Remote Hiring Has a Trust Problem. Here's How to Fix It.

The shift to remote work created a verification gap in hiring. Candidates can game video interviews in ways that weren't possible in person. It's time for the interview process to catch up.

What Changed

In-person interviews had built-in integrity. You could see the candidate's workspace. You could watch them think through problems in real-time without wondering if they had ChatGPT open on another monitor. The physical presence created accountability.

Remote interviews removed all of that. Now you're looking at a video feed that shows exactly what the candidate wants you to see. Everything outside that frame is invisible, including the AI tools, the second person in the room, the notes taped to the wall.

The Trust Gap

Remote work is here to stay. 58% of Americans now work remotely at least part of the time. Requiring in-person interviews for every candidate limits your talent pool and slows down hiring.

But hiring without verification creates risk. You're making $100,000+ decisions based on a video call where you can't confirm the most basic things: Is this person working alone? Are they using their own knowledge? Are they even who they claim to be?

Closing the Gap

The solution isn't going back to in-person interviews. It's bringing the verification that in-person interviews provided into the remote environment.

This means visibility into what's happening on the candidate's machine during the interview. Not invasive surveillance, but targeted monitoring during a specific evaluation window that both parties agree to. The same expectation of integrity that existed when you could see someone's whole desk.

Transparency as the Foundation

Candidates should know they're being evaluated fairly. Honest candidates welcome verification because it ensures their genuine abilities are what get them hired, not someone else's willingness to cheat.

The candidates who push back on interview monitoring are often the ones with something to hide. That self-selection is itself valuable signal.

Moving Forward

Remote hiring works. It expands access to talent and gives candidates flexibility. But it requires updating our assumptions about what we can verify in an interview.

The tools to close the trust gap exist. The only question is whether your hiring process uses them.