Strategically Virtual: The Shift Toward Virtual Interviewing and what it Means for the Public Workforce System
by Liana Volpe and Amanda Bombino
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and its continued implications for more virtual work processes, employers have increasingly incorporated technology tools and software into their hiring processes, including making greater use of virtual interviews to screen job applicants. These virtual interviewing tools and technologies come in various forms. Some technologies require job candidates to record and submit their responses to preset interview questions, often referred to as one-way interviewing. Other technologies bring employers and candidates together in virtual settings to conduct rounds of interviews. Additional software tools utilize artificial intelligence to assess job applicants, scoring them on factors such as word choice, body language, tone, and more. As job seekers more frequently encounter these interviewing technologies, workforce professionals should educate themselves about how these virtual interviewing platforms and software work, and how to best prepare job seekers to be successful in using them.
Employers are leaning into virtual interviews for many reasons and this trend in hiring processes is here to stay. First, some employers find that virtual interviews are more cost effective compared to traditional, in-person interviews. Also, the efficiency, scheduling flexibility, and convenience that virtual interviews offer, especially in terms of eliminating travel time, has proven to be a benefit of adopting a more virtual hiring process. More specifically, the COVID-19 pandemic has led many organizations to rethink in-person activities by limiting them as much as possible. Virtual interviews allow employers to screen candidates in a socially distant and safe environment, and still effectively gauge how well an applicant may fit a job opportunity.
Virtual interviews are likely to remain a key part of the hiring process due to the added benefits and efficiency for employers. Therefore, the public workforce system, job seeker service providers, and job seekers themselves should take the necessary steps to understand and navigate these new processes.
Successfully navigating virtual job interviews can be challenging for many job seekers, so the public workforce system could tailor its offerings to help customers work through the new difficulties posed by shifting hiring technologies and processes.
Challenges of Virtual Interviewing Tools and Technologies
A virtual interview is one that takes place remotely, often through video conferencing software. Virtual interviews are a new and often foreign concept for job seekers who are much more accustomed to traditional in-person interviews. Job seekers can face several challenges in getting through virtual interviews, such as access to stable broadband and Internet-enabled devices, seamlessly navigating new technologies, setting up distraction-free environments, and presenting their best self on camera. For these reasons, the public workforce system could consider transforming its job search assistance to include guidance for this new frontier of the hiring process. Such guidance could include:
> Creating space and/or policies that enable job seekers to have access to stable and reliable broadband and technology devices that facilitate participation in virtual job interviews. Once broadband and device access is secured, job seekers should ensure that they are fully connected to the Internet and that sound and video are functioning properly on their devices.
> Ensuring that job seekers know to test their technology prior to the virtual interview. Job seekers should take time to prepare themselves for a virtual interview, just as they would prepare for an in-person interview. Before the virtual interview, whether it is live or through a series of pre-recorded videos, job seekers should test their technology to ensure that they can access the software efficiently and with no problems.
> Offering reminders to practice common interview questions that would likely come up in a virtual job interview. Job seekers should prepare answers to potential questions by researching their desired employer, planning answers to commonly asked questions, and reviewing the job description of the position they are seeking.
> Providing advice on how to create conducive backgrounds and surroundings for virtual interviews to minimize distractions. Job seekers should try their best to limit distractions during the virtual job interview by securing a quiet place to interview. Additionally, job seekers should try to create a background that is as professional as possible, whether it be a real room set-up or a fake virtual background.
> Reminding job seekers that they need to dress appropriately for a virtual interview. Although job seekers will not be viewing their interviewers face-to-face, they should still dress professionally for the camera to give a positive impression.
> Sharing tips on how to minimize the discomfort many feel when video interviewing, particularly doing a one-way interview. Job seekers participating in virtual interviews may be unfamiliar with recording themselves speaking and therefore may find some discomfort in the process, which can easily translate on camera. This discomfort should be minimized through practice sessions and greater familiarity with these technologies in order to present a best version of themselves to a potential employer.
Types of Virtual Interviewing Software
The integration of technology tools in the hiring process has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the push for more virtual and streamlined work processes. Public workforce professionals should be aware of the common virtual interviewing software programs that are popular in hiring and recruitment, some of which are listed below:
> Hirevue: Live and on-demand video interviewing software that allows both recruiters to evaluate recorded video interviews and candidates to interview on their own time.
> Modern Hire: An all-in-one, science-based platform that screens candidates through text-based or pre-recorded phone interactions, as well as through on-demand and live interviews using job-specific behavioral, follow-up, and competency-based questions.
> Jobvite: An on-demand video screening tool that is built directly into an ATS, or applicant tracking system, and ensures fairness in the interview process by having all job candidates respond to the exact same interview questions.
> VidCruiter: A recruitment platform that offers several types of virtual interviews, including live video interviews, pre-recorded video interviews, and audio interviews.
Conclusion
Having a greater understanding of the trends in virtual job interviews and hiring will allow frontline workforce development staff and the public workforce system to provide more relevant guidance on how job seekers can get past the interviewing phase of the job search process.
Overall, interviews are an important part of both the job search and the hiring process, and the shift to virtual interviews has presented new challenges and concerns for job seekers vying for their next opportunity. Virtual interviews are here to stay, with their distinct advantages and efficiencies for employers. Henceforth, the public workforce system should aim to understand these new hiring technologies and processes in order to more directly cater services to the needs of customers.
Liana Volpe is a Research Project Coordinator and Amanda Bombino is a research intern at the Heldrich Center for Workforce Development.
In the Suddenly Virtual series, the Heldrich Center examined how the public workforce system had adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic, providing case management, training, and job search services in an online environment. The Strategically Virtual series builds on this work, outlining how the public workforce system can use technology and community partnerships more effectively to expand services, address job seeker mental and emotional well-being, and ensure that a broader range of the public is able to access supports during a time of social distancing and massive job loss. The Strategically Virtual series is producing issue briefs, Medium blog posts, practical guides, and more. View all of the Strategically Virtual blog posts.
