You’ve been given a link from an employer where you are asked to record answers to pre-selected/pre-recorded interview questions. Now what?
Asynchronous (or pre-recorded) interviews are becoming more popular. These interviews are a way for the hiring manager or recruiter to send you questions that they send to all candidates for a specific position. There will most likely be time limits set for each answer. These questions could be part of the application process or be a screening step. From the candidate’s perspective, a live video experience is generally not much different from interviewing via Skype or Google Hangout.
Some of the video platforms they use will allow you to re-do an answer if you don’t feel like it was your best take. Other platforms will only give you one chance. Before you begin recording, make sure you know which of these platforms you are working with. Companies who are using asynchronous video interviews are usually using them for early round interviews, so put your best foot forward in order to make it to the next round. Once you have recorded your response, the video recording will be sent to the hiring manager/hiring committee.
Tips for Asynchronous Video Interviews
- Practice – This cannot be stressed enough. Practice, practice, practice your answers before you hit record.
- Environment– Make sure you are in a professional environment (even if that means staging the area behind your desk to look clean and tidy). Practice what lighting looks best, and keep any roommates or distractions out of the room until after your recording. If you are worried about distractions, CCI has three interview rooms with webcams that you can schedule in Handshake. Simply click here and choose Interview Room Reservation.
- Eye Contact – Look at your webcam as you would look at the interviewer’s eyes if s/he were in the room. Practice your webcam eye contact, it is awkward at first, so make sure you are comfortable with it before you begin recording.
- Smile – Relax. Be yourself. Your smile is meant to be a tool to show that you’re a pleasant person to work with, and that you have a healthy amount of enthusiasm and confidence.
- Posture – Find a comfortable, neutral position with both feet on the floor. Sit upright with a straight back. Face the webcam directly, so as to avoid a side-angle. Adjust your chair to make sure you are perfectly square in the frame. The company may give you practice questions or a practice session. If this is provided, use it to gain comfort in the platform, but also to see what you and your background will look like to the potential employer.
- Dress – Though the webcam will only show you from the waist up, we recommend dressing as if you were there for an in-person interview.
- Thank You – Make sure to thank the interviewer after you are done answering the question. There will be someone (or many someones) reviewing the video, so thank them for their time.
Possible Video Platforms
Asynchronous video questions often come via AsyncInterview, Wepow, and Sonru.
We were able to fine one FREE online platform: www.interview4.me. Once you create a free account, follow the onscreen instructions to complete your first recorded practice interview. Do you know of other free platforms? Share them with us so we can add them to our resources list for your fellow students.