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video interviews

Why You Should Participate in a One-Way Video Interview

video interviewsA one-way video interview is a great alternative to the phone interview that employers often utilize. A one-way video interview is also great preparation for the in-person interview with an employer. In a traditional interview you can prepare beforehand, but once you walk in the interviewer can throw you a hard question and catch you off guard. Especially if it’s a behavioral interview. With a one-way video interview, job seekers are given the opportunity to answer questions on their own time, and employers have ample time to review their answers. One-way video interviews are all about being convenient for both the employer and job seeker.

If you haven’t done a one-way video interview before, don’t sweat it- it’s easy to do! Once employers review your resume- and video resume if you created one- they’ll decide if they want to take the next steps in the hiring process by sending you a handful of interview questions that are integral to the job and organization. The interview questions in the one-way video interview can vary depending on the employer, and you may realize that some of these interview questions have been asked of you before in other job interviews. Once you have received the interview questions, you have a certain amount of time to record and answer them in video format. You have more time to prepare and present your best answers to the questions. You can take your time and work at your own pace. Of course, there is a deadline for when to turn in your answers to the interview questions, but you will likely have at least a day to think of the best answer. This is a great alternative to the phone interview hiring managers are so used to employing.

Once you send along your answers, the employers will be able to take a look at your skills and qualifications. Using one-way video interviewing, they’ll be able to save these videos and share them with others in the office that are part of the hiring process for them to view as well. They can playback the videos if they didn’t catch something you said the first time around. One-way interviews offer employers the time and convenience to look at these video responses carefully. They can also compare and contrast your videos with other candidates. This is something that couldn’t be done with a traditional phone interview.

This style of interviewing doesn’t completely disconnect the personal connection that’s made in other interviews. When employers review your video responses to their questions, they get to see you, hear you and ultimately get to know you much better than in a phone interview. If they are confident that you are a great candidate, then they will invite you to come in for that in-person interview- ensuring that neither their nor your time is wasted.

For job seekers that feel anxious on the phone, one-way interviewing is a life saver. Video interviewing on your own takes away the anxieties that come with the initial phone screen. Interviewing is always at a fast pace and employers expect you to have the right answers on the spot. In a one-way video interview, you can work at your own pace in a less stressful environment. Also, you can interview anywhere you’d like. You don’t even have to leave your house or change out of your pajama bottoms. Save the gas money and accept a one-way video interview next time an employer invites you to participate.

Have you ever participated in a one-way video interview? How did it work out? Let us know about it in the comments section below!

Hanna Guerrero

Hannah is an intern writer here at Spark Hire. She is from the northern suburbs in Chicago and is currently studying journalism at DePaul University. She has always had a passion for writing which is why Journalism has proven to be the perfect career for her. She has written for the DePaulia Online on various topics such as fashion, music, movies and television. She loves living in Chicago because it offers exciting events to write stories on. In her free time she enjoys going to music concerts, watching movies with friends, cooking vegetarian food and walking her adorable Cocker Spaniel Coco.

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