Video Assessment Interview Guide: What Your Candidates Need to Know Today

Are you using video assessment interviews as part of your recruiting process? If not, you should be! Video interviews are a great way to screen candidates quickly and efficiently. Video assessment interviews are conducted similarly to regular face-to-face interviews. However, video assessment interviews are more efficient. Why? For simple reasons, they allow you to conduct interviews with candidates who are not local to your area or who may not be able to come in for an in-person interview. Video assessment interviews also give you a better sense of a candidate’s personality and communication skills. When you’re able to see a candidate during the one-way video interview, you will be able to pick up on non-verbal cues that can tell you a lot about the candidate’s personality traits and soft skills. Some candidates may have never done a video interview before, so they might not know what to expect. So, if you’re conducting video assessment interviews, you must first prepare your candidates.

This blog will cover everything your candidates need to know about video assessment interviews, including how to prepare and what to expect.

Explain the format of the interview to your candidates

A video assessment interview is like a standard face-to-face interview, except it’s conducted over video interviewing software. Your candidates must understand what to expect from the video assessment interview, so they are not surprised or puzzled during the process. You can walk them through the interview process by providing a brief overview of what will happen. For example, you can mention that you will ask them questions about their experience and skills. Also, you can let them know that each question will have a specific time limit. This way, the candidate will be more comfortable during the interview. Once candidates understand the format, you can give them some tips on preparing for the interview. Some helpful tips to prepare for the video assessment interview include:

• Choosing a quiet and private place to conduct the interview
• Ensuring there is good lighting
• Dressing professionally
• Testing the equipment beforehand

Provide your candidates with a list of questions

To get the most out of the video assessment interview, give your candidates a list of questions in advance to help them prepare for the interview. When creating your list of questions, make sure to include both behavioral and technical questions. Behavioral questions will help you to assess a candidate’s soft skills. Technical questions will test a candidate’s knowledge of the subject matter. Some of the behavioral questions you could ask are:

• Can you give me an example of a time when you had to deal with a difficult customer?
• Can you tell me about a time when you had to solve a complex problem?
• Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond for your job.

Some of the technical questions you could ask are:

• What is your experience with XYZ software?
• How would you go about solving ABC problem?
• What is your experience with 123 process?

Including both types of questions will give you a well-rounded view of each candidate.

Give your candidates a time limit

To keep the video assessment interviews fair, all candidates must be given the same time limit. This way, you can be sure that everyone has an equal opportunity to answer the questions. The time limit should be based on the number of questions you plan to ask. It should be clearly stated at the beginning of the interview so that candidates know how long they have to answer each question. Moreover, video assessment interviews can sometimes run over, depending on the candidate’s answer. Setting up a time limit for each question will enable the recruiter to finish the interviews on time.

Make sure your candidates are well-versed in the tool

There are many different video assessment interview tools available on the market. And your candidates must know how to use the specific tool that you’re using. Therefore, you can provide them with a tutorial or walkthrough of the tool before the interview. This way, they will know how to navigate the interface and respond to the questions. Furthermore, it will also give them time to ask you any queries they might have about the tool.

Ask your candidates to dress professionally

Even though the video assessment interview is conducted over video, it’s essential to ask your candidates to dress professionally. It will help them feel more confident and give you a better sense of how they would present themselves to clients or customers. The way candidates dress for the interview should be indicative of the way they dress for work. It also shows that they are taking the interview seriously. On the other hand, if a candidate shows up to the video assessment interview in casual clothes, it might indicate that they’re not dedicating enough effort or passionate enough about this opportunity. Therefore, it’s crucial to consider this when you’re making your final decision about the candidate.

Ask candidates to check their network connection

Before the video assessment interview begins, ask your candidate to check their network connection. A poor connection can lead to audio or video lag, making it difficult to conduct the interview. A disrupted connection can also be frustrating for the candidate and the interviewer. Keep in mind that you can ask your candidate to conduct a test call before the interview begins. This way, they can be sure that their connection is strong enough to support the video assessment interview. It’s also a great idea to ask your candidate to use headphones if possible, as this can help to reduce background noise.

Let your candidates know that they will be recorded

Most video interviewing software will allow you to record the interview. It’s important to let your candidates know they will be recorded, as this can help set their expectations. It’s also important to let candidates know that the recordings will only be used for evaluation purposes. Many candidates perform better when they know that they’re being recorded. It allows them to focus on the questions and to provide clear, concise answers. Besides, many video interviewing software allows recruiters to analyze the recordings after the interview. It can help identify patterns or trends in the way candidates communicate. It can also help in evaluating candidates without bias.

Video Assessment Interviews can be conducted in real-time or asynchronously.

Video assessment interviews can be conducted in real-time or asynchronously. Real-time interviews are conducted live. Whereas asynchronous interviews are recorded and then reviewed at a later time. The interview you conduct will depend on your preferences and the position’s needs. Real-time interviews are typically best for positions that require quick thinking and fast responses. Asynchronous interviews are best for positions that require careful consideration and thoughtful answers. So, you must inform your candidates of the type of interview they will be taking. This way, they can prepare accordingly.

Summing it up

The best way to ensure that your candidates are well-prepared for their video assessment interviews is to give them a guide. By providing potential employees with the information they need, you can help set them up for success. Using video assessments as part of your candidate screening and hiring process can save you time and money while giving you valuable insights into each candidate. Looking to take your assessment process to the next level? EVA-SSESS is a next-generation video interviewing software that enables you to pinpoint and hire top talent fast by testing and evaluating key skills and abilities through secure and unbiased video assessment interviews. Want to see EVA-SESS in action? Get a free walk-through demo here!

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