5 Ways the Pandemic Forever Changed Interviews and the Hiring Process

The way interviews are conducted has changed massively over the last two years. With various factors influencing organization-candidate interactions, what may candidate interviews look like for the foreseeable future? Stacey Torrico, chief human resources officer, Accurate Background, shares five ways interviews and hiring may change for good.

Candidate interviews and the hiring process look much different today than pre-pandemic interviews. As Americans quit jobs, switched careers, reprioritized their lives, and subsequently created a huge demand for workers in the past two years, they impacted not only the workforce but also how employers interact with candidates and the technology required to make that happen.

From virtual interviews to a focus on empathy and company culture, many of those changes are likely here to stay. These are the top five ways I expect interviews and hiring to change for good:

1. Going Virtual

First, the most obvious change is interviews going virtual. The convenience and cost-savings of remote work also translate to the hiring process. That is not to say candidates do not do office visits or meet hiring managers in person anymore, but often, initial interviews take place via video chat. It tends to be logistically easier, and overall, it can speed up the recruitment process. Accurate Background’s Management of the Digital Workforce SurveyOpens a new window in 2021 found that 81% of responding organizations use more video technology for hiring. Now that we are used to virtual ease and efficiency, it would be difficult to return to the old ways.

2. Defying Time and Location

Given the virtual landscape, time and location are no longer the significant factors they once were in finding and interviewing candidates. Interviews can be scheduled faster virtually than in-person, and in some cases, the interviewer’s and interviewee’s schedules do not have to match up at all. We have seen companies record interview questions for interviewees to review and then record their responses on their own time — an even more flexible option for certain roles. However, it should never fully replace an in-person or real-time connection with a candidate. 

For companies now offering fully remote options where location is no longer an obstacle for work, that means it’ i no longer an obstacle for hiring. According to the digital workforce survey, nearly a quarter of organizations said they have started hiring more non-local candidates, and another 17% said they started hiring more people who will only work remotely in the future.

3. Reliance on Technology

This virtual hiring world would not be possible without certain digital infrastructure and recruiting technologies, from scheduling platforms to applicant tracking systems and human capital management tools. First, when it comes to virtual interviews, a platform like Calendly or Acuity Scheduling can save a lot of time by scheduling meetings with candidates without unnecessary back-and-forth emails to manually coordinate calendars. And, of course, virtual interviews would not be possible without telecommunications tools to conduct video interviews and chat with candidates in real-time. There are now apps and AI capabilities to text candidates updates throughout the hiring process and send interview reminders. All of these types of tools add to the ease and efficiency of a virtual hiring process.

Before even getting to candidate interviews, applicant tracking systems (ATS) can sort through applications and resumes for an initial screen of who is qualified for the job. This technology was popular before the pandemic, with 75% of recruitersOpens a new window using ATS in the hiring system. With candidates now applying for jobs from anywhere at any time, an ATS platform offers a centralized spot to manage job postings and filter applicants.

Additionally, human capital management technologies can manage and analyze workforce data, automating aspects of the recruiting process. That can include self-service tools so that candidates can update their personal information and work history. Storing candidate information can then build a talent pipeline, making it much easier to go back to previous candidates in the future and offering a point of reference in strategic workforce planning. Using the right technologies for interviews, scheduling, application sorting and talent data management is key to a truly virtual hiring process.

4. Work-life Balance

In the hiring process, it is not just the interview medium that has undergone a permanent transformation but also the content of the interviews themselves. The pandemic put work-life balance front and center so much that it is now discussed more frequently in the interview process. Recruiters promote their company’s benefits regarding remote or hybrid work, flexible scheduling and personal time off. 

See More: 4 Ways AI is Improving Work-Life Balance

5. Empathy and Company Culture

In many ways, the pandemic changed the way we think about others. There is another level of empathy that comes with a shared global challenge. Hiring managers might ask people how the pandemic impacted their professional life or perhaps changed their career goals. It has also offered opportunities to teach important lessons about overcoming obstacles and persevering through difficult times. As a result, hiring post-pandemic prioritizes questions of how a candidate can adapt to a new work environment and fit into the company culture. Companies are looking for people who can belong and thrive. It has become just as much part of the interview process as assessing skills and experience.

These conversations also offer an opportunity to explain what infrastructure and technologies the company has in place that enable employees to work with ease and efficiency, connect with their colleagues and achieve their goals. In a remote environment, candidates need to know how virtual training will work and how employees communicate when they are not physically together. For example, suppose part of the company culture is connectivity. In that case, employers should be able to explain how they achieve that, be it virtual all-staff meetings through Zoom, ample chat spaces through Microsoft Teams or Slack, or shared workspaces through OneDrive.

The adaptations made in interviewing and hiring since the pandemic began may have seemed inconvenient initially. But they have now given way to considerable strides in flexibility, efficiency, and opportunity for candidates and employers alike.

How do you think interviews and the hiring process will change in the future? Let us know on FacebookOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , and LinkedInOpens a new window . 

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