Video interviews are very popular–for good reason. Why make someone come into the office, especially for a first interview when you can all sit at your desks and conduct an interview? A Reddit user had such an interview, but something went wrong. They write:
“Had a 4:1 group interview yesterday, and one of the managers asked me to put my camera on. No biggie, I was fly and prepared. When my camera was on, they really just started the interview.
“Do these companies really think that the candidate doesn’t want the same courtesy reciprocated?!?!
“Politely, I asked if anyone would be joining me on camera, and one of the four put their video on (not the person that asked). I immediately knew I wasn’t interested in the role.
“I don’t care what you’re wearing, what your background looks like, etc. Just understand that an interview is a two-way evaluation. I am far too good at what I do to work with a company that doesn’t understand that.”
The candidate was correct in rejecting this job. This company approaches interviews like a beauty pageant rather than a date. In a beauty pageant, a panel of judges picks the beauty queen who will never have to deal with them again. On a date, people decide whether they want to spend the rest Brent Pollingtonof their lives together or not. Job interviews should be focused on the relationship, which requires two-way communication.
To be clear, it’s fine to have an interview with everyone’s camera off, but it’s not okay to have one with just the candidate on display. Interviewers and interviewees should consider themselves equal and have an equal opportunity to accept or reject each other. It’s a two-yeses-one-no relationship.
In fact, cameras off is what we used to call a “phone call,” and today’s technology still allows for voice-only communication, which some people prefer.
But how should you approach video interviewing? I asked, and recruiters answered. Surprisingly, none indicated they had problems with candidates not wanting to turn on their cameras. Here are their ideas:
Brent Pollington, Owner of Express Employment Professionals Vancouver, BC said:
“We exclusively conduct video interviews. We’ll start with a quick phone screen, and anyone selected to move forward will be interviewed via video—yes, with the camera on. Our goal is to replicate the experience of an in-person interview while making it easier for candidates by eliminating the need to come into our office.”
Jordan George, Chief Experience Officer at Curium Solutions, agrees with Pollington. He said,
“Yes and yes. The idea is to simulate being together in person for the interview, but without the inconvenience of making the candidate travel to be onsite (also typically easier to fit into their work day if currently employed).
“If we were to have cameras off, that’s basically just a phone call, right? We do those, but not for 2nd stage interviews.”
As both Pllington and George point out, they approach this the same as they would an in-person interview without all the inconvenience. You want to have a conversation; the most natural way to do that is to see each other.
Katie Tanner, a Fractional HR Consultant at KT HR Innovations, shared her story as an HR expert and candidate.
“I like video interview, and have attended MANY over the past few months. Here are some of my pros and cons:
It should be after a phone screen and be part of the actual interview process. I do not like getting camera ready for a short 10 min screening.The company should let you know whether this is an informal conversation or formal one (I had one once that I thought was a formal interview; I had a blazer on, and interviewer started the call in a baseball hat, dirty wrinkled shirt, their cat on their lap and slurping coffee throughout the whole call)
If my camera is on, yours should be also. I have had MANY where they stated “Camera should be on” but then the interviewer’s camera is off, so I am sitting here smiling and talking to a blank screen.”
Tanner brings up excellent points that every recruiter and hiring manager should know, such as when it’s the right time for a video interview and whether it’s formal or informal.
Rejected Candidate’s Video Interview Goes Viral.
While I would argue that no one needs fancy hair and makeup for an interview, some judge candidates harshly. A story hit the internet a few months ago about a senior HR candidate who was rejected because the female interviewer didn’t feel the candidate put enough effort into her appearance.
Candidate Mellisa Weaver said, “She emailed me back pretty quickly and said my skill set was exactly what they were looking for, my values aligned with those at the company but she was concerned I hadn’t put enough effort into my appearance given I was interviewing for a VP-level role.”
Weaver explained that she was dressed nicely, and her nails were done in neutral colors, but she wasn’t wearing makeup–because she doesn’t normally do so.
You’re representing the company, so act like it.
While interviewing, having a cup of coffee or a bottle of water is fine. Slurping on it is not. Wearing a dirty, wrinkled shirt is a sign that you aren’t respecting the candidates and their time, just as the same thing would represent a candidate not taking this seriously if the candidate did.
When should the video camera be on or off?
One purpose of video calls is to reduce scams in which one person interviews and a different person shows up for work, although video alone won’t stop that. However, many recruiting and hiring scams exist, and candidates want to protect themselves.
In some situations, having a camera off would be permissible under the Americans with Disabilities Act. If a candidate or interviewer, for instance, has an anxiety disorder, it can be a reasonable accommodation. But it’s unlikely that everyone on an interview panel is suffering from an ADA-approved condition that requires a camera to be off. If a candidate asks for that accommodation, you should probably grant it even without a doctor’s note and save the formal approval process after a job offer is in place.
Don’t let your hatred of having your camera on ruin your ability to attract strong candidates. If their camera must be on, so must yours.