The Pros and Cons of Online Interviews
By Japan Recruitment

The Pros and Cons of Online Interviews

 

Today when we refer to an online job interview we typically mean a job interview in which the candidate (future employee) and employer communicate via online call rather than meeting in person.

Let’s take a look at the benefits and drawbacks of online interviewing:

 

The Pros:

  • Convenient for Both Parties

Interviewing online allows for employers to screen and hire candidates easily and conveniently without the need for one or both parties to travel. It is a good way for people who work from their office, home, or other remote locations to effectively stay in touch with each other.

It allows employers to evaluate a person’s ability to communicate via webcam, and it can also open up the hiring process to people who cannot attend in-person job interviews due to travel restrictions or other disruptions.

Recruiting candidates online is also more convenient than having them travel or take time off work for an in-person interview.

  • It’s Easier to Organize and More Effective

As we know, it is difficult to assess the skills of a potential employee by meeting in person only once. By using online interviews, companies are able to schedule multiple interviews and even schedule online skills and aptitude tests that potential employees can complete in their own time.

Not only can they see how a candidate behaves on camera, but they can also get an overview of their personality and evaluate their reasoning skills from these aptitude tests.

  • It’s Easier to Schedule Than In-Person Interviews

When you plan an online interview, you can coordinate it according to your convenience and that of your potential employee – this can often free up additional hours in the day that would not normally be considered if the interview were to be conducted in an office setting. Often both parties are more flexible to consider evenings and weekends knowing that they don’t have to leave the comfort of their own homes to travel to and from the interview.

  • It’s Less Stressful for A Candidate

Many people are worried when participating in an interview because they fear they might appear nervous and make a poor impression on their future employer. This can lead to incorrect assumptions about the candidate based on the unfamiliar setting that an interview often takes place in.

By having the interview take place online, candidates can feel more comfortable as they are in familiar surroundings. This gives the candidate the opportunity to more accurately represent themselves to a future employer. Important cues like body language and facial expression are still visible thereby allowing the interviewer to effectively and fairly judge the candidate.

 

The Cons:

  • Prone to Manipulation

Interviewing online may feel more artificial and less authentic than a face-to-face interview. These online interviews can sometimes be easier to manipulate by a candidate especially if unsupervised tests are conducted as part of the interviewing process.

  • The Internet Isn’t Always Reliable

Sometimes you have extremely poor-quality connections, or your webcam stops working, and there is nothing you can do about it. Other times, the communication platform you are using goes down right when you need it the most. The Internet can be volatile, and it is impossible to guarantee that it will stream your online interviews properly. In addition, there can often be delays while speaking which can upset the natural rhythm of a conversation.

  • Not Being Tech Savvy

Face-to-face communication is more reliable than online communication. When you conduct an online interview it will have to be flawless and error-free. If a problem arises during an online interview, the whole process can be ruined resulting in the possibility of a canceled interview that needs to be rescheduled. This can cause big problems especially if the vacant position needs to be urgently filled. Someone’s inability to quickly resolve a tech issue can have far-reaching negative consequences.

 

Conclusion

To sum up, it should be said that there are many pros and cons to online interviews, but it all depends on the employer’s needs. An online interview is a part of the recruitment process that needs to be thought over in advance and organized properly. This way, you can see for yourself whether it’s worth using online interviews. It is undeniable that great opportunities are available when implementing online interviews into your recruitment process, but you must consider all the pros and cons before deciding.