7 Myths Around Conducting A Video Interview

There is plenty of advice out there for prospective employees nervous about doing a job interview, but what about the people conducting it? What should they say? What shouldn’t they say? What should they do or not do? This article will take a look at the seven myths swirling around how people conduct a video interview:

Myth One: Asking for a driver’s license is okay

This is viewed as not being acceptable in a face-to-face interview, but some employers see this as being okay over the phone as a way of proving the candidate’s identity. This isn’t an illegal question to ask, but it is an unwise one.

When people are asked for a driver’s license or passport over a video feed to the point that the details are clear enough to read, red flags go off for most of them. There are false job postings now that make this part of the requirement for applying, but they’re a scam to get people’s personal information.

Even when the job is legitimate, asking a candidate’s age is not permitted and getting a driver’s license is another way of asking this question. Do so at your own risk.

Myth Two: It’s a whole different ball game from a regular interview

The truth about this is that a video interview will only be different from a regular interview if those conducting it will make it so. There are advantages to attending a video interview, yes, but other than that, it’s almost the same thing. The one conducting it can see the candidate’s facial expressions, hear their voice, and can get a good idea of what their attitude is like just like in a regular interview.

Myth Three: It’s too complicated to do one

This is usually said more as a reaction to a phobia of technology than anything else. If anything, a video format is more accessible in that it can be conducted faster than a regular one and involves a lot less fuss at the office.

As long as a person can click on a few menu options, they’re able to conduct a video interview. It’s that simple! For those who are unsure, their HR departments usually have people to help them learn how to do it, and they can also give them tips on interviewing candidates.

Myth Four: What an interviewer can ask in a video interview is different from a face-to-face one

This idea falls more in the realm of urban legends than it does in reality. The same questions that a person can ask in person, like age, alcohol use, criminal records, heritage, etc. are the same ones that one can and can’t ask in a video interview. The medium that a job interview is conducted in doesn’t change the general rules.

Myth Five: The company is just doing it to save money

Although it may be a bit cheaper to interview by video, it doesn’t offer that much in savings to the employer. It’s more expensive for a candidate to get to a job interview in that it costs them time from their current job and fuel or bus fare.

An employer needs a person to conduct the interviews either way. The costs of doing one over the Internet, over the phone, or in-person all make use of resources that are there anyway, so they all cost about the same.

Myth Five: Candidates prefer face-to-face interviews, or they hate video interviews

This argument is usually made by people who believe that the traditional approach is better, so they say that people want to meet their future employers face-to-face. It is true that some candidates probably feel this way, but there aren’t any studies that say that most people prefer it.

It’s usually quite the opposite. Wouldn’t most people prefer to interview from the comfort of their home with a nice cup of hot coffee by their side?

Myth Six: Technology isn’t advanced enough to conduct them

This was true for several years after the Internet became widely used, but that was also back in the time of minimal bandwidth so that a video interview consisted of a small box on the monitor with a blocky-looking image in it.

Today, the Internet easily allows for a user to both send and receive high-quality images with superior sound quality, making a video interview almost like having the candidate in the room. Not only that, but the creation of online portfolios and resumes only facilitates this more electronic process.

Myth Seven: Internet companies aren’t reliable enough to perform a video interview

This is usually the next part of the “technology isn’t advanced enough” argument. Do significant telecom and cable companies have the occasional disruption in service? Yes. As a result, an interview sometimes has to be rescheduled.

Are there times when a face-to-face interview has to be cancelled because of sickness, bereavement, or any number of reasons? Yes, so the interview is rescheduled, just the same!

About the author

Jennifer has been writing and providing professional resume help for over a decade. Her time is spent huddled at her computer or finding new recipes to experiment with regularly. She lives with her two cats.

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Tags: Interview , Career Advice , Hiring Process, Guest Post