Every bona fide company and its hiring managers concern a lot about the quality of their interviews. Even if they don't end up with a candidate's hiring, they still form the candidate's experience. That, in turn, affects the reputation of the brand.
One of LinkedIn's reports showed that 83% of candidates changed their opinion about the company for the worse due to their bad interview experience.
One of the main factors influencing the quality of an interview is its format. No doubt, modern technology has greatly expanded the choice for employers, so the types of interviews now vary widely. Moreover, the global pandemic situation has contributed to the fact that automated options have gained a significant advantage.
Looking for the best option is not so relevant as each of them has its benefits. However, it is crucial to clearly understand both the pros and cons of each. It helps you to determine the format that suits your company the best. Job interviews can be different, here are some types of them:
Face-to-face Interview
| 😍 ADVANTAGES | |
| + Personal contact | None of the other formats will provide such a great opportunity to establish a special atmosphere with applicants as live communication. |
| + Non-verbal features | In-person interviews allow to examine the movements of candidates' bodies in detail and analyze them, revealing their anxiety, confidence, hostility or friendliness, and so on. |
| + Ability to dig deeper | This format gives you not just a few sheets of resume, but a person with their motives, ambitions and desires and, most importantly – the opportunity to reveal them. |
| 🤨 DISADVANTAGES | |
| - Significant expenditure of time and money | This applies to both you and the candidates. Each of them should take a few hours to get to you and back. |
| - Loss of personal resources | Quality personal communication requires a lot of effort, so both you and the applicants will spend a lot of energy on each meeting. |
Mobile interview
| 😍 ADVANTAGES | |
| + Accelerated process | Neither you nor the candidates don't have to spend a few hours to get to the interview location. All you need is to pick up the phone. |
| + Minimized costs | You and your applicants spend less money and resources on this interview format: no concerns or stress, just a conversation. |
| + Remote candidates | What if your candidates are from another country, or is it just difficult for them to get to you? Just call them. |
| 🤨 DISADVANTAGES | |
| - The lack of eye contact | A telephone conversation does not allow you to read the candidate's body language: his gestures and facial expressions. |
| - Difficulties of personal touch | It is more challenging to create a unique, friendly atmosphere with just one voice without a visual component. |
| - Technical problems | Noise in the background, a bad signal, calls on the other line – many technical reasons can interrupt or complicate the interview process. |
Video survey
| 😍 ADVANTAGES | |
| + Pre-screening of candidates | This format is one of the best variants for selecting the best candidates for the next stage from the vast list. |
| + Significant savings of resources | Compared to the other interview options, this one requires much less energy, time, and money for both sides. |
| + Maximum convenience | Your candidates record their answers anytime and anywhere. You also check them whenever it is convenient for you. Try Playhunt now to see how comfortable the hiring process can be. |
| 🤨 DISADVANTAGES | |
| - Impersonal attitude | Some job seekers may take this format to indicate that you have no desire or time for them. |
| - Lack of contact | With this format, you cannot interact with the candidates and thus establish an interpersonal connection. |
| - Non-customized questions | In indirect interaction, you cannot ask the interviewees additional questions according to their answers. |
As you can see, the format is an essential factor for the success of an interview. There are many pitfalls in choosing each of them, so you should consider all the pros and cons. The most important thing is that there is no ideal option. You can choose the best option for you and the most optimal types of interviews for the study based on your industry as well as the culture and values of your company.
However, it would be best to keep in mind another fundamental factor of a successful interview - the content quality. A structure, a list of pertinent questions, and attention to details are crucial in shaping a positive candidate experience.
