The return to in-person interviews hasn’t meant a return to pre-pandemic hiring practices. Instead, many employers are settling into a hybrid approach, conducting initial interviews virtually before inviting finalists into the office.
The shift reflects a practical balance. Virtual interviews help employers move quickly, widen the candidate pool and reduce scheduling challenges. Final interviews, meanwhile, provide opportunities to evaluate the qualities that are harder to measure through a screen, from communication style and team dynamics to how candidates think on their feet.
Justin Goldsberry, founder and CEO of Goldsberry Management Group, said virtual interviews remain an effective first step because they save time for both employers and candidates. But he believes face-to-face meetings reveal important insights once hiring decisions become more focused.
“From my experience in hiring, in-person interviews allow me to assess not only a candidate’s verbal communication but also their nonverbal cues and how naturally they interact with the team,” Goldsberry said.
He said employers should resist using the final interview as an opportunity to catch candidates who may have relied on artificial intelligence during the hiring process.
“At the end of the day, I believe the in-person interview should provide an opportunity to assess how candidates think, communicate, adapt, mesh with the team and build trust in real time,” he said.
Artificial intelligence, however, is influencing why some employers want that final conversation in person.
Lacey Kaelani, CEO and co-founder of Metaintro, said the growing sophistication of AI-generated resumes, cover letters and take-home assignments has made it more difficult to verify a candidate’s abilities through remote assessments alone.
“The final round of in-person interviews is coming back for one simple reason: Remote take-home assignments aren’t credible anymore now that AI can pass them without any trouble,” Kaelani said.
She said employers are increasingly looking for candidates who can explain their work, defend their thinking and demonstrate their skills without relying on AI-generated responses.
“The early rounds stay online because that lets them reach more people and move faster, but the verification has to happen in person, since that’s the only way to confirm the candidate actually did the work,” she said.
The result is not a widespread return to in-person interviewing but a refinement of the hiring process. Early virtual interviews continue to offer efficiency and flexibility, while in-person finalist interviews give employers greater confidence in a candidate’s communication skills, collaboration style and ability to perform the work.
As organizations continue adapting to new workplace technologies, many appear to have found a hiring model that combines the speed of virtual recruiting with the deeper evaluation that only an in-person conversation can provide.
Christine MacIntyre
Christine MacIntyre is a writer and photographer contributing to newspapers and magazines across Michigan and beyond, including national outlets. She brings a sharp eye for storytelling and a passion for community-driven content. She resides in Onondaga.
