The pandemic has changed the way that nearly every company currently does business. One notable change that likely will not go away is the use of video conferencing. We’ve become comfortable with (or at least used to) using video platforms to conduct meetings with family, friends and colleagues.
The same could also be said for those hiring new or promoting existing employees. According to a recent Indeed poll of 1,100 employers, 82% of respondents said they adopted virtual interviews for candidates. Moreover, 93% said they would continue to use video conferencing in the future.
This is an outgrowth of the new remote or hybrid work environment, which will also be with us in the future. There are many benefits to using virtual interviewing. Recruiters can access a wider pool of talent and can also speed up the interview-to-hire process. There are also benefits for the applicant – they may not need not travel for the interview, and they have more flexibility and control over when and where they interview.
Formalizing the virtual interview process
The two most common types of video interviews are:
- Live interview: These are the replacement for the in-person one-on-one interviews, and increased use of the video platform by the interviewer and candidate in the past few years has made everyone feel more comfortable and natural on camera.
- Prerecord: This is a preliminary screening technique that can be very useful. Businesses will often ask candidates to answer the same questions and then have more than one recruiter go through them. This format evens the playing field among candidates by providing baseline questions and reduces the likelihood of one hiring manager’s bias. It also allows candidates to provide their answers when they are ready to do so.
Finding a balance
Recruiters should be aware that using video and in-person interviews for the same positions will need different metrics. The advantage of an in-person interview is clear, and they will need to compensate for it when comparing candidates. One solution is to use the virtual process perhaps early on (even for those at the company or who live nearby) and then give advancing candidates the opportunity to interview in person when possible. Recruiters can also create an ideal candidate journey by knowing the interview and communication preferences. This can then get formalized when updating best practices for hiring and recruiting.
