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HR Toolkit: Virtual Interviewing

Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic affecting workplaces, many employers are adopting remote and virtual practices—including interviewing. While the process of virtual interviewing is an appropriate action for many employers in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it will remain a consideration for an increasing number of employers even post-coronavirus. Virtually interviewing and hiring a new employee can be a daunting process, as it comes with its own unique set of challenges, but it offers benefits to both employers and job seekers.

As employers adapt to stronger technology capabilities than ever before, virtual interviewing offers an opportunity for employers to become more adaptable, while staying up to date with growing trends. Many job seekers frequently use job websites such as LinkedIn, Indeed and Handshake, and the expanded use of technology is challenging recruiting and hiring norms—leading to virtual interviews becoming a strong consideration for employers. In addition, virtual interviews can offer benefits such as time savings, flexibility and reduced costs. Virtual interviewing benefits also extend to job seekers. For example, for an applicant who has a full-time job, it will be much easier to join a phone or video interview, rather than spend the time traveling to a location and missing up to a day or more of work at their current place of employment.

When conducting virtual interviews, managers are tasked with a unique set of challenges. On top of the normal concerns, questions and effort put into interviewing, you now have to make conversation and contemplate impactful decisions based off a virtual interview. As the interviewer or hiring manager, you are responsible for finding and hiring an individual who will be a productive member of the team, without ever interviewing them in-person. A bad hire can negatively affect his or her team and the overall company. Not only is there a financial cost to the hiring process, but a bad hire can also contribute to a dip in staff morale and productivity. From a financial perspective, a bad hire can cost, on average, at least one-third of that position’s first-year wages, increasing for positions higher in the company, such as a vice president or CEO, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

If conducting interviews virtually is new to you, it can seem like a difficult process to navigate. This toolkit is designed to guide you step by step through the virtual interview process and help you find the right people for your organization.

For more information about employee benefits, our services and products, please contact HANYS Benefit Services by email or by calling (518) 431-7735.

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