Remote Interviews Only?

A quarter of the corporate workforce is now back in the office. Yet hiring chiefly through remote interviews has remained commonplace. Is this a bad thing?

As executive recruiters, we look at remote interviewing as a “make-do” option.

The core issue is the long-term efficiency of relying ONLY on this modality to make hiring decisions.

Multiple research studies indicate that videoconferencing seriously limits our perception and interpretation of visual clues.

A 2019 study titled “The impact of video conferencing on the interpretation of non-verbal cues in context” indicates that though technology has improved, there are still significant differences between the two modalities in terms of perception of non-verbal cues.

Another 2020 study titled “Visual cues in digital communication: A comparative study of video conferencing and face-to-face meetings” found that videoconferencing does not fully replicate the depth and richness of cues available in face-to-face meetings.

A 2018 research paper titled “Understanding the limitations of video conferencing: An exploration of non-verbal communication cues” highlights the challenges of interpreting visual cues during video calls.

In-person meeting is the only modality that gives us the array of visual cues needed to form a strong “first impression”. And first impressions are not even 100% reliable.

Through its own vetting process, DSC provides HR managers a crucial help to hire the right talent.