It’s getting tougher out there for IT pros looking for a
job.  Although many accounts say that the
number of IT jobs is growing, it seems that the path to getting one of those
jobs is a little harder to tackle. 

First, there is a new report from Glassdoor regarding the Top
25 Most Difficult Companies to Interview for 2013.  It seems that all but about six are
tech-related. This isn’t surprising, considering the amount of skill required
for an IT career. But what I think this means is that a company’s tech outlook
and its success are interchangeable, so any IT candidate is going to be
scrutinized more. You’re going to be expected to be able to answer more complex
questions than “Where do you see yourself in five years?” Employers want the best IT talent they can get and they’re competing for it.

You’re also going to be judged by how much you know about
growing business through tech even if the position you’re applying for isn’t
management.  This is not a bad position
to be in, so welcome the tougher questions and bring your A game.

The dreaded video

Another trend in the hiring process that could be
problematic for some looking for work is the video interview.

I can see the appeal of a video interview for the
employer—it’s a faster process since you don’t have to drag a bunch of people
into the building and work around schedules. And it’s cheaper if your company
is one that flies potential candidates in for interviews.

The problem is there some people, myself included, are not
comfortable on video. I spend a good deal of time avoiding having a regular
picture taken, I’m most certainly not comfortable being on video. (I’m sure
that since I’m not a millennial, who has essentially grown up doing selfies at
every opportunity, I may be in the minority here.)

The other reason I’m not comfortable with video interviews
(particularly the newest strain—the ones that you do at your leisure without
having to interact with someone on the other side)—is because I LIKE to
interact with the interviewer. I feel really dumb talking to a computer screen.

I like to meet people in person because I get a lot of
information from non-verbal queues. For example, I can sometimes see if I’m on
the right track with an answer by the body language or facial expression of the
interviewer. I would be at a great disadvantage if I had to video in a vacuum,
so to speak.

So what say you guys? Who would be comfortable doing a video
interview?