The Rise of Digital Interviewing During Social Distancing

Jordan Ingersoll
March 9, 2020
digital interviewing

With the coronavirus rapidly spreading across the globe, individuals and businesses are being affected everywhere. Flights have been cancelled, hand sanitizer is nearly out of stock, and employees are being asked to work from home if they are feeling even a little bit under the weather -- some even indefinitely. Businesses’ talent acquisition processes have taken a particularly strong hit, as interviews that require face-to-face interaction are being cancelled and candidates are prevented from meeting in person due to travel restrictions and other precautionary measures. 


At pymetrics, we know how important bringing on talent is in order to meet your business goals, and how important securing a job is for candidates’ livelihood, and we’re here to support you.

What is a digital interview?

A digital interview is a process whereby applicants receive a series of questions and record their responses for the hiring manager to review. A digital interview is different from a video interview in that it does not involve real-time interaction between the applicant and the hiring manager.


What is a one-way interview?

Also known as an asynchronous interview, a one-way interview is an opportunity for employers to pre-screen interviewees before moving into the next round of interviews. In most cases, questions are written in a digital interview portal for you to answer and for your interviewer to review later.

pymetrics Digital Interview Platform

pymetrics’ Digital Interview is a candidate friendly, one-way video interview solution for job seekers to record their responses to an employer’s questions and for recruiters and hiring managers to evaluate them with standardized metrics. In the words of Yael Burla, pymetrics’ Product Manager for Digital Interviews: “Interviews today are often stressful for candidates and introduce bias into the hiring process. At pymetrics, we have redefined digital interviews by taking a candidate-centric approach that also establishes fairness. Our platform provides transparency into the company’s brand and hiring process, and empowers candidates with more control over their experience as well as the confidence that they are being assessed on what actually matters to the role.” 

Our video interview solution helps companies achieve: 

Efficiency: The digital interview takes the back-and-forth of scheduling out of the interview process, and removes the need for recruiters to conduct numerous live phone screens. Instead, recruiters can watch and evaluate a higher number of interviews in a shorter amount of time, thereby significantly reducing the time-to-hire. Our one-way digital interview requires minimal configuration and has a 90% completion rate across our global clients.


Flexibility: Candidates going through the digital interview process are able to do so in the comfort of their homes, which is especially beneficial in light of infectious diseases and travel restrictions. The one-way nature of our digital interview platform allows candidates to record their responses in their own time, and recruiters to preview and evaluate at their convenience. Furthermore, while recording, candidates have the option to hide their self-camera and timer, practice using our system as many times they want, and re-record each answer once if needed. “I was extremely impressed with this process” said a candidate who experienced the process firsthand. “You can be in the comfort of your own home and completely relaxed when answering questions. Not nearly as nerve-wracking as a face to face interview.” 


Standardization: During typical interviews, conversations with candidates can go in countless directions and their overall energy and experience is largely determined by the person who is doing the interview. However, with our digital interview, recruiters can record themselves asking the questions upfront; this way, all candidates are asked the same set of questions in the exact same way, ensuring fairness and rigor throughout the process. We further minimize bias when recruiters evaluate candidates by associating each question with a competency and its behavioral anchors that are relevant and meaningful to the company or role.


To learn more about the pymetrics Digital Interview and other assessment offerings, check out our Solutions page. To get in touch with a sales rep, please fill out the form on the Learn More page and we will reach out shortly.