More companies are interviewing applicants via webcam, and the process is not interactive like Skype and FaceTime interviews. About 90% of these interviews have no interviewer present. Applicants respond to questions on the spot, sometimes with a warm-up question and a few seconds to compose a response, but not always. A Bloomberg article quoted one candidate about his experience:

"I'm not a YouTube star, obviously," he said. "It's such a weird experience talking to a camera. It honestly was pretty horrible." Jamie Black, who suffered through the video interview experience for a job at a school, said it felt "more like a game show than an interview." 

HireVue, which provides interview software, reports 2.5 million such interviews in 2016. The company's clients include JPMorgan, Deloitte, and "most of the major airlines."

The process has some advantages. Of course, it saves companies travel and other expenses of live interviews. But some companies also say that are able to meet more people through the technology. The Bloomberg article ends with a quote from HireVue's founder, Mark Newman:

"Candidates will generally say, 'I would have preferred an in-person interview to this,' but that's not the right comparison," HireVue's Newman said. "The alternative is no interview at all."

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Discussion Starters:

• What's your experience with interview videos?
• What benefits and downsides do you see for applicants?
• How do you think this technology affects people of color? If companies want a more diverse workforce, will the software help or hurt?