The 5 Best Questions to Include in a Pre-Recorded Video Interview

“If you were a kitchen gadget, which one would you be?”
“What book are you reading right now?”
“If you could have dinner with any famous figure, who would you choose?”

Whether to assess creativity level, communication style, work ethic, or personality fit, all interview questions must be intentional — no matter how unorthodox or “random” they seem to candidates.

The use of video interviews has grown exponentially over the past few years. One study published in Forbes found that 82% of employers use video in their interview processes, with 93% planning to continue using it for the foreseeable future. The article even claimed that video interviews were the “new resume.”

In order to help your teams capture quality candidates — and quickly — we’ve answered a few commonly asked questions about video interviews, and shared the five best questions to include in a pre-recorded video interview.

Check them out below.

What is a video interview?

Simply put, a video interview is a job interview that takes place remotely, using video technology to communicate. Many people immediately think of Zoom or Google Meet when they hear the term “video interview,” but it encompasses more than that.

Video technology has developed to the point where employers can schedule a one-way interview — where candidates record themselves answering questions from the company and submit their video responses — or a two-way assessment, where candidates and recruiters are speaking to each other in real time using video interview software.

Video is a great way for recruiting teams to screen candidates and get to know them better before scheduling an in-person interview. It also drastically speeds up the hiring process, and with quality candidates on the market for an average of only 10 days or less, recruiters and hiring managers need to automate as much as possible.

It’s also a favorite among candidates, with 94% reporting it as an enjoyable way to interview, and 83% stating that they view employers that use video in their interview process as more innovative than their peers.

How does a pre-recorded video interview work?

A pre-recorded video interview — also known as a one-way video interview or video assessment — is a style of interviewing that allows candidates to answer questions on their own time.

Recruiters send applicants a set of questions to answer with clear time limits and other criteria outlined in the directions, and those candidates respond through a self-recorded video. The recruiters and hiring managers then score each candidate based on a combination of predetermined criteria like communication style, leadership skills, strengths and weaknesses, and job-specific skill sets.

There are key benefits to a pre-recorded video interview:

Less time is spent interviewing one candidate. Since multiple people can review a candidate’s video interview and submit their score in the same system, it saves time having that candidate conduct a live interview with multiple people.
There is less chance of bias. Since multiple team members must review a candidate based on multiple criteria and provide a score, this system reduces bias by ensuring that one person doesn’t negatively — or positively — influence a candidate’s interview.
Employers gain more accurate candidate profiles. Using AI to track candidate interview scores allows intelligent technology to choose better-fit candidates in the future — boosting interviewer confidence as well.
The process can be automated. AI technology can use the fit score assigned by the TA team to bump the candidate up in the interview process by sending an automated email to schedule an in-person interview or share general next steps.

A pre-recorded video interview also benefits the candidate, as it allows them to record their answers on their own time without having to schedule a day off at their current job or secure childcare to interview with your company.

What are the best questions TA teams should include in a pre-recorded video interview?

1. Tell us something you didn't include on your resume. This question provides companies with an unique view of their candidates and allows applicants to share other skill sets or interests that, though they may not be specific to the job, could be helpful to the team or in their professional development as a future employee.

2. If you could do one thing differently from your past, what would that be? This question requires a candidate to think reflectively and critically about themselves — an important quality to have as an employee. Self-assessment is helpful for employee development, engagement, and retention as well, since employees like this are more likely to be engaged in their future career path, professional development, performance reviews, and goal setting.

3. Talk about your biggest success and failure with [job-related skill]. This question is important for three reasons:

It gives you a baseline idea of how the candidate will perform in their role.
It gives the candidate time to sell themself on their successes and explain how they deal with failure.
If a candidate can’t answer this question in detail during a first interview, they may not have the necessary skills for the job.

4. At our company, our core values are [insert values]. Which one do you identify with the most and why? This question hits on how potential candidates will fit in with your team, and the company at large. It also provides insight into what candidates find most important in the workplace.

5. Tell us anything else you think would support your application and make you a valuable team member. If there is something a candidate knows that would add value to your team, but it wasn’t asked in any of the previous questions, this is the place for them to share.

What video interview tips should recruiters keep in mind for the future?

Offer candidate support. Having 24/7 candidate support via intelligent automation tools like a conversational chatbot is a great way to ensure your applicants feel comfortable when recording and submitting their answers.
Provide clear guidelines. Providing candidates with guidelines before they begin their video interview is another way to speed up the process and prevent them from having to redo an interview due to quality or technical issues. Be clear about your requirements for time limit on questions, background and audio setup, body language, etc.
Rely on AI. Using AI for fit scoring candidates’ video assessments is a great way to optimize communication between hiring managers and recruiters. It also reduces bias and supports Diversity & Inclusion initiatives due to an evaluation process that’s the same across the board for all talent acquisition team members.

Why should TA teams use video interview software in their hiring process?

Not only does video interview software increase time-to-hire, reduce recruiter bias, and optimize hiring team collaboration, it can also benefit your TA teams by:

Providing candidates with a memorable and easy interview experience
Boosting employer branding
Automating feedback, scheduling, and emails through AI and automation

With a huge increase in the use of video interviews by employers over the past few years, it’s important to have a strategy that works for your TA teams and your candidates. Whether utilizing one- or two-way video assessments, ensuring your questions are clear and your scoring process is streamlined allows you to capture quality candidates before they disappear.

Want to dive deeper into video interviewing software and its benefits?
Check out this blog: 4 Ways To Improve the Interview Experience.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pre-Recorded Video Interview

A pre-recorded video interview, also known as a one-way video interview or video assessment, is a style of interviewing where candidates answer a set of questions on their own time by recording video responses. Recruiters provide clear time limits and criteria, then score candidates based on predetermined factors like communication style, leadership skills, and job-specific abilities.

Video interviewing has become standard practice in modern hiring. A Forbes-cited study found that 82% of employers now use video in their interview processes, with 93% planning to continue using it for the foreseeable future, leading some experts to call the video interview "the new resume." Candidates also respond positively: 94% report video as an enjoyable way to interview, and 83% view employers that use video as more innovative than their peers. With quality candidates on the market for an average of only 10 days or less, video interviewing helps recruiters move quickly.

Phenom recommends five high-impact questions: (1) Tell us something you didn't include on your resume; (2) If you could do one thing differently from your past, what would that be; (3) Talk about your biggest success and failure with a job-related skill; (4) Which of our core values do you identify with most and why; and (5) Tell us anything else that would support your application. These questions assess self-awareness, role-specific competence, cultural fit, and creativity.

Pre-recorded video interviews reduce the time spent interviewing each candidate because multiple reviewers can score the same recording in one system. They reduce bias by requiring multi-evaluator scoring against consistent criteria, produce more accurate candidate profiles when paired with AI fit scoring, and enable automation, such as triggering interview scheduling emails based on score thresholds. They also benefit candidates by removing scheduling friction.

Recruiters should offer 24/7 candidate support through tools like conversational chatbots so applicants feel comfortable recording responses. Provide clear guidelines on time limits, background and audio setup, and body language before candidates begin to avoid retakes from technical issues. Use AI-powered fit scoring to evaluate assessments objectively, which optimizes communication between recruiters and hiring managers, reduces bias, and supports diversity and inclusion initiatives by applying the same evaluation framework to every candidate.

Video interview software increases time-to-hire efficiency, reduces recruiter bias, and improves hiring team collaboration. It also provides candidates with a memorable, easy interview experience, boosts employer branding, and automates feedback, scheduling, and follow-up emails through AI. Whether using one-way or two-way video assessments, clear questions and a streamlined scoring process help TA teams capture quality candidates before they accept offers elsewhere.

Maggie Blehar

Maggie is a writer at Phenom, bringing you information on all things talent experience. In addition to writing, she enjoys traveling, painting, cooking, and spending time with her family and friends.