Recruiting today looks different than it did a few years ago. Employers are now adapting to virtual recruiting, with more than 20% of hiring managers believing remote job hiring will continue

There has also been a shift in the dynamics of the labor market. 47.4 million Americans resigned from their jobs in 2021, leading to the phenomenon known as ‘The Great Resignation.’ Job seekers have shifted into a position of power globally, making employers extra cautious and mindful of how to attract and retain an employee. 

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Moreover, ‘The Great Resignation’ has widened the gap between the supply and demand of tech workers, making it crucial for hiring managers to leverage global tech talent. Recent data shows that 76% of global IT decision-makers deal with critical skills gaps on their teams. As the talent pool shrinks, hiring managers must employ innovative technologies and methods to hire top talent globally. 

For a potential candidate, the interview process and recruitment experience are critical in deciding if they want to be associated with the organization. Hence, hiring managers must revamp their recruitment processes and consider the ideal interview platform, style, and assessment method to attract top talent.

Companies usually adopt two interview styles - remote or in-person. Let’s understand how these work and which is more suitable for you. 

Remote interviewing

86% of organizations are conducting virtual or remote interviews to hire candidates. Digital interviewing accelerates hiring by striking the right balance between technology and human interaction. 

With virtual interviews, organizations can hire at scale without compromising efficiency. The most common remote interviewing methods are telephone, video, asynchronous interviews, and whiteboard assessments. Let’s have a look at the characteristics of each method. 

1.Telephone Screens 

A single job vacancy attracts 250 resumes on average, and telephone interviews help eliminate candidates that do not meet the preliminary requirements of the role. This method doesn’t necessarily identify the strongest candidates but helps remove the weakest ones. Below are the pros and cons of telephone interviews:

Pros:

  • Reveals a candidate's presence of mind, communication skills, and responsiveness. 

  • Reduces initial anxiety and nervousness since candidates can take the call from a location of their choice.

  • It saves time for both the employer and the candidate. 

  • Quick and cost-effective method to screen candidates. 

  • Access to long-distance candidates gives the employer a larger candidate pool.

Cons:

  • Difficult to build a rapport with the candidate. 

  • Minimal insight into the candidate's body language and facial expressions. 

  • Bad signals, noises, and other calls can disrupt the interview. 

  • Difficult to gauge specific skills. 

2. Video interviews 

Video interviews are a great alternative to telephone interviews. 81% of recruiters state that virtual recruitment practices will continue long after the pandemic. 

Due to technological advancements, employers today are equipped with multiple tools and software to make the hiring process more efficient and faster. FloCareer’s video interviewing platform enables employers to conduct virtual interviews anywhere and through any device. With multiple features like auto-scheduling and interview structure curation, the platform helps employers create a seamless interview experience for their candidates. Below are the pros and cons of video interviews:

Pros:

  • Employers and candidates do not have to incur travel expenses.

  • Employers can record interviews for fellow team members to see.

  • Video interviewing software is equipped with features like interview resource management, screen sharing, and candidate tracking to improve the user experience.

  • Employers can assess the candidate's body language, facial expressions, and other nonverbal cues to make a well-informed decision. 

  • It is a cost-effective method for employers to see a wider pool of applicants in a shorter time.

  • There is less pressure on candidates than in in-person interviews since they can give the interview from a location of their choice.

Cons:

  • Candidates may not have access to a computer or a good internet connection. 

  • There can be a lag or delay while communicating, leading to misunderstandings. 

  • Some candidates are not comfortable being on camera and may prefer an in-person meeting. 

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3. Asynchronous or on-demand interviews

Also called one-way interviews, asynchronous interviews are becoming a popular evaluation technique. This interview process is unique because the candidate doesn’t talk to a person directly. Instead, they are given a set of recorded or written questions on your computer screen. The candidate can then record and submit their answers to the employer at a time of their choosing, and the hiring managers can evaluate the candidate at their convenience. 

Let’s have a look at the pros and cons of this method:

Pros:

  • Resolve any problems created by time zone differences.

  • Enables busy hiring managers to evaluate candidates on their own time. 

  • It streamlines and speeds up the hiring process.

  • Create a better candidate experience since they can record as many takes as possible and circumvent the stress and anxiety associated with two-way interviews. 

  • Since the interviews are structured, employers can evaluate candidates objectively without bias.

Cons: 

  • All candidates may not feel comfortable recording themselves, which could negatively affect their performance. 

  • Employers don’t get the chance to answer questions and promote their company. 

  • Hiring managers could miss out on creating a relationship with the candidate, which could hurt the employer's brand. 

  • Not all candidates are tech-savvy and may face technical difficulties. 

4. Whiteboard coding assessments

Most companies have embraced virtual, live coding interviews to assess technical hires. During this process, candidates are asked to solve a certain programming problem on a digital whiteboard. These assessments evaluate how well a candidate can think on the spot and adapt to complications as they develop a solution, as well as how they can explain their programming thought process while writing out the code. Let’s have a look at the pros and cons of employing this interview technique:

Pros:

  • You can evaluate technical candidates effectively beyond their resumes. 

  • It easily integrates with an applicant tracking system. 

  • It saves time since it can assess multiple candidates in minutes using an auto-grading system to assess technical skills quickly.

Cons: 

  • Since this is a new trend, candidates may be unaware of its functionalities, making it difficult to use.

  • Candidates who do not have a stable internet connection may not be able to complete the assessment efficiently.

  • The test solely doesn't determine if a candidate is suitable for a role. For example, the employers must assess the candidate's communication, teamworking, and leadership skills. 

  • Testing software can be expensive. 

5. In-person interviewing

While there’s more of a personal connection during a video interview than on a telephone interview, meeting a candidate in person offers the best opportunity for employers to engage with and get to know the candidate. Below are the pros and cons of carrying out in-person interviews:

Pros:

  • Allows the candidate and the hiring manager to build a rapport.

  • It allows hiring managers to include physical assessments as a part of the hiring process.

  • Allows employers to better evaluate multiple aspects of a candidate's personality like hard skills, non-verbal cues, and soft skills.

  • Candidates can meet other team members, giving the hiring manager multiple perspectives about hiring the potential candidate. 

Cons:

  • Costly and time-consuming for the employer and the candidate. 

  • You need a trained interviewer to be present.

  • Scheduling an in-person interview can be complicated for candidates that are still employed. 

  • It can be stressful for candidates who don’t perform well under pressure. 

  • Meeting with potential candidates in person can lead to unintentional interviewer biases.

Discover remote interviewing solutions with FloCareer

The last few years have transformed traditional hiring and recruitment methods. Organizations across the globe have adapted to remote hiring and interviewing to improve the experience for hiring managers and employees. Organizations can hire top talent from across the globe remotely through technologically advanced methods and platforms. 

Employers that capitalize on this shift in hiring behavior will benefit by acquiring top talent, saving costs, and improving overall profitability for the organization. 

FloCareer provides a one-stop-shop solution for all your remote hiring and interviewing needs. The platform also offers on-demand interviews with customizable questions for organizations looking to automate the interview process.

With 3000+ freelance interviewers on board, organizations can outsource their interviewing process to FloCareer so their team can focus on other essential tasks. Our FloExperts are qualified, industry-experienced interviewers that help you source the ideal candidate quickly.