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Anna Schosser 01.02.2023 7 min read

What is a Pre-Recorded Video Interview? A Guide for Recruiters

Pre-recorded video interviews is one of the best ways to score your ideal candidate, and they are quickly becoming an increasingly popular tool for recruiters and hiring managers. Long gone are the days where hiring was a tedious and repetitive job that took longer than necessary. With pre-recorded video interviews, the recruiting process is streamlined and becomes a more enjoyable journey for everyone in HR. 

According to statistics, 45% of recruiters say that pre-recorded video interviews have helped them to streamline the hiring process. There has also been a 57% increase in the use of pre-recorded video interviews from the year 2019 to 2022. 

Its easy to see that pre-recorded video interviews is quickly becoming the best way to  hire. Therefore, now is the perfect time to learn more about pre-recorded video interviews and how you can begin finding top-talent faster than ever and build up your ideal customer-facing team in no time.

 

Whats in this Post? 

1. What is a Pre-recorded Video Interview? 

2. Advantages of Using a Pre-recorded Video Interview

3. How To Prepare Questions for Pre-recorded Video Interviews? 

4. What Questions Can You Ask Your Candidates in a Pre-recorded Video Interview? 

 

What is a Pre-recorded Video Interview? 

A pre-recorded video interview is where a candidate records their responses to questions at their own convenience and submits the video for the hiring manager or recruiter to review. This process allows for flexibility in scheduling and eliminates the need for a live video or in-person interview. 

With the implementation of AI in a pre-recorded video interview, the AI will screen each candidate according to the target profile of the open job position and will simply provide the recruiter with a clear and insightful overview of whether a candidate is a good match for the company or not. 

The questions that are asked can be a mix of behavioral, situational, and technical questions used to assess the candidate's personality, and fit for the role. The best part about it is that it can be done, and reviewed anywhere with a functioning electronic device (Tablet, phone, laptop) and a strong Wi-Fi connection. The pre-recorded video interview is always conducted through a video interview platform. You can also read more about what a video interview platform is, and how to use to your advantage here

As a recruiter, a pre-recorded video not only streamlines the entire recruitment process - making it an easier and more enjoyable experience but also allows you to connect with your candidates on a much deeper level. By getting to know them before having a live interview gives you the perfect opportunity to know their strengths, and how to best approach them to ensure a successful interaction and outcome.  

Advantages of Using a Pre-Recorded Video Interview 

There are numerous advantages of using a pre-recorded video interview in your hiring process. Pre-recorded video interviews are much more effective way to approach The First Interview and a more efficient way of getting to know all your applicants from an unbiased and informative point of view.  Not only will the time you spend sifting through numerous CVs and candidate profiles be cut in half, but it will also lead to saving costs, and more quality hires. 

Here are some more advantages 💡

Time-saving

Pre-recorded video interviews can save recruiters up to 75% of their interview time compared to traditional face-to-face interviews. Recruiters can also review video interviews at their own pace, have unlimited viewing access to the videos, and will receive an immediate, in-depth analysis of each candidate that a recruiter may not get in an in-person interview. 

Increased Efficiency 

Pre-recorded video interviews can allow for a larger pool of candidates to be screened in a shorter amount of time which leads to a lower likelihood of overlooking candidates, and an increase in quality hires. 

Consistent Evaluation

Pre-recorded video interviews allow for an unbiased and fair screening process that prioritizes the candidate's personality and behavior in regard to the target profile of the company rather than focusing solely on experience and skillsets. 

Cost-effective 

Pre-recorded video interviews can save money on travel expenses if the candidate is located in a different city or country. It also reduces the need for HR and recruitment staff as well as physical resources. 

Improved Candidate Experience

Candidates will feel more involved in the process, and recruiters will be able to build stronger and more positive relationships with potential hires. Recruiters can also provide quality feedback to candidates on how they are currently being perceived which will give the candidate something useful to take away with them whether they receive the job offer or not. 

Increased Access to Talent 

Pre-recorded video interviews can expand the pool of qualified candidates that recruiters are looking into. It gives recruiters an easy opportunity to access a wider range of talent that is also outside of their usual geographical zone. 

Increased Flexibility 

Pre-recorded interviews are easy to send out, and once received, the recruiter can pause it, rewind and review it as many times as necessary, which provides greater flexibility in the interview process. 

 

How To Prepare Questions for Pre-recorded Video Interviews? 

The questions that go on a pre-recorded video interview should allow the candidates to be able to expand their answers. It should give candidates an opportunity to share information about themselves and who they are so that the recruiters can also get a first solid impression of the candidate's personality and behavior. 

Here are some things to keep in mind when coming up with pre-recorded video interview questions: 

  • Be open-ended: Avoid yes or no questions and instead ask questions that will encourage the candidate to elaborate and provide more detail. It is always better to get a longer response from the candidates than a shorter one. 
  • Assess fit: You can ask questions that gauge the candidate's fit for company culture, values and goals that they hold and are seeking to accomplish. 
  • Measure behavior: Ask questions where the candidates can elaborate on behaviorial traits for the position such as teamwork, problem-solving or leadership skills. 
  • Be fair and unbiased: Ensure the questions do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, age or other protected characteristics. 
  • Be structured and well thought-out: Have a clear purpose and aim for each question. This also shows the candidate that you are taking their responses seriously. 

What Questions Can You Ask Your Candidates in a Pre-recorded Video Interview? 

There are endless questions that you can ask your candidates for a pre-recorded video interview, but below are some questions that will allow the candidates to share more about themselves with you before you get to meet them are some of the following: 

  • Why are you interested in this position? 
  • What are your key strengths and how do they align with this role? 
  • How do you handle challenging situations in the workplace? 
  • Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 
  • What is your ideal work environment?
  • Describe your work ethic.

Ready to start implementing this into your hiring process and get the best candidates within minutes? Click on the button below to try it out! 

Try it today

 

FAQ

1. Why should recruiters use a video interview platform?

Using a video interview platform simply makes your job as a recruiter so much easier and enjoyable. A video interview platform allows for recruiters to quickly and effectively score potentially top-performing candidates in a short amount of time, and getting more useful insights into the candidates's personality, behavior and workplace habits that will ensure success and motivation in the long-run. It saves the recruiter time, energy, and effort that can be saved and placed into getting the know their candidates on a deeper level. 

 

2. How does Retorio's video interview work?

Retorio's video interview provides candidates with questions that they should answer for recruiters to receive an analysis.

Retorio employs a system of artificial intelligence (AI) that supports human intuition through the form of a video. The technology used is based on popular and well-researched personality scales also known as the Big5 Personality model which has proven to be a solid and reliable predictor of personality and job performance. 

In order to calculate a predicted perceived personality, Retorio's AI platform quantifies the behavior of the participants in the assessment that include their facial expressions, gesture, language, and voice to derive a perceived personality prediction. This means that Retorio's AI forecast how candidates and their behavior will be perceived by a representative group of people and whether they fit your selected target profile. 

Click on the video below to hear a little bit more about Retorio's behavioral intelligence platform.

 

Posts you may also like:

4 Reasons Why You Should Use an AI Video Recruitment Platform

How Do I Prepare Video Interview Questions for Candidates?

How I Got My Job Thanks to AI ft. Lucy Schneider 

 

 

 

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Anna Schosser

I create engaging and informative content about the importance of artificial intelligence and video-based AI technology for recruitment. I discuss cutting-edge AI developments and new technology with storytelling skills.