AI and the Handshake: Why Are Face-to-Face Interviews Making a Comeback?
The following contribution comes from the Empower portal, which describes itself as follows: We are Empower
We are an award-winning, customer-centric financial services company that helps 19.5 million people achieve financial freedom at key life stages with an unparalleled experience.
Author: Team
Some tech companies are reintroducing face-to-face interviews to ensure authenticity and encourage interaction with job seekers.
Key Takeaways
AI tools are widely used by US employers to filter resumes and by candidates to increase their visibility.
Tech companies and others are requiring face-to-face interviews to confirm skills, amid concerns about over-reliance on AI for questions and tests.
Human interaction is also important for job seekers, some of whom opt for printed resumes, job fairs, and other direct contacts.
Networking Matters: An Empower study reveals that 31% attribute their current jobs to personal connections.
As AI transforms hiring, companies like Google and McKinsey are bringing back in-person interviews to validate skills and prevent fraud, while candidates are turning to personal connections to stand out.
It may seem like a contradiction, but it’s not. The increasing use of AI in the job application process has led many US companies to return to in-person interviews.
Google (part of Alphabet), Cisco, McKinsey & Company, and other leading companies
are incorporating in-person interviews as a requirement for some positions before making hiring decisions. This is part of an effort to verify fundamental skills and knowledge, as both employers and candidates increasingly rely on AI.
A growing number of companies are using AI to analyze hundreds, or even thousands, of resumes and applications flooding online job portals. Candidates, for their part, have also turned to AI tools to generate personalized resumes and even apply to hundreds of jobs at once.
Companies are deliberately adding human checkpoints to the process, especially when speaking with candidates. Recruiters have observed an over-reliance on AI during video interviews, and even cases of fraud, with candidates using the software to generate off-screen answers to technical questions, problem-solving exercises, and more.
In more extreme cases, fraudsters using AI have posed as job applicants to try to steal money or data from companies once hired.
The Rise of AI in Recruitment
Undoubtedly, the role of AI in the $3.3 billion global recruitment software market continues to grow. Between 35% and 45% of companies have already adopted this technology in their hiring processes, and its role is expected to grow by 6.2% annually.
AI can save time and resources in the hiring process, from writing and publishing job descriptions to onboarding new employees, and in many steps in between.
A Resume Builder survey revealed that 82% of respondents use AI to review resumes, while 64% use it to assess candidates.
Although many roles are remote, companies are also seeing the need to include in-person interviews in the hiring process. Google requires at least one round of face-to-face interviews for some positions to ensure that hiring managers can closely assess a candidate’s core skills.
Technical roles have been particularly vulnerable to potential shortcuts or pitfalls. Coding tasks, problem-solving challenges, and even logic questions can be outsourced to tools like ChatGPT or Claude, obscuring whether candidates possess the skills they claim to have.
Changing the Interview Script
In addition to in-person time, companies have been redesigning skills tests and revising questions to better suit individual experiences. Cisco trains its recruiters and hiring managers to spot potential red flags in AI use and is very clear with candidates about when AI can and cannot be used.
Smaller technology and cybersecurity companies are also taking the time to assess both human and technical skills, even if it involves additional expenses, such as traveling candidates before making a final hiring decision.
With some employees returning to the office and business travel increasing, companies are turning to in-person interviews to assess how candidates would work with colleagues and clients. The consulting firm McKinsey uses in-person interviews to evaluate qualities such as judgment, empathy, and the ability to connect with others.
Why Job Seekers Value Human Interaction
Job seekers are also showing a renewed interest in personal connections. Some have landed jobs by opting for traditional methods: printing resumes and applying in person at company offices.
According to research by Empower, one in three Americans (31%) say their current job is due to their network. Six out of ten believe that strong connections are key to career success.
Job fairs have also regained relevance after going almost entirely digital during the pandemic. Spontaneous conversations and real-time feedback are the main draws for attendees, while recruiters see these events as better opportunities to assess personality, interpersonal skills, and nonverbal communication.
Virtual job fairs have their own advantages, including lower organization costs (starting at $6,000 compared to $30,000 for in-person events) and the ability to attract a larger number of candidates. Some organizations have adopted a hybrid approach that combines online presentations and Q&A sessions with in-person networking at the event venue.
Looking ahead, some hope to see a similar balance in the use of AI in hiring. According to a ServiceNow survey, more than two-thirds of job seekers are uncomfortable with companies relying on AI to review resumes and make hiring decisions. Reduced personalization and privacy concerns were the top concerns.
Respondents were more comfortable with AI for support functions, including using the technology to schedule interviews, sourcing and contacting candidates, and other tasks such as screening interviews.
For now, some companies are finding that while technology can efficiently handle a large volume of applications and numerous tasks, in-person interviews and human judgment remain essential for verifying the skills mentioned.
AI is driving the return of in-person job interviews: Why is this a good thing?
The following contribution comes from the GoGoTechy portal, which defines itself as follows: At GoGoTechy, our mission is simple: to bridge the gap between talent and opportunity by giving you the tools, guidance, and confidence you need to land a job in the digital world.
Author: Team
Yes, AI is driving the return of in-person job interviews. Large companies in the US are returning to face-to-face interviews to combat the use of AI for cheating, such as generating responses or even impersonating candidates during virtual interviews. This trend is a direct reaction to AI tools that make it easier for job seekers to appear more qualified than they actually are. According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, employers are now using face-to-face meetings to verify real skills, communication, and cultural fit.
For candidates with real-world experience, especially in tech roles like software testing, quality assurance, and engineering, this shift isn’t a step backward, but an opportunity.
Why is AI driving the return of in-person interviews?
In recent years, hiring rapidly shifted to remote work: video calls replaced meeting rooms, in-home assessments replaced whiteboards, and AI began filtering resumes, scoring candidates, and even generating interview questions. But now, the process is quietly reversing.
Companies are concerned about three main risks of remote hiring in an AI-driven world:
Candidate identity verification: How can you ensure the person on screen has the necessary skills?
Accuracy of technical assessment: AI can answer programming questions or explain complex system designs, masking real knowledge gaps.
Predicting real-world performance: Excelling in an AI-assisted interview doesn’t guarantee success in the role.
The result? A loss of confidence in fully remote hiring processes.
Why is this good news for tech professionals?
Returning to in-person interviews might seem like it means more travel, more stress, and more time. But for roles that rely heavily on collaboration and critical thinking, it levels the playing field. Tech jobs aren’t just about writing code.
Great professionals:
– Ask the right questions
– Communicate risks clearly
– Collaborate seamlessly with developers and product managers
– Anticipate exceptions and user behavior
These qualities are difficult to demonstrate in a remote interview with AI, but they shine in person. At Gogotechy, we help candidates prepare for this reality by honing skills that AI can’t replicate: critical thinking, communication, and real-time problem-solving.
How companies are using in-person interviews
Most companies aren’t abandoning AI entirely.
In contrast, the emerging model looks like this:
First rounds: remote and AI-powered
Mid-rounds: structured video interviews
Final round: in-person
The in-person stage isn’t just another step; it’s a verification point.
Employers evaluate not only technical skills, but also:
Cultural adaptability
Real-time communication
Collaboration and teamwork
Confidence under pressure
In short, if you make it to the in-person interview, the job is often within your grasp.
How candidates can stand out in the new AI-driven hiring landscape: Instead of relying on predefined or AI-generated answers, companies are looking for the real person: someone who can think critically, communicate effectively, and adapt in real time.
One key to standing out is explaining the reasoning behind your decisions, not just the decisions themselves. Employers want to see how you approach problems, weigh the pros and cons, and consider the risks. This demonstrates your ability to think clearly under pressure and make well-informed decisions, rather than simply repeating memorized or pre-generated responses.
Equally important is your ability to read the room and engage thoughtfully. Asking insightful questions, clarifying expectations, and showing genuine interest in the role or team can set you apart from candidates who rigidly stick to a script. In today’s AI-driven hiring landscape, interpersonal skills and situational awareness often carry more weight than technical proficiency.
Your Value and Your Collaborative Skills
Ultimately, the message is clear: companies don’t just evaluate what you know, but also how you collaborate, adapt, and solve problems in real time. By being yourself and demonstrating these qualities, you’ll be better positioned to excel in interviews that test not only your knowledge, but also your judgment and presence.
How Gogotechy Helps You Stand Out
The return of in-person interviews represents a human correction to a process distorted by AI. For candidates with genuine skills, strong communication, and a knack for teamwork, this trend is an advantage, not a threat.
AI is driving the return of in-person job interviews.
The following contribution comes from Pearson Carter, which describes itself as follows: Pearson Carter is a leading technology recruiting agency, specializing in finding top talent in the dynamic world of technology globally. Our expert recruiters have extensive experience selecting qualified professionals for job opportunities in various technology fields, such as Microsoft technologies, NetSuite, cloud technologies, artificial intelligence, software development, web development, and mobile development.
Author: Team.
The use of AI in recruitment has created a strange paradox: the technology can analyze thousands of resumes in a matter of seconds, but it still requires human oversight.
This is evident in all the AI-related positions we need, whether they are NLP engineers, machine learning engineers, computer vision experts, etc.
Furthermore, companies like Google and McKinsey are bringing candidates back to meeting rooms, even for remote positions.
The reason is simple: AI doesn’t always distinguish between genuine skill and clever shortcuts. This applies even to hiring for AI-related roles.
Therefore, traditional hiring is making a comeback so recruiters (and employers) can use these face-to-face interactions to verify skills, assess judgment, and see candidates in action.
How is AI changing the hiring process?
AI has become the first filter in hiring. It can scan hundreds of resumes in seconds, highlight keywords, and even conduct coding tests.
But the problem is that AI can identify «skills,» but it doesn’t grasp the nuances.
It doesn’t perceive body language, cultural fit, or the instinctive ability to solve problems. It can’t tell if someone can clearly explain a complex idea in a meeting, or how they react under real pressure.
Moreover, with AI, candidates are also becoming smarter. They use AI tools to work on complex resumes, apply en masse for different positions, and generate quick answers for technical tests.
Why can’t AI completely replace in-person interviews?
AI is present in all hiring processes. And yes, it’s a very useful tool. But this usefulness comes with certain implications.
Take technical tests, for example. Candidates can now use tools like ChatGPT or Claude to generate answers to programming challenges or problem-solving exercises. In theory, it seems perfect. In practice?
You have no idea if they can actually solve problems under pressure or how they will work in a team.
And then there are soft skills.
Empathy, judgment, communication, and cultural fit: all these qualities are impossible for AI to measure. That’s why companies like McKinsey, Google, and other tech giants insist on in-person interviews, even for remote positions.
Fraud is another weak point. AI cannot detect candidates who are impersonating someone else or exaggerating their credentials.
Human interaction adds a level of verification that technology alone cannot provide.
Furthermore, we’ve observed that candidates enjoy interacting with recruiters. According to a SHRM report, 70% of candidates prefer in-person interviews.
Given all of this, you can’t rely entirely on AI to get the job done (which is why our dedicated recruiting team helps you fill these positions, so you don’t have to worry about a thing!).
Implications for Job Seekers:
We’re seeing candidates using AI too
