Burnham calls for end to remote interviewing
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has issued fresh guidance to employers, urging them to abandon video call interviews and return to face-to-face meetings. He argues that the current reliance on platforms like Zoom and Teams creates an unfair hiring environment for young people.
Speaking on the Jimmy’s Jobs of the Future podcast, Burnham expressed concern that online interviews favour candidates who deliver “formulaic answers” and hinder those with strong personality and passion. “One thing I really don’t like is this culture now of interviewing via Zoom or Teams. That just doesn’t seem right to me,” he said.
Concerns over fairness in the jobs market
The Makerfield MP said the post-pandemic recruitment landscape had become “quite harsh and quite unfair at times” for younger applicants. He emphasised that recruitment should celebrate individuality and allow people to showcase their unique qualities.
“How does a young person shine in that situation?” Burnham asked. “It seems to me to then work against people who have that side to their character, and work for those who are just giving the more formulaic answer.”
Shadowing opportunities and NEET numbers
Beyond interview formats, Burnham urged senior leaders across all sectors to offer shadowing placements, giving young people a chance to experience the workplace firsthand. He described himself as being on “a mission” to reverse the rise in young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), which has surpassed one million.
Burnham’s proposed reforms to the education system are designed to prevent the upward trend rather than immediately reducing the current figure. However, he did not set a specific target date for lowering NEET numbers.
The prime minister stressed that recruitment practices must evolve to become fairer, noting: “It doesn’t feel to me that recruitment in the post-pandemic era is becoming fairer. Recruitment’s got to be about individuality, people bringing out the kind of unique things that they’ve got to offer. My worry is that some of the recruitment practices now don’t allow that as much.”
Burnham’s intervention adds to a growing debate about the impact of remote hiring on social mobility and youth employment. With digital interviews now standard for many firms, the call marks a significant push to restore traditional methods that Burnham believes level the playing field.
