The times keep changing, and one can only wonder what recruitment will look like in the years ahead.

In-person recruitment was the norm until a few years ago. Companies invited candidates to attend assessment centres or technical interview sessions, and they had no objections to travelling from far and wide for such sessions. Employers also had Recruitment Coordinators who were saddled with coordinating travel logistics for candidates.

Some top corporations would arrange flight tickets to get senior executive candidates from one location to another for a 30-minute face-to-face interview. And there were also look-see trips, where candidates got reimbursed airfare tickets for just coming to view the work environment.

With technology improvements, we now have tools that allow interviews to be conducted virtually in the comfort of your home or office. Virtual interviews help candidates control their environment and focus more during interviews as there are no surprises or distractions from their chosen location for the interview. It also allows for better time management for candidates and interviewers as none requires time to travel to the venue. Virtual interviews are either audio-only or video. Candidates are free not to use the video option if the recruiter has not mandated it on the interview invite. Thus, it is possible to multitask during an interview if only audio is required. In the negative, non-video interviews can be manipulated by having mercenaries represent candidates during interviews.

In the last two years in which there were global restrictions on travel due to Covid-19, remote work became the norm, and people adapted to the demands of the new world order. Candidates who often get intimidated or distracted at in-person interviews tend to perform better with virtual interviews.

In-person interviews help with human interpersonal relations. A good rapport can easily be formed when people interact physically. Nothing can be hidden or presented differently as against what it is.

I recall a trending topic about an interviewee commending the good looks of the interviewer. Could this be acceptable professionally? It is yet to be resolved, but it is unlikely to have such a scenario with virtual interviews.

An in-person interview often helps in quick decisions on whether to proceed to hire or not at the end of the interview. Virtual interviews depend on technology; internet access can make or mar an interview. Any interruptions due to technical issues could result in rescheduling the interviews or cancellations. In extreme cases, the company may decide to invite the candidate for an in-person interview.

In-person interviews are great opportunities to observe candidates and experience their personalities, which may not be possible with virtual interviews. In-person interviews, if well-executed, create an atmosphere that makes conversations more interesting and helpful to both parties. Virtual interviews have been confirmed to be effective, especially when candidates are in physical locations that are distant from the recruiter.

Both forms of interviews are globally acceptable, and it behoves the candidates and interviewers to be prepared to make the best of what each Virtual or In-Person Recruitment.

Written By: Fidelis Shenbote, ACIPM