Video Interview: Is It A Good Method to Assess Job Candidates?

Video interview is the future of hiring.

So many companies nowadays are conducting video interviews to assess candidates remotely. Instead of meeting in person or talking on the phone, recruiters and hiring managers can interview applicants virtually, using video interview applications such as SparkHire, Jobma or communication tools such as Zoom, Skype, Hangouts.

There are actually two types of video interviews!

1. Two-way video interview

This is the most popular method of video interview. Interviewers and candidates participate in a video call and have their interview in real-time, no matter where they are. These are the circumstances where two-way video interviews come in handy:

• Candidates and interviewers are in different locations and want to save time by conducting the interview virtually.

• Interviewers want to screen a large number of candidates during early hiring stages without dealing with added logistics such as greeting candidates at the office and booking meeting rooms.

• Interviewers are in different offices, so it’s more convenient if they all interview the candidates using a video conference interview.

• The entire team is spread out, so there’s no physical office available for an in-person interview.

Make sure to brief the candidates on how the video interview works. You can send them instructions in an email to help them out. 

Resumes are not enough to choose the best candidate!

If you’re in the selection process, the one-way video interview is the way to go. This is where you can identify deal dealbreakers or essential qualifiers. For example, imagine a sales position that requires great communication skills or a customer support job that demands one to be fluent in a foreign language.

2. One-way video interview

A one-way video interview does not happen in real-time. Usually, the interview would ask the candidate(s) a series of questions. Candidates can then record and submit their answers through the video interview platform.

This method is very useful for candidates because:

• It saves their time as they don’t have to come to your office for an interview.

• They can get more comfortable having an interview from their homes.

• As the questions are given out beforehand, they have enough time to prepare their answers.

• They can take multiple recordings, choose the best one and submit it to you.

Video interviews are extremely useful, especially in this post-COVID-19 era.

Candidates are able to record their answers, review their recording and either submit it if they’re satisfied or try again. This is very helpful for applicants who want to make a great first impression.

The recorded video interviews are time-saving for employers. They can send the same set of questions to all candidates and review answers whenever they can. 

Real-time interviews can be hard to conduct, especially when:

• Candidates and interviewers are in different time zones.

• Candidates are currently employed and are too busy to attend an interview at your office.

• Interviewers are busy filling vacancies or are busy with their daily duties and unable to make themselves available.

Common Interview Questions

Here are some common interview questions during video interviews at the first stages of the hiring process:

• Why did you apply for this job?

• What makes you a great candidate?

• Show us how you’d make a presentation for X product.

Before moving ahead, please remember that some candidates might not be familiar or comfortable with video interviews. You might want to include some video interview practice exercises. This will let the candidates have the opportunity to practice with the video interview platform and figure out how it works before answering the real interview questions.

Source: Workable

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