Live vs. One-Way Interviewing: Key Differences and Use Cases

While Interviews have always been an essential step in hiring new employees, modern hiring teams now default to using remote video interviews, both live and pre-recorded. In-person interviews are still essential in many industries, but most HR teams have now standardized live and one-way video interviews as the preferred strategy. Whether conducting interviews live via conferencing software or asynchronously through one-way recorded videos, digital interview formats offer both time and cost-saving advantages for companies, especially those hiring for remote or hybrid roles.

There are several factors that influence whether your company should opt for live interviews, one-way interviews, or both, including scheduling conflicts and time zone differences between candidates and hiring teams. Because both formats have benefits and disadvantages, your HR team should carefully consider which option creates a better experience for your hiring team and the candidates you interview while also still aligning with your desired hiring needs.

What Are Live Interviews?

A live interview is a virtual, real-time interview between candidates and hiring teams. Live interviews utilize video conferencing software that hosts the interview between companies and their interviewees. For this reason, the term is interchangeable with “live video interviews,” given that video is the most common medium for remote interviewing.

Are in-person interviews also live interviews?

The phrase “live interview” understandably raises some questions about in-person interviews. Because interviews conducted in person are technically “live,” it may be easy to confuse them as also falling within the concept of a “live interview.” However, as far as it pertains to job interviews, the common understanding among both companies and job applicants is that a live interview will be conducted remotely over video. 

That distinction is important to keep in mind as it may impact what job applicants expect when they read your job descriptions and receive instructions about your interview process. If you plan to conduct in-person interviews, opt to use that term in your communications to applicants. If you plan to use real-time remote video calls, use “live interviews” or “live video interviews.”

Are phone interviews also live interviews?

Video is the standard format for live interviews, although phone interviews may also fall within the definition of a live interview. It’s exceedingly common for a company’s hiring process to include a 30- to 60-minute screening interview for shortlisted candidates. Many recruiters choose to conduct this interview over the phone. This is a type of live interview that can help minimize the extra friction caused by setting up and preparing for video interviews. 

However, note that even here, most applicants won’t assume that phone interviews fall within the context of a live interview. As such, be sure to be specific about whether the interview is taking place over the phone or through live video interviewing software. 

What are the advantages of using live video interviews?

Companies weighing the benefits of conducting an interview live over video should explore whether these benefits align with overall company goals.

What are the disadvantages of live video interviewing?

These disadvantages may impact your organization’s ability to implement live interviews effectively. Notably, you may need to determine whether other interview formats work best for specific candidates or roles if these issues significantly impact your ability to interview candidates. 

What Is a One-Way Interview?

One-way interviews are those that involve candidates recording their answers to a list of prepared questions sent by the hiring team. Candidates then submit the recorded video to the hiring team for review. One-way interviews require candidates to have access to video recording software, including the company’s interviewing platform that provides the necessary tools to conduct a one-way interview. 

Other common terms for one-way interviews include “asynchronous interviews”, “on-demand interviews,” and "automated video interviews (AVIs)", which require dedicated interviewing software. These terms can be used interchangeably in many cases, although whichever term your organization uses should be consistent across candidate communications and job postings.

What are the advantages of one-way interviews?

One-way interviews offer several key advantages over other interview formats, including live video interviews:

• Provide scheduling flexibility: One-way interviews can remove scheduling conflicts, particularly for time-zone differences between candidates and hiring teams or recruiters.
• Scale early-round interviews: One-way interviews allow hiring teams to screen more candidates in less time. Interviewing platforms like VidCruiter provide a structured interview approach and customizable workflows that help hiring teams and recruiters efficiently review candidate responses.
• Ensure fairness and consistency: With a structured format, one-way interviews can reduce interviewer bias and provide a consistent interview experience for every candidate. When combined with interview scoring rubrics, one-way interviews enhance company goals toward fairness and compliance. One-way interviews can also be stored for auditing purposes, which is essential for heavily-regulated industries or high-impact roles. 
• Enhance candidate experience: When done correctly and when utilizing the proper interviewing software, one-way interviews can create a low-stress interviewing experience that helps candidates more effectively showcase their skills. 
• Increase candidate pool: Because interviews are not tied to strict time schedules, giving candidates the option to conduct a one-way interview can increase the number of target applicants who agree to interview requests.

One-way interviews offer a significant amount of flexibility, making them an ideal option for organizations that need a scaled approach and a faster time-to-hire.  

What are the disadvantages of one-way interviews?

The flexibility of one-way interviews does come with notable downsides hiring teams should consider before implementation:

• Increased risk of candidate fraud: Giving candidates the option to self-record interview videos can increase fraudulent activity, including inauthentic assistance with interview questions. Interview platforms that support one-way interview recording can significantly reduce this risk, but will not completely eliminate it.
• Creates an impersonal interview for candidates: One-way interviews do not allow candidates to form an interpersonal connection with recruiters or hiring teams, which can make the process feel more impersonal. 
• Potentially introduces bias: Without a structured and fair approach to reviewing candidate videos, one-way interviews can introduce bias as hiring managers may focus on candidates’ features instead of their answers. As Forbes contributor Liz Ryan explained in a 2018 article on the downsides of one-way interviews, “It's a horrifying thought but we must think it anyway: what if video interviews have something to do with screening people out because of their appearance, their age or some other attribute that videotape makes plain?”
• Increased risk of candidate drop-offs: Many candidates carry a negative view of one-way interviews, viewing them as less engaging and too hands-off. An inability to conduct more personal interviews may lead to more interview request rejections.
• Not ideal for soft skill assessment: The impersonality of one-way interviews reduces a candidate’s ability to present their soft skills to recruiters or hiring teams, like collaboration, empathy, or adaptability to nuanced situations.

Given the potential downsides, plan ahead and review best practices before implementing one-way interviews into your hiring process.

Live vs. One-Way Interviews: Side-by-Side Comparison Table

When to Use Live vs. One-Way Interviews

Choosing the proper format for your candidate interviews can significantly impact the quality of candidates that accept interviews, and the quality of the interviews you have with your talent pool. As you continue to develop or improve your hiring process with live and one-way interviews, consider your needs first and which interview format best fits your needs.

When should you use live video interviews?

Live formats are best suited for building connections between hiring teams and candidates and gaining deeper insights into a candidate’s personality and communication style.

When should you use one-way interviews?

On-demand and asynchronous interview formats are significantly less personal, but can be beneficial in many situations for both companies and job candidates. You’ll need to consider the benefits, risks, and available video recording platforms before adding one-way interviews into your hiring process.

How VidCruiter Supports Both Formats

While many interviewing platforms focus on either live interviews or one-way interviews, VidCruiter’s dynamic toolkit supports the integration of live and one-way interviews into your hiring workflow.

VidCruiter delivers a modern interviewing platform designed for a job market increasingly focused on workplace flexibility and borderless recruitment. The platform is adaptable to every type of organization, from lean recruiting teams to enterprise-level hiring operations. VidCruiter also maintains a dedicated approach that reduces bias, ensures consistency and fairness, and maintains adherence to compliance and privacy rights.