Video interview for Candidacy

That was interesting. Today I again (3rd or 4th time) accompanied my friend for a ministry candidacy interview - formerly we would travel a considerable distance on a weekday for this to occur at the Conference Office. In the 'new' system - it was a video interview today instead - from her home. There were a few technical glitches, but mostly it went well. It is for sure a different atmosphere when doing a video interview - the panel is also learning as they go. I suppose we will all get better at it as we live into our new church structure, continuing to build skills and understanding, figuring out the pathway changes etc. Anyway - just thought I would share that.

Wondering if others are having any video interviews? How has it been going? Zoom seems to be the preferred platform that UCCan is using.

I had a meeting with the ELCIC candidacy committee the other day, but in person. I think they do have video interviews with people who live far from Winnipeg, though. It is probably the future for all the denominations, as it decreases everyone's spending.

I'm out of the loop on the church stuff right now. I have been part of video job interviews, both as an interviewee and as part of a panel. It can be a good way to do things, especially when distance is involved. I suspect it will become more common in many circles.

Will there still be in person interviews or contact at some point in the process?

It is nice that it's a possibility. I once did an interview by Facetime, on an icy winter's day when travel was rather iffy. It was nice to be able to do the interview rather than try to reschedule it. Maybe it wasn't optimal, but it did save several hours of risky driving.

At work, many initial interviews are being done over Skype and related services now and even when they come in, often it will be them and the hiring manager in the office with HR Skyping in rather going out to the office (we cover most of Southern and Central Ontario with offices in the East and North now as well so otherwise HR would be doing a lot of driving). I was last on a search committee in the eighties (1987) before the Internet and Skype and such were a thing but were I on one today, I could definitely see using it as a tool at least for initial interviews. I do, however, think there would be value in a face-to-face once things started getting serious.

In the case where I was on one, most of the candidates were from fairly close by. It was my family church in Kitchener and the candidates were mostly from Southern Ontario (London, Guelph, that sort of thing) so a face-to-face would likely have happened early on even if we had had something like Skype available.

Mendalla said:

At work, many initial interviews are being done over Skype and related services now and even when they come in, often it will be them and the hiring manager in the office with HR Skyping in rather going out to the office (we cover most of Southern and Central Ontario with offices in the East and North now as well so otherwise HR would be doing a lot of driving). I was last on a search committee in the eighties (1987) before the Internet and Skype and such were a thing but were I on one today, I could definitely see using it as a tool at least for initial interviews. I do, however, think there would be value in a face-to-face once things started getting serious.

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When I worked as an Executive Search recruiter in Brazil, right before coming to Canada, almost all the interviews were done through Skype or Zoom. The 3 finalists were always interviewed in person, though - as you say, they're valuable when things are getting serious.
However, the Skype part saved a lot of time and money for the company, the clients, and the candidates.

GiancarloZ said:

However, the Skype part saved a lot of time and money for the company, the clients, and the candidates.

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Skype and similar apps have really revolutionized long-distance communication, I think. When I left home in 1988 to do my Master's, it was something like 60 cents (CAD) a minute to call home unless I timed things really well. The offpeak hours were often on weekends when I was likely to be home anyhow. Now, Little M is even further away than I was and we have free video chats with him weekly thanks to Skype. And Mrs. M uses a similar Chinese service called WeChat for free audio and video calls to her family in Shanghai. Deregulation of long distance in Canada brought the per minute charge down to a reasonable level, now online voice and video calling has eliminated it completely.

It (video interviewing) is becoming quite common I think - and a good thing. How to practice developing comfort with it, and technical skill might be challenging for some. Finding a good location - considering what's in the background view, decent lighting on the face, camera angle, good sound quality etc. is also important I think to optimize the experience. Do you want your exercise bike with laundry piled on it in the background? A few other things to think about. One person had no internet at home, so she was at her mother's nursing home to use the WIFI there, which she said she did regularly. Chatting with family is one thing - doing a more 'professional' interview is different. But we'll get better at it

@Northwind - we did ask about future contact in the candidacy process - this person is going ahead to start a SME; so site supervisor will be the main contact I think. There is a specified liaison person from the interview panel to assist with any questions, issues encountered along the way. The interview panel said they would be receiving the paper evaluations for review & there would be an interview at decision time re ordination - but that perhaps seems more of a formality. Don't know if that might be on-line also - I imagine so, as the people on the panel were from widespread area of Ontario, not just the prior Conference area. It's interesting to figure out the new pathways and processes. They seemed a bit uncertain of some bits as well, which is understandable at this point.

I will not be interviewed for a Job as a wish to remain unseen, humble and recessive ... no one really knows me even though some fundamentalists have told be I'm not right regardless of what they don't know ...

Oops. The bong in the background is a problem, lol?

Allows the lion to sleep ... resting mist Ruth ... all else is foggy! Must be the rain forest effect ...

I think the advantage of video interviews for ministry candidacy is that participants have the freedom to conduct such an important and potentially nerve-wracking interview without the inconvenience of pants.

Have you ever wondered what some ministers wear under their gowns @chansen??

Like celts under what's kilt?

Luce NDs said:

Like celts under what's kilt?

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Damn. He beat me to it.

Mendalla said:

Damn. He beat me to it.

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Did you also know that celt with a small "c" is for a stone? Some say so much blarney so one might as well get stoned ...

Others say it is the scone of stone ... perhaps referring to where the seed was ground out ... life is an awesome grind ...

A FB friend who an Anglican priest wears liturgically correct undies (and nothing else if it is hot). She, and two other priests had a ball selecting their garments at Victoria's Secret - where of course, Victoria has no secrets.

I wonder if my clergy friend who dresses in liturgical colours does that. I imagine she does. She's pretty committed.

The law is our loss ... as Pan doubt ... we can't see it !