Are virtual interviews better than in-person interviews?

It’s impossible to decide which one is better without looking further into ‘Are virtual interviews better than in-person interviews”. Below we have listed the benefits and drawbacks of being interviewed virtually compared to in person. Should you want to skip the lists, just head to the end where we sum up the answer.

What is a virtual interview?       

Virtual interviews are job interviews that don’t take place in person. Typically, interviewers use video conferencing software to see and speak with remote candidates.

Sometimes virtual interviews can be just one way. Questions appear and the potential candidate will have to answer them on the spot while speaking directly to their webcam.

More companies are moving more virtual and platforms such as Upwork are taking the footfall. All interviews on the platform are virtual, and so it the work.

The advantages of virtual interviews

Here are many potential benefits of virtual interviewing candidates

1. Being able to prepare in a place that you are familiar with while having all the necessary notes laid out on the table
2. Less travel expenditure, as people don’t have to go out of their way and travel to the location of the business.
3. Not having to go out in public, reducing the risk of catching viruses.
4. Interviews can get recorded and shared with decision-makers for opinions.
5. People with learning difficulties and disabilities may benefit from not being judged as much
6. Introverted people may feel more comfortable with fewer people surrounding them. Body language does not have to be expressed.
7. In recorded one-way interviews, there is less bias because every candidate is given the same questions.

The disadvantage of virtual interviews

Here are the possible drawbacks of virtual interviewing candidates:

1. Virtual interviews can feel disconnected from the real world.
2. Extroverted people may not get across how people focused they are. It can be challenging to read body language.
3. If the job is not remote, interviewers could mislead interviewers who may at some point require the candidate to meet at the business premises.
4. The internet could go down, computers could break. Technical issues could occur. With a lagging internet and sound/picture cutting out, they may be biased against interviewees.
5. Great candidates may not have the equipment to join in with the virtual interview.
6. Distractions could present themselves. Children could start screaming at the camera.
7. You have to make a tea/coffee or glass of water yourself.

What is an in-person interview?

An in-person interview is also referred to as a face-face interview because the employer and candidate are facing each other during the interview conversation while sitting or standing in the same location.

The advantages of in-person interviews

Here are many potential benefits of interviewing candidates in person:

1. Body language is fully on view, allowing for participants to clearly identify and understand.
2. More in-depth discussions and probing for responses.
3. There is a focus between employer and candidate with fewer distractions such as children making an appearance.
4. More visual aids can be used to support the interview.
5. The candidate gets a feel for the location, place of work and culture.
6. Greater commitment to the position.
7. There is usually confidentiality, most of what is discussed in the room, usually stays in the room.

The disadvantage of in-person interviews

Here are the possible drawbacks of interviewing candidates in person:

1. People will have to go out of their way and travel to the location of the business.
2. It takes more time to find the office, traffic and delays have to be accounted for.
3. Clothing can be biased
4. Not everyone can feel comfortable in new environments.
5. Introverted personalities may struggle to communicate what they think.
6. People who suffer anxiety may get judged unfairly.
7. People with learning difficulties and disabilities may also be judged before the interview even begins.

So, Are virtual interviews better than in-person interviews?

There are benefits and negatives to both in-person interviews and virtual interviews. More companies are taking on the hybrid business model; working in both the office and from home. Interviews should be conducted using more than one method to show that candidates can perform well in both settings. This is to ensure the correct decision has been made in the hiring process.

Virtual interviews remove the need for a formal space such as a place of business to meet with candidates, which can speed up the hiring process. Fewer resources are used not just for the hiring company but also for the candidate. Virtual interviews can feel robotic.

An in-person interview provides a more natural advantage over other interviewing methods. in-person interviews are most accurate at identifying what is being said in situ with body language. In-person interviews feel more human.