are used, and accessibility support showing how to request accommodations.

Monitoring completion rates and troubleshooting barriers

Track assessment completion rates weekly during the first 90 days post-migration to identify patterns suggesting technical or experience issues. Target strong overall completion rates reflecting industry best practices. If completion rates fall below targets, investigate email deliverability issues, mobile experience problems, and assessment length causing candidate fatigue.

Measuring migration success: 90-day KPIs

Define success metrics before cutover so you can objectively evaluate whether migration delivered promised improvements.

Cost reduction: Calculate total cost of ownership comparing legacy fees to new platform investment over 12 months. Organizations migrating from per-candidate pricing to flexible engagement models see immediate savings for programs assessing large candidate volumes.

Assessment completion rates: Track percentage of invited candidates who finish assessments. Compare to baseline completion rates in legacy system to quantify candidate experience improvement.

Time to hire reduction: Monitor days elapsed from requisition opening to offer acceptance, with particular focus on time spent in assessment stages. Automated workflows and unified platforms can significantly compress assessment cycle time.

Quality of hire indicators: While full quality of hire measurement requires 6-12 months of performance data, establish early indicators tracking new hire performance at 90-day reviews and manager satisfaction scores for recent cohorts.

Audit readiness: Verify you can produce complete documentation showing job relevance of assessed competencies, validation evidence demonstrating performance relationships, and candidate communication records proving transparency.

Common migration challenges and solutions

Historical data gaps in executive reporting: Maintain legacy system data exports in secure storage for compliance and reference purposes, but establish fresh baselines in the new system rather than attempting backward compatibility. Communicate to executives that migration represents a methodological upgrade requiring new benchmark establishment.

Hiring manager resistance to new report formats: Schedule one-on-one coaching sessions with resistant hiring managers, walking through specific candidate reports and showing how new formats translate psychometric data into actionable interview guidance. Collect feature requests and submit to your customer success manager for product roadmap consideration.

Integration sync failures with ATS: Review field mapping configuration with your technical support contact, verifying that custom field names in your ATS exactly match the fields the assessment platform attempts to update. Common issues include case sensitivity mismatches, special character handling, and data type conflicts. Request screen-share troubleshooting session where your CSM can observe the integration in real-time.

Taking the first step toward migration

Platform migration projects succeed when organizations establish realistic timelines, resource requirements, and risk mitigation strategies before execution.

Download our Assessment Platform Migration Checklist covering the 47-point pre-flight audit (data export verification, contract termination clauses, ATS field mapping requirements, hiring manager communication templates, and parallel running cutover criteria). Use this checklist to scope your migration timeline and identify technical dependencies before vendor conversations.

Book a migration consultation with our assessment team to review your current state, map data export requirements specific to your legacy platform, and receive a customized implementation plan accounting for your ATS environment, annual hiring volume, and compliance obligations. Our customer success managers have guided organizations through transitions from legacy platforms, providing playbooks addressing the technical and stakeholder challenges you will encounter during ATS reconfiguration, assessment validation, and hiring manager adoption.

Frequently asked questions

Can I import historical video interviews into the new platform?
Raw video files are typically too large for practical bulk transfer and raise privacy concerns. Export candidate metadata and scores for compliance records but plan to archive videos in the legacy system rather than migrating them.

Will I be charged by both vendors during the parallel running period?
Contact your legacy vendor to negotiate pro-rated contract termination rather than paying full annual fees during wind-down. Most assessment platforms allow contract cancellation with 30-90 days notice once data exports are complete.

How long should I retain legacy system exports?
EEOC requires one-year retention from hire decision date for US roles. GDPR requires retention only as long as legitimate processing purpose exists, typically 6-12 months after final hiring decision for unsuccessful candidates. Export data before contract termination and store in your organization's secure document management system alongside other employment records.

What if candidates were mid-assessment when I switched platforms?
Allow in-progress candidates to complete their journey in the legacy system during the 2-4 week parallel period rather than attempting mid-stream migration, which creates data integrity issues and candidate frustration.

Will my ATS integration require custom development?
Not if your replacement platform offers native connectors for your specific ATS version. Confirm during vendor evaluation that pre-built integrations exist for Workday, SAP SuccessFactors, Greenhouse, or iCIMS rather than relying on generic APIs.

Key terminology

Data Portability: The right under GDPR Article 20 for data subjects to receive personal data in structured, machine-readable format and transmit to another controller without hindrance.

Parallel Running: Operating legacy and replacement systems simultaneously during migration, allowing active candidates to complete in the old system while new candidates enter the new platform.

Adverse Impact Analysis: Statistical calculation determining whether selection processes produce significantly different pass rates for protected groups, required for defensible hiring under employment regulations.

Native ATS Integration: Pre-built software connectors enabling bidirectional data flow between assessment platforms and specific ATS products without custom API development.