Virtual interviews vs. LinkedIn profiles: Effects on human resource managers’ initial hiring decisions

Abstract

This study examined how human resource (HR) managers' assessments of a job candidate's performance in the first virtual interview and his/her LinkedIn profile affect their hiring decisions. Using field data with 44 HR managers' assessments of 400 job candidates' virtual interview performance (Time 1) and their LinkedIn profiles (Time 2), regression analyses reveal that managers' hiring decisions in Time 1 (before checking LinkedIn) is positively affected by interpersonal competence and leadership potential but negatively affected by virtual presence. Virtual presence reduces interpersonal competence's but strengthens leadership potential's positive effects on hiring decisions in Time 1. Having a LinkedIn profile could change managers' decisions. Their hiring decisions in Time 2 become stronger for candidates with a higher overall rating on their LinkedIn profiles but weaker for those with more spelling/grammatical errors. Such findings add to the relevant literature and provide meaningful implications for HR managers and job candidates.