Pre-recored video interviews

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A pre-recorded video interview is a one way interview. The interviewer will not be present.
On most video interview platforms, candidates will see themselves on the screen.
Pre-recorded video interviews help recruiters to understand the applicants better and to get an insight that can’t be gained from an online application form or CV. It also gives candidates an opportunity to communicate their skills using their experiences.
Candidates respond to pre-set questions that appear on the screen. The number of questions vary, but likely to be between 3 and 5 questions.
There will be set amount of time to respond to the questions, and there will likely be a timer on the screen, so candidates need to be focussed on delivering a response succinctly.

Before the pre-recorded video interview

Research preparation: Job Description

Know the job description (JD). Thoroughly read the JD and highlight key parts – including the skills that the employer is looking for from candidates.
Prepare examples of your experiences that evidence that you have the skills on the job description.
Have two examples of each skill listed. The employer may ask for another example if they feel your first example hasn’t been comprehensive enough to fully demonstrate the skill.
Focus not just on the ‘how’ part in your example, but also on the outcome/impact – how did the use of that skill enable a great outcome/result.

Research preparation: Employer website

Thoroughly research the employer. The more you know about and understand the employer, the better targeted your responses will be to the interview questions.
Review their website and look at the following sections to gain an insight into the employer, key development and culture:
- Values / Culture section
- News and press section
- Careers/working here section
Follow the employer on LinkedIn and other social media. You will be able to access latest news, updates and insights that could be useful in an interview.

Practical preparation – top tips

Be somewhere quiet, with good network reception. Check this in advance.
Ask the people you live with to be quiet. You do not want to be distracted or have noise in the background.
Set yourself up in advance. Make sure your phone/tablet/laptop is fully charged – ideally keep it charging during the interview.
Dress smartly. Wear exactly what you would at a face to face interview.
Sit up straight. It really does make a big difference to your voice projection.
Check the lighting. Ideally sit with light coming to you rather than behind you.
Look straight ahead, rather than down or up. Practice this and get the set up correct.
Practise seeing yourself on camera. Put your phone on selfie mode and listen to yourself speak. Ask a friend to review with you and give feedback on how clear you are and the speed at which you speak.
Practise answering questions in set time. Most pre-recorded platforms provide a short practice time (30 – 60 seconds) per question and then a set time to answer the question.