Evaluating the benefits and drawbacks of virtual interviewing from the candidate's experience

Abstract

Introduction The ongoing advancement of technology over the last several decades has substantially impacted organizations' overall recruitment function. Meanwhile, this already increasing adoption of technological advancement within organizations was further exacerbated by the recent COVID-19 pandemic, causing a noteworthy rise in e-recruitment. Given the increasingly digitalized workplace era, this study aimed to explore the advantages and disadvantages of virtual interviews to determine the factors to be considered when adopting virtual interviewing amid the global rise in the use of this recruitment method. Method The research followed a qualitative case study approach, and 14 participants selected through purposive sampling were individually interviewed. The data were then analyzed through thematic analysis. Results The findings demonstrate that the level of human interaction, the comfort associated with the interview format, and non-verbal cues were pivotal to candidates' experience of virtual interviewing (both asynchronous and synchronous). The findings further reveal that virtual interviews are relevant tools in the contemporary world of work due to advantages such as fairness and global communication. Nonetheless, one-way communication and technology were found to potentially deter the effective use of virtual interviewing. Discussion Overall, the findings suggest the importance of leveraging the strengths of virtual interviewing while considering the contextual appropriateness and practicality of its use to help curb the associated drawbacks. Thus, this research aids human resource practitioners' understanding of the factors that must be considered when employing virtual interviews, based on the candidates' experience. The research further contributes to the ongoing debate on whether the utilization of recruitment technologies such as asynchronous video (pre-recorded) and synchronous online (live or real-time) interviews is sustainable in the workplace.