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Video Interviews: A Quick Guide

Last Updated: February 06 2015 at 05:12pm EST

What is video interviewing?

Employers are increasingly asking job seekers to do video interviews to apply to jobs. For most employers, this is a chance to get to know applicants before a phone screen or in person interview.

At HireArt, applicants record 2-minute video clips as part of their applications. Employers have told us how much they value these applications.

What types of video interviewing exist?

We find that there are two main types of video interviews:

  1. Live video calls: Using Skype or Google Hangouts some employers ask job seekers to talk to them for 30 minutes to one hour calls. In general, this conversation replaces a phone screen.
  2. Asynchronous video recordings: Some employers ask job seekers to record 1 – 5 minute video clips answering specific questions.

Why do employers use video interviews?

Some job seekers express skepticism when asked to do video interviews, especially pre-recorded asynchronous videos. "Why is this necessary?" is a question we often hear. We find that there are a few reasons employers ask job seekers tor record video interviews:

  1. Volume: Employers get too many resumes per job (sometimes as many as 1000) and can't talk to every single job seeker. Instead of rejecting applicants just based on their resume, employers prefer to give a broader range of people a chance
  2. Skills Assessment: Some employers use video interviews to assess specific skills. For example, candidates applying to HireArt sales jobs need roleplay a sale they would make – this helps employers see whether they'd make a good sales person.
  3. Team Alignment: There are usually 4 -5 people involved in making a hiring decision including the recruiter, the hiring manager, the manager's director of VP and a few team members. Having a video interview allows all these stakeholders to get to know the candidate and express their opinion. It's a great way to get alignment before the in person interview to avoid wasting time and money.
  4. Fairness: Many employers have told us that they think this method is much more fair. Resumes simply don't do a good of telling the full story – some job seekers lack all the formal credentials but have the right attitude and motivation to succeed. Other applicants have had to take time off or have had to leave jobs early for valid reasons. Employers feel that it's better to give applicants the chance to to give them a 2-minute pitch than to judge purely based on the resume.

So how can you succeed in recording a great video interview?

There are a few easy things you can do to succeed in a video interview for an employer:

  1. Pick a quiet place to record your video
  2. Dress professionally
  3. Talk clearly, slowly and accentuate your words
  4. Prepare! Make sure to write down a few notes before you start so that you can be concise and make a strong point
  5. Don't read off the page. Even if you've jotted down ideas, try not to be too scripted.
  6. Be excited! The biggest mistake you can make is to seem sleepy, unmotivated or bored. Engage the employer by seeming excited and energetic.
  7. Be yourself. You can't try to be someone else or it will come off a bit odd – just be yourself and tell the employer earnestly why they should hire you.
  8. Be persuasive. Try to understand the employer before you start. What do they want in an applicant? What is the job they need you to get done as an employee? Show the manager that you can help get the job done.

If you want more advice, watch a quick video from co-founder Elli with do's and don't on how to create a great video interview.

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