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In modern hiring workflows, platforms like Zoom, Google Meet, and Teams are basically our conference rooms. So much so, that 90% of recruiters prefer online interviews.
If you’ve spent any time hiring lately, you know virtual interview platforms are everywhere.
Let’s look at the good, the bad and what’s next together.
What is Virtual Interview Software?
Virtual interview software allows organizations to assess candidates remotely through a few different methods. This can include live video calls (like Zoom), pre-recorded responses where candidates answer at their convenience (like HireVue), or AI interviews that adapt in real-time (Hello, HeyMilo).
Why Virtual Interviews Are Worth the Hype
Time is our most valuable resource. All the hours taken back just by cutting commutes, it’s enough to make us debate the need to go in person at all. Plus given it’s nature, you get access to skilled candidates in places that you aren’t. While those may be the biggest pros for many agency recruiters, it’s also a supporting character when screening candidates who aren’t qualified.
Typically, interviews can take up to 40 minutes per candidate—and say you had 12 interviews lined up for this week, that’s an entire workday. Out of those interviews, you know there will eventually be misalignments. You don’t have to sit through traffic or burn gas, only to find out it isn’t a match, or to get stood up entirely. Virtual interviews let you move quickly and consistently overall.
How Do We Know When to Zoom and When to Shake Hands?
Sometimes a virtual handshake works perfectly, particularly with initial candidate screenings or remote positions. Other times, you’ll need to read the room in person, especially for senior leadership or roles that require subtle dynamics between people.
Why Recruiters and Candidates Disagree on Virtual Interviews
Let's talk about something interesting. While 90% of recruiters love online interviews, 70% of American job seekers actually prefer meeting face to face. Even with all the tech in hiring today, the American Staffing Association says candidates just want to feel connected. Being in the same room brings a sense of flow and comfort to conversations. It’s easier to build trust and rapport when you’re in the same room as someone.
In fact, many candidates maintain connections with recruiters they’ve met in person, even years later. It’s a lot harder to recreate that through a screen.
Thankfully, virtual interviews have come a long way in finding new ways to bring people closer. It’ll only get better from here.
An Upgrade: Asynchronous Virtual Interview Platforms
Autonomous virtual interview platforms. They’re not your average video interview tool.
Also referred to as AI interviews or AI recruiters, candidates answer questions when it’s convenient for them, and you can watch when it’s convenient for you. Everyone wins.
Factors to Consider When Choosing an Asynchronous Virtual Interview Platform
Find tools that are quietly powerful, and don’t compromise the success of you or job seekers. Ask yourself:
- Are they simple enough for candidates to use/interact with, without help?
- Do they let you review effortlessly?
- Is what you need evaluated being addressed?
The right tools support you without ever being noticed.
You want yourself, and your candidates to walk away thinking, 'That felt easy and comfortable'.
Faster Placements and Happier Clients Start Here
Recruiters spend so much time in their day to day, persevering through interviews, taking notes, keeping reminders, following up and for agency owners, these tasks multiply across multiple clients. A lot of the time time, it can take days or even weeks for all that effort to materialize.
With virtual interviews, you’ve already saved hours, but AI interviewers take it further by providing clear results instantly. This means faster decisions and the potential to move from interview to placement in as little as a day. For agencies, this means staying ahead of numerous projects and delivering results your clients will notice. See how an AI interviewer can fit into your agency today.
