Employment Application Kiosk Cam

In the Olden Days, when people were looking for a job, they would get dressed up and go to the place where they wanted to work. The term "Olden Days" is an arcane term which means something like "a couple of years ago." Anyway, they would get dressed up, go and meet the prospective employer, and pick up a paper form called an Application for Employment. They would either fill it out on the spot, or if they wanted to make a really good impression, they would take it home and fill it in using a typewriter. "Typewriter" is a word which refers to a device which was used to put printing onto paper before there were laser printers. When they had filled out their application, they would return it to the prospective employer, and then wait for a phone call for an interview.

Nowadays, which is a term which refers to current times, they go online and fill out an application from their home computer. Then they wait for a call. The more ambitious job seekers go to the place where they want to work, and fill out an application in the same way as they used to in the Olden Days. Many larger employers, rather than deal with paper application forms, ask the prospective employee to sit at a computer, where they fill can out an application online.

My latest idea has to do with the little kiosks at places like Safeway and Home Depot. These are the large emloyers, who handle personnel hiring at a central location, which they call Human Resources. You can find people who are the ambitious job seekers filling out applications at the place where they want to work. Then, they go home and wait for a phone call, or an e-mail.

If you were a prospective employer, wouldn't you want a look at the prospective employee before you make that call, or send that e-mail? This idea wouldn't be difficult to implement, and in fact may even be in use in some places. I haven't seen it yet, so I'm putting it down here, on the 11th day of April, in the year 2010 Basically, the idea calls for installing a simple webcam on the kiosks where you take job applications. The application would include a question that would ask for consent to have their image taken as a part of the application process. Of course, they could refuse, but that wouldn't look good on the application. If they said yes, you could see whether they were wearing a suit and tie, or gold chains and a hat on sideways.

The only problem I can see with this is that the employer could be accused of profiling, but the application really is only a way to get to an interview, and an image of the prospective employee at the time of applying for a job would go a long way in helping to determine whether an interview is warranted. So, there it is. Install a web cam on your job application kiosks, and record the image of the prospective employee at the time of application. It would help to bring back putting on a suit to look for a job.

If this one takes off, I'll settle for 10 percent, just like any of my Bright Ideas. Read my other ideas, to see if there is anything you can use. I have more, too, so check back often.