Virtual Reality

Today was my first interview for the position at the Solar Energy Company.  It was with a recruiting firm handling the search in downtown San Francisco. 

I applied for the job online a few weeks ago and all communication up to today had been done online.  That included scheduling my interview through their online system.  I thought it was all very efficient but kind of strange.  I didn't speak to one person during the pre-interview stage.  But I just thought that maybe this was the dawn of a new era.  I fully expected to be interviewed in person by someone sitting across from me, shake a hand, look them in the eye get a sense of the job, they could get a sense of me etc.  Unfortunately, that was NOT the case.

I arrive 10 minutes early as requested and was greeted by a receptionist in a very modern looking office.  I wait, and at exactly 2:20pm (my EXACT scheduled time) she called for me and said "Please follow me." I did as I was told and as we were walking down the hall of offices she turns and says "You know this is a web interview, right?". Um, NO, I didn't!! We arrive at the office and I sit down in front of a computer and a woman introduces herself (incidentally, I didn't understand her name...I think she said Mary).  She starts by telling me that the interview will be recorded, and that it will last 15-20 minutes.  She proceeds to start asking questions, and it looks like she is reading from a teleprompter, she is also typing as I speak. At the end she informs me that the recorded video will be reviewed by the Account Executives of the firm and if they like my answers the recording will then be sent on to the hiring managers at the Solar Company and "Is that okay with you?"...Um...okay!  I was so caught off guard from the beginning. I don't know if I ever recovered...it certainly didn't feel like it.

I feel incredibly let down by this whole process.  It felt so impersonal.  How can they possibly judge me on 5 questions asked by someone who wasn't warm or looking at me in person and couldn't get a sense of my entire career? It was all wrong.  Recruiting is a people business.  You don't do it virtually! 

I very highly doubt I will be asked back, I've never felt worse about an interview in my entire career.  I was so confident going in.  I researched the company, what kind of jobs they had open at the moment, I had prepared answers as to how I thought my experience would translate...none of which I got to express to this woman.

I hope this is NOT how things are going to be done going forward.  If so, then I definitely need to find a new career.

Heather