Conducting Virtual Interviews

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Most employers (75%) report difficulty in filling roles. The skilled talent shortage can make it difficult to identify qualified candidates, and clunky recruitment processes can lead to candidate churn. In fact, the top two negative reasons candidates withdraw from the hiring process are because their time was disrespected and the process took too long.

Virtual interviews can help you address some of these issues so you can build a high-quality team.

What are virtual interviews?

Virtual interviews leverage video technology to connect recruiters with candidates remotely.

A virtual interview may be used in place of a traditional phone screen or in-person interview. For example, video interviews are useful for a hiring manager screen early in your recruitment process, or for a later stage call with a company executive who travels frequently. Many companies also use virtual interviews to facilitate remote hiring, never meeting candidates in person.

There are several different video interview formats you can use depending on your needs:

Live video interviews, conducted through platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams, most closely mirror traditional in-person interviews. These real-time conversations allow for natural dialogue, making them ideal for behavioral interviewing.
Asynchronous interviews offer a different advantage, allowing candidates to record answers to predetermined questions at their convenience. This format is excellent for initial screening, which can save your team quite a bit of time on scheduling and conducting interviews.
Technical assessments enable skills demonstrations so you can evaluate a candidate’s practical abilities and learn how they work.

The benefits of virtual interviews

Virtual interviews benefit your organization—and your candidates. It’s no surprise that 80% of candidates feel positively about video interviews.

Scheduling flexibility

Virtual interviews typically require less of a time commitment from candidates, who won’t have to travel to your office to meet in-person. This can also benefit your hiring team if interviewers travel for work; you won’t have to wait for team members to be back in the office to meet with candidates. This allows for better scheduling flexibility so you can keep your interview process moving along.

Wider talent pool

Virtual interviews can dramatically expand your talent pool, allowing you to access candidates regardless of location. This broader reach enables you to compete for talent nationally or globally, improving workforce diversity and accessing specialized skills that might not be available locally. You can also engage passive candidates who would otherwise find it difficult to take time away from their job for an in-person interview.

Improve quality of hire

Expanding your talent pool and keeping candidates engaged with an efficient hiring process can help you win more high-quality candidates for your team. Candidates appreciate when their time is respected, and you’ll have the competitive advantage of getting job offers out faster than your competitors.

Cost reduction

You can significantly lower your recruitment overhead by eliminating travel expenses for out-of-town candidates, cutting down on staff travel time, and reducing candidate churn. Administrative costs decrease as well, with less time spent on scheduling and coordination.

Best practices for live virtual interviews

Successful live virtual interviews require thoughtful preparation and execution. Follow these guidelines to get the most out of your virtual interviews.

Before the interview

Take time to plan and prepare for your virtual interview to help ensure they run smoothly.

Create standardized materials including interview guides and evaluation forms to ensure consistency
Complete interviewer training so everyone understands how to use your interview software, how to conduct an engaging interview, and what each team member’s role will be in the interview process
Prepare candidates by sending a link to your virtual interview, the name and contact information of the person they’ll be meeting with, and what to expect during the interview
Create a professional environment by setting up your device camera at eye-level in a well-lit, quiet room with a neutral background
Test your technology to make sure your internet connection, device, and software are all working as expected
Review candidate materials to get familiar their qualifications and background; keep their phone number handy in case of technical difficulties

During the interview

During the interview, focus on evaluating candidates while maintaining a positive candidate experience.

Ask permission to record so you can reference the interview later
Begin with casual conversation to help candidates feel comfortable in the virtual environment
Demonstrate active listening through verbal and visual cues
Look into the camera to simulate eye contact
Take notes in your interview scorecard to remember key details
Leave time for questions so candidates can learn more about your organization, role, and team
Share next steps with candidates so they know what to expect and when
Thank the candidate for their time

Remember that many candidates may be new to virtual interviewing. Show patience with technical difficulties and maintain a welcoming, professional atmosphere throughout the process.

After the interview

Take time after each interview to document your observations while they’re fresh in your mind.

Complete your interview scorecard, including ratings and supporting examples to back up your ratings
Debrief with your team members after each interviewer has completed their scorecard to compare notes and make a hiring decision
Get back to candidates as quickly as possible, even if just to share that you don’t have an update yet
Send a rejection letter with feedback to candidates who aren’t hired
Send a job offer letter to your first-choice candidate

Measuring and improving your virtual interview process

You can help ensure your virtual interview program’s success by measuring and refining it.

Track these metrics over time and compare performance against other interview formats:

Average time-to-hire
Candidate satisfaction
Offer acceptance rates
Quality of hire ratings

Use these metrics to drive continuous improvement. Regular analysis helps identify bottlenecks, highlight successful practices, and guide process refinements. Pay particular attention to candidate feedback, as their experience often reflects the strengths and weaknesses of your virtual interview system.

Building a virtual interview tech stack

A live virtual interview can be conducted with the video conferencing platform your team already uses. Options like Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams offer essential features including recording capabilities, robust security measures, and calendar integration.

Additional virtual interview tools may be added to fit specific needs and incorporate other interview techniques. For example, you might incorporate skill assessment platforms or an asynchronous video interviewing platform if needed to improve your hiring process.

Final thoughts on virtual interviews

Virtual interviews represent a powerful solution for modern hiring challenges, offering significant benefits in efficiency, cost savings, and access to talent. Combined, these benefits can help you improve your quality of hire and build a strong team.

As you move forward with virtual interviews, focus on creating a system that balances efficiency with effectiveness. Keep candidate experience at the forefront of your planning, and maintain flexibility to adapt to changing needs and technologies. With proper implementation and ongoing refinement, virtual interviews can transform your hiring process and give your organization a competitive edge in talent acquisition.