Virtual Induction for new job tomorrow. How to get out of putting my webcam on?

23 comments

1. Don’t have one?

2. Tried to use it for the first time in ages and it’s not working. Can’t go too far wrong with that?

3. Buy a webcam cover. Turn the cam on, it will show as on on their side. Say you don’t know why it’s not working. It’s on and they can just see black. Be careful cam cover doesn’t fall off

4. Why don’t you want to put it on, and what’s wrong with that reason?

5. Could say you don’t have one or that it simply isn’t working, but what’s the issue with putting it on? do you not want to seem enthusiastic on your first day?

6. Not putting your camera on for your first day induction is a *great* way to make a terrible first impression.

7. Yeh we had someone who claimed the camera didn’t work on their company laptop and they used to always make excuses and ended up not passing probation.

   A new employee got that same laptop and the camera works.

   What I’m saying is, going straight into a job trying to find an excuse means you’re not that interested in the job

   Just put the camera on.

8. If you don’t have it on and you’re working remotely, how do you expect them to verify that you’re the person they interviewed and hired?

9. I use my work laptop with an external screen and the laptop itself is in the corner of my desk, completely out of sight and the camera is pointing at a wall with a shelf.

   If I’m ever asked why it’s not on, I just explain why and say that I can switch it on but they’ll be looking at some books. Nobody has ever asked me to prove it.

10. Why don’t you want to put it on? I had bad skin on my face for a large meeting and I just told my boss about it and asked if it was ok to not have my cam on because I felt down and self conscious. They said fine

11. Wise up and just put the camera on

12. Smear it in Vaseline.

    Turn it on and you will be all blurry

13. I never put my camera on.
    They’ve no right to the inside of my home.
    I’d stick it on for a couple seconds to say hi, then it’s off and it stays off.

14. Why don’t you want it on?

15. I really don’t understand why you wouldn’t put the webcam on? It was kind of made a requirement for us and I don’t feel it is unreasonable either, it is much better having meetings where you can see the other people. I sometimes turn mine off (early calls when the family are around for instance) and nobody minds but it is the norm for us to be on camera.

16. Simply wear a balaclava, and do the same for face to face meetings.

17. Put the camera on.

18. If you’re self conscious, just be honest – they’ll appreciate it. Any bullshit excuse will be just that, and you’ll become known for it.

    Teams has some settings that adjust the video if you want to try it. Or just be straight up and mention you won’t have your camera on as soon as you join the call.

19. Put the camera on, set the background to a photo of you sat at the desk paying attention. Then face the camera where it can’t see movement.

    But you will get asked questions so you then need to be seen to move and answer them so good luck

20. This sounds like the plot of the kitchen envy advert

21. No one cares what you look like, just stick the camera on – we’re all bored of these virtual meetings now so most of your colleagues will be looking at their emails or something else instead anyway

    If you super self conscious just turn off your self view mode

22. Anyone who’s webcam ‘doesn’t work’ will have to do the induction in person at a later date.

23. Could put it on initially then turn it off saying you are having connection problems