Pre Recorded Video Interview Introduction

Record In The Right Environment

When you think about how to succeed in pre-recorded video interviews, it’s important to start from the background of your recording. Record in front of a wall with neutral colors, avoiding wallpapers and distracting, patterned walls. All the focus should be on you not the background. Additionally, ensure that your workplace is tidy and clean before starting the video. You don’t want those reviewing your videos to notice a mess.

When it comes to recording, position your webcam so that it’s at eye-level when you sit down, and be sure that you have sufficient lighting in the room so you can be clearly seen without shadows or too much backlight. Turn on all the lights in the room if possible, and close the curtains to prevent glare if you’re recording in the daytime. Your recording space should also be quiet, so try to eliminate any possible distractions. Turn off your mobile phone and any other devices in the room that may create ambient noise. Also make sure that you have a great internet connection to prevent disruptions.

S To Recording A Video Interview

• Post authorBy Newman Stewart

Unless you are a massive extrovert and love being the center of attention most people dont particularly like being filmed. The thought of having every word that comes out of your mouth and every grimace being caught on camera so that it can be watched over and over again can make even the most confident of communicators come out in a cold sweat. But due to the increasing ability of people to film themselves, the reduction in costs of video platform software and cloud storage, and the time savings and flexibility it provides recruiters, the video interview is unlikely to go away anytime soon.

In our day-to-day lives, we are interacting with cameras and video more and more. People regularly use smartphones to film content to post online and we increasingly use tools such as Skype and Facetime to speak to friends & family and conduct meetings. But until being filmed becomes second nature, how do you ensure that your video interviews are as polished as possible? Here are 5 tips on how to record a successful video interview even though you may not feel entirely comfortable with the process.

A Stressful And Unsettling Task

For many people, seeing yourself talking on screen is particularly unsettling. This is not surprising because when you are not used to doing this, you tend to focus on your appearance, judge yourself negatively and end up feeling disconcerted. But for Moutet, its just a question of getting used to it. Candidates who are doing this for the first time often say it is stressful and unsettling. But I am sure that if you asked candidates about their first-ever job interview, they would say the same thing. Its just a matter of practice. Once you have done one or two of them, they just become a formality.

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Get Your Location Ready

Find a quiet space with no interruptions. If you live in a shared house, you may need to warn others to be quiet around the time of your interview.

Find somewhere you can sit that does not have anything distracting in the background. Make sure you have good natural light or use a lamp so that the interviewer can see you well.

If you can, use a computer or laptop rather than a tablet or mobile phone. Position it so the camera is at eye level.

It may also help if you:

• use headphones to improve your sound quality
• split your screen and have your prompt cards on one half and the interview on the other
• close down any other windows on your computer and turn off your mobile phone

Why Are Pre Recorded Video Interviews A Trend

What changed after the pandemic was the time constraints. Technology advanced at an unimaginable pace and so did the hiring demand. The recruitment timeframe became shorter and as a result, pre recorded video interviews turned out to be hassle-free, inexpensive, and a lot easier for both recruiters and candidates.

Today, pre-recorded job interviews are not just in focus but also have become a crucial element in the recruitment toolkit. This means more digitization in the overall recruitment process, and a key aspect to this is video technology.

Having said that, lets dive deeper and learn what it is, how it can help the hiring process, best practices, and lots more.

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Recap Of How To Introduce Yourself In An Interview

So to quickly recap, my top tips for introducing yourself in an interview are:

If you found this helpful, please hit the “like” button down below. Subscribe to our channel right here, or for more tips on interviewing I recommend checking out:

Related: How to Format a Resume for Success in 5 Easy Steps

In this video, we show you how to craft the perfect resume in five easy steps so recruiters can find you.

Or watch our video on how to answer âTell me about yourself.”

Related: How To Answer “Tell Me About Yourself” Interview Question – 5 Key Tips and Example Responses

Jenn, a certified career coach at Indeed, shares her recommended strategy for approaching this common interview question.

Additional Video Interview Tips

What if you dont have a web cam? Consider using your tablet or smartphone. If you dont have regular access to any of these, ask a family member or friend to borrow equipment . If your librarys still open, they might rent you equipment.

What if you dont have a quiet space to take the call/record your responses? If you can, ask everyone with whom you live to be considerate for the allotted interview time. If thats impossible, consider going outside. Some libraries have personal rooms you can reserve, too, if theyre open.

What if the video or audio stops working midway through the interview? Dont panic! A little advance preparation is all you need to get through any technical issues. Before the interview, email the interviewer to ask for a phone number you can call if anything goes wrong. If your video or sound cuts out, just call them up.

What if your interview gets interrupted? If its noisy, apologize and mute your microphone until its quiet again. If someone walks in or your dog jumps on your lap, apologize and ask to pause the interview while you re-secure the room. Then, mute the microphone and take care of the situation as quickly as possible.

How do you end a video interview? Like any other interview! Express your appreciation and follow up with a thank-you note. If you conducted a pre-recorded interview and dont have any contacts at the company, you can write a thank you to HR, or just end your last recorded response by expressing your appreciation.

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Tips To Master Your One

Related: How to Ace Your Intro in an Interview

In this video, Jenn, a career coach at Indeed, explains how to create a lasting connection with your interviewer from a strong first impression.

Use these tips to ace your one-way video interview:

• Use a timer. Many one-way video interviews have a time limit. Stay on top of it by using a timer on your computer or phone and glance at it to be sure youre on track.

• Look at the camera. Similar to how youd look at the employer during a conversation, you should maintain eye contact with your camera. If you need notes for your responses, make sure to only briefly glance at them.

• Use your authentic voice. Many people have the tendency to talk in a higher pitch than they normally would when they get in front of the camera. While you should sound upbeat and personable, make an effort to use your typical talking voice. This can help your video seem more authentic.

• Dress for an interview. Wear business attire in your video to show employers youre taking this opportunity seriously. Of course, the benefit of a video interview is that you only need to dress nice from the waist up, since thats all employers will see. If you want to get into the mindset of an actual interview, you may still want to dress professionally from head to toe.

Related: What Is a Video Cover Letter and When Should You Use One?

What Features Should Your Software Have

Once you know what your recruiting team will use the online interview to measure, the next question is how: what features does your platform need to have to deliver results? Consider some of these questions:

• Can you use the platform for any role? Or is it limited to just one section of the business?
• Will you be able to design the experience according to your brand, including logos, images, brand videos, and custom emails?
• Will the tool save you time by grading candidates for you, so you can focus on people with the right skills?
• Can your candidates edit and answer questions in multiple formats to reflect the role?
• Can you configure instructions and write your own questions, or are you limited to pre-loaded templates?
• Does the tool integrate with your other recruiting software?

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What About Your Personal Data

How personal data is handled is an issue these days, especially in this kind of context. Candidates may worry about what will happen to their videos after the recruitment period. Some people have made a point of telling us they do not want us to keep their videos. However, there is no chance of them coming out or of them being reused. As soon as a recruitment campaign endsi.e. as soon as the position is filled the video is archived and can no longer be assessed. We respect the law scrupulously.

As a consequence, the recorded videos must be deleted after no more than two years and they can be shared with, downloaded by, or transmitted to recruiters only.

A pre-recorded interview may seem like an unsettling exercise at first, but it is no more difficult than the classic interview format that you are used to following. It should be seen as an opportunity for you to prove yourself, especially if you do not have the most appropriate resume for the position. If you are offered one by a recruiter, dont let anxiety get in the way. Make your skill at this an advantage.

Translated by Mildred Dauvin

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Guide The Candidates About The Technology

Lets face it. Pre-recorded interviews are fairly new and not everybody is aware of it. For some applicants, it might be their first time. So make sure to guide the candidates and help them prepare.

• Tell them about the equipment that they will need to pre-record their interview session
• Explain about the supported browsers
• Give a demo if available
• Ask them to record the session from a place free from noise and distractions

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How Does An Automated Pre

Automated job interview assessment software like Vidcruiter is generally easy to use, with customer support available if an applicant encounters issues on using the digital interviewing platform. Once completed, the assessment is sent to the hiring teams, allowing them to quickly review applications.

In the past we have found that these interviews support with diversity and inclusion. Employers who use these automated interviews reported back that they are seeing increased diversity coming through in their successful hires.

Niamh OConnor, Senior Client Services Manager at Cpl, speaks from her experience using pre-recorded interviews.

What To Say In A Self

With the first step out of the way , letâs get to perhaps the most important aspect of the video the content. Keep in mind that the speech you give on the video will be your business card, and you may want to adequately prepare the speech in advance. It is therefore not a good idea to just wing it, here you need to be prepared.

The following are some tips to help write your speech based on what you should say in a self-introduction video

One of the other most important aspects to keep in mind when writing your speech is the duration. The most effective self-introductory videos are those kept below 3 minutes long. Any longer and you risk losing your prospective employerâs attention. So, while planning the speech for the video, take a few practices runs to ensure that it remains within the 2-3-minute duration.

Once you are done with the preparation of the speech, hereâs how to present the information for maximum effect

Introduce Yourself

This part of the video should ideally be the shortest, since you will only be giving the most relevant information. In the introduction of yourself, you should include your name, age and country of origin. If time permits, you can also mention some of the languages you speak.

Talk about Your Education

Most employers will want to know your level of education, and therefore this is an important component of your introductory video. Mention your level of education and all the degrees that you have and the specialties that you studied.

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Be Mindful Of The Timing

If youre casting the net to international applicants, you need to be mindful of time zones. You must mark the time zone when scheduling the interview, so all parties are on the same page from the get-go. Give candidates partaking in a one-way or pre-recorded interview plenty of time to go through the questions and answer thoughtfully. If you choose an always-on chatbot, make sure theres a procedure in place to respond to questions and confirm receipt of applications that come in while your team is offline.

How Does A One

Usually, an employer will respond to your job application with directions on how they want you to record and submit your one-way video interview. Expect them to give you a series of interview questions to answer within a set timeframe. They will likely ask you to record yourself and send your video to them via email or a platform they specify.

Once they receive your video, the hiring team will review it. If they decide that you are a promising candidate for their role, someone will reach out to you directly. It’s likely that they will want to meet for a traditional in-person interview or a two-way video interview.

Related: Video Interview Guide: Tips for a Successful Interview

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Prepare For Your Video Interview

Like all interviews youll need to prepare well. Make sure that you know the:

• date and time of the interview
• contact details

To help you prepare you should:

• spend some time on practice questions youre given
• research the company and whats involved in the job
• look at the company website and get an understanding of their culture and values
• read through any guidance notes from the recruiter and follow their instructions
• go through your CV or application form and prepare examples to show you have the skills and experience
• use the STAR method to help you structure your answers
• prepare some answers to common interview questions
• have some questions of your own ready to ask

Common Mistakes In Online Interviews

For many organizations, adopting the hiring process to an online interview platform quickly means they simply translate existing processes to virtual methods. Hiring teams need to proceed with caution in doing this.

The traditional hiring process is fraught with bias. Its not an adequate solution to avoid bias by replacing traditional face-to-face interviews with a video call. Relying on a resume screen, phone screen, and then an online video call still opens the door for the same inherent biases it just means the process is done remotely or virtually.

Without Vervoe we would need nine times the number of staff to do the same job.

David Castro Talent Acquisition Manager, Walmart

And, while receiving video recordings from candidates may save time in scheduling, the fact is that those recordings still need to be reviewed by someone in your organization. Watching back hours of candidate videos is simply not a scalable solution.

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Acing Your Asynchronous Interview

Practice makes perfect. But its hard to practice and prepare for a one-way video interview. Fortunately, youve got options.

A FlexJobs career coach can help you practice and prep for any style of interview with a mock interview. Members get discounted access to our coaches and mock interviews. Take the tour and learn more about how a FlexJobs membership can help power your job search.

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What Is Your Ideal Work Environment

This question is asked so a recruiter or hiring manager can determine if youd be a good fit for a companys culture. Be honest in your response. If you would work well in a large, bustling office, say so. If you prefer working in a small office so you can easily collaborate with colleagues, explain why this is important to you.

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