Given that we’re all in the thick of interview season right now, I wanted to share with you some of the tips and tricks that we use at Harrison Careers to help our clients succeed at the video interview stage.
Typically, by this point, candidates will have passed the initial screening and some pretty tough online tests (numerical, verbal, cognitive ability, etc.). However, before they can move on to the assessment center or super day, and actually get face-to-face with the potential employer, the video interview is a hurdle that must be overcome.
In the video interview, a candidate sits in front of their webcam and records their answers to pre-set questions. Generally, these answers will be reviewed and scored either by AI/algorithms (in the case of HireVue for example) or by HR professionals (in the case of other providers) who are often sub-contractors and not actually employed by the company you’re interviewing for.
But how should you present yourself in the video interview to enhance your chances of succeeding? Here’s some of the advice that we give our clients at Harrison Careers:
- Do a Google search to see if anyone has posted the latest questions used by the company you’re interviewing with. If yes, prepare bullet point answers to these questions beforehand so you’re thoroughly ready for what’s going to be thrown at you.
- Always use concrete examples of your achievements to support your answer – and include measurable metrics where possible.
- Follow a clear format when presenting your achievements. We encourage clients to use this format:
- Introduce and briefly describe the situation.
- Explain why it was difficult.
- Explain why what you did was impressive.
- Then wrap it up, explaining clearly what it all means.
- Do not take more than 2 minutes to answer any one question!
- Speak clearly and slowly (particularly if you are not a native English speaker).
- Pretend you are talking to a real person. Don’t be boring! Smile, change the tone of your voice, convey your excitement for the role and the answers you’re giving. Use your hands to show you are engaged and enthusiastic.
The key, as always, is in the preparation. Record several practice interviews, and watch yourself over and over. You’ll soon spot where you’re going wrong and how you can do better.
Below are some of the more important questions that we advise our clients to prepare (there are of course many more questions they may ask, but these are a good start):
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- Why do you want this particular role?
- Why this company?
- Why would you be good at this role?
- What are you most proud of?
- Example of teamwork
- Example of when you solved a difficult problem
At Harrison Careers, we thoroughly and meticulously prepare our clients for video and face-to-face interviews. Our motto is “Remember the three p’s: Prepare, Practice, Perform!”
Hope this has been helpful – good luck with smashing that video interview!
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