I've lived long enough to see many changes, especially in the technology world. When I was a kid, computers were giant machines that filled an entire room. In college, I used punch cards to write computer programs. In my 20s, I got my first desktop computer. And that was just the beginning.
Advances in technology have revolutionized how we do almost everything, especially communicate. These days, we seem to have an urgency to respond to or be in constant contact with people, but not face to face. In people younger than I, an actual phone call is considered rude, and texting is the more polite way to communicate. Emails are seldom read unless they are required for business.
Communication shifted with the appearance of COVID when social distancing and isolation became important. This need for distancing caused an explosion of virtual calls and meetings. Zoom became a new verb. These kinds of conversations were more personal than texts or emails because you could see who you were talking to. But now, even Zooming is reverting into hide-behind-the-screen dialogs. I have noticed that cameras that were always on two years ago are sometimes off now--especially if it's a big, general meeting. However, having cameras on is always desirable if it's a small group. At least that's what I think. But I learned something lately that suggests not everyone thinks this way.
Recently, Wally was searching for a job and talked with many companies, all virtually. Sometimes, it was a screening call. Sometimes it was a technical challenge. Sometimes it was to meet the team. Sometimes it was to meet the boss. The point is that he had many meetings with many companies. Here's the part that surprised me. During the vast majority of these meetings, the interviewers had their cameras off. Wally kept his camera on, but he often could not see who he was talking to. These meetings/interviews were supposed to be an opportunity for Wally and the company to get to know each other. A personal interaction. But I don't know how well that happened if one-half of the exchange was hiding. This no-camera practice just seemed wrong to me. But maybe that's the new norm. I don't have enough experience to know. (BTW, this was for a technical position where he would be part of a team.)
So what did Wally think about this practice from his younger perspective? He didn't like it. Luckily, he received multiple offers, but guess what? He went with a company that interviewed with their cameras on. He said he got a much better feel about the work atmosphere and the people he would be working with.
What has been your experience with virtual calls and meetings? Do you find generational differences?
Until next time...
