The webcam interview: advantages and disadvantages

Once unfriendly, webcam interviewing has grown in popularity in recent years. Often, it is used to carry out a second sorting among the candidates who managed to stand out thanks to their resumes. All in all, it has several advantages, but very few disadvantages:

Benefits :

    It is accessible: nowadays, we find a camera on the vast majority of devices used to communicate.
    It can be recorded: which can be useful in the event that two candidates are difficult to decide.
    It represents a considerable saving of time: both recruiters and candidates will benefit from it.
    It's convenient: requiring a candidate who is already employed to meet with you in person can be problematic. In contrast, allowing her to have an online interview during the lunch hour, for example, might be greatly appreciated.
    It broadens your pool of candidates: this is especially true for telecommuting where a webcam interview can allow you to hire a more competent person from out of town. Conversely, if your business is located in a remote area or one of your branches is overseas, for example, then the webcam interview will be a great way to make a first contact.

Disadvantages:

    She's impersonal: let's face it, we're a long way from a warm handshake here. If there is a way to make a first contact impersonal, it is good to invite the candidate to stay at home.
    It can be a problem: a slight delay can occur during the interview, it happens that the recruiter and candidate cut each other off.
    It distorts reality: looking at the screen rather than the webcam does not give the impression of a natural conversation where the interlocutors are looking into each other's eyes. Therefore, a candidate who has performed well in person may display a lack of confidence during a webcam interview.

Ultimately, the webcam interview saves everyone time and money ... and in some cases, it is an unacknowledged way to weed out applicants unwilling to use the technology.

Indeed, if in 2014 you were unable to establish an online connection with a recruiter, you are probably not qualified enough anyway for any position requiring minimal computer skills.