If you’ve been on the hunt for a new career, you may have recognized technology’s growing presence in the interview process.
Maybe this recognition came following a well-run Zoom interview, or a virtual meet and greet with an existing team. Whatever your experience may be, it’s plain to see how central technology has become to the hiring processes of many organizations.
Having candidates complete a one-way video interview is another common way that companies use technology to vet and hire employees.
That said, as one-way video interviews become increasingly commonplace, you may have been left wondering, “So, if the candidate experience is an important part of the interview process, why is this employer making me record my answer versus answering them in person?”
Honestly, you’re not the first job-seeker to have this question, and it’s fair to say you won’t be the last.
In fact, here at Anderson Trucking Service (ATS) we’ve seen first-hand how intimidating and confusing being asked to record a one-way video interview can be for great candidates — with some, over the years, even choosing to opt-out.
Although this request might leave you feeling uncomfortable — putting ourselves out there often can — and unsure of how to put your best foot forward, one-way video interviews are administered for good reason: to ensure your needs are met by, and skills align with, the opportunity at hand.
Let’s talk about why it’s beneficial for you, as a job candidate, to leverage one-way interviews in pursuit of your next position and why a potential employer would require them as a step in their hiring process.
At its conclusion, this article will leave you feeling more comfortable with the role technology plays in your experience as a job seeker today and give you some tips for getting the best from your one-way interview.
What is a One-Way Video Interview?
A one-way video interview, also commonly referred to as a one-way digital interview or asynchronous interview, is exactly as it sounds: an interview administered via video where a job candidate is asked to answer a set of questions — supplied by their potential employer — on video.
Different than a two-way interview – which can be done either in-person, over the phone, or using technology — one-way video interviews leave a candidate to answer questions in a series and without response.
As businesses seek to match candidates to their best-fit positions, one-way video interviews have become a crucial step toward achieving this end.
If you’ve completed a one-way interview before, you likely received an invite through a platform called Spark Hire, HireVue or VidCruiter. These vendors (and many others) require job seekers to record themselves answering a set of 5-7 questions — related to the position at hand.
These videos are then viewed by the hiring manager at their earliest convenience.
Note: this process is different than the typical Zoom or Webex video call where there is back and forth conversation with a set of interviewers.
Why Would An Employer Ask You To Do a One-Way Video Interview?
Simply put, employers are embracing one-way digital interviews because they save time for all parties and keep the interview process moving forward.
You see, when scheduling two-way in-person or digital interviews, a company’s recruiting team is tasked with doing a couple of things, simultaneously:
1. Rallying some of the busiest people in their organization.
Although these are the people you want to talk to (maybe a prospective manager or director) and they’re equally eager to meet you, slipping multiple interviews per candidate onto their busy schedules can be challenging — limiting the attentiveness each candidate receives.
2. Prioritizing your time and working around your schedule.
Since the majority of job seekers are currently employed and/or have daily commitments to attend to, the window of time during which a two-way interview can be scheduled is usually very slim.
As you might imagine, keeping these ducks in a row and finding a time that works for all parties, can be difficult for recruiters to do in the best of times.
In the end, scheduling conflicts may stall your progress toward a new opportunity — no matter how ready you and your prospective employer are to move things along.
This is where one-way video interviews can really make an impact.
By leveraging one-way video interviews as a step in their hiring process, employers can move each candidate through its phases at a quicker pace. And, should you end up fitting a position well, these interviews ensure that an employment offer is delivered to you as quickly as possible.
What Are The Advantages of Participating in a One-Way Video Interview?
As a job seeker, finding employment in a timely manner is only one of your goals.
You’re also looking for a position you’ll enjoy at a company that will value your efforts and give you every opportunity to succeed.
By offering prospective employees the opportunity to record a one-way interview, companies help them achieve these ends. Sure, this request may seem odd or intimidating at first, but participating in a one-way digital interview has a list of advantages, including:
- One-way video interviews help candidates get approved faster.
- One-way video interviews allow candidates to present their “best” selves.
- One-way video interviews help companies fit candidates with great current and future opportunities.
To give you some insight into how one-way interviews truly work for you, as a job seeker, let’s look at each of these advantages individually.
1. One-Way Video Interviews Help Candidates Get Approved Faster
Hiring a new employee is a process riddled with nuance, intricacies and approvals. the number of people that need to sign off on each new hire can vary greatly between job openings.
That said, filling most positions — particularly at larger companies — requires multiple layers of sign-off and vetting. For you — without the employ of one-way interview resources — this can lead to multiple in-person and/or two-way meetings, multiplying your commitments and pushing back any projected start date.
If, for example, you were only able to meet with two members of a team the day of your actual in-person interview and now additional people would like a chance to connect, an additional interview would need to be scheduled to accommodate this change.
Pre-recorded one-way interviews help great candidates, like you, avoid this additional time commitment.
Instead of requiring a second or third two-way meeting to move things along, any additional party looking to vet you prior to hiring can reference your video interview. In turn, this convenience will help you gain internal approval quicker and expedite your journey into the next portion of your career.
2. One-Way Video Interviews Allow Candidates To Present Their “Best” Selves
Next, one-way interviews allow you, as a candidate, to showcase the best version of yourself from the comfort of your home and under the circumstances you dictate.
In our more than 60 years of hiring great talent, we’ve never ever met a professional candidate that wasn’t a little nervous to put themselves in a position where they could find themselves rejected or deemed not a fit.
That said, under normal conditions, it can be difficult for job seekers to truly put their best foot forward.
Be it because they were running from one commitment to the next, trying to squeeze in an interview with little time to mentally prepare, or for any number of other reasons, it’s not uncommon for job-seekers to leave an interview feeling deflated — like they could’ve done better with a bit more time.
If this sounds like something you’ve experienced — and trust me, we’ve all been there — a one-way video interview could be a game-changer for you.
You see, when asked to do one of these interviews, your potential employer will — most likely — give you a window of time where the video interview needs to be completed.
Although your allotted timeframe may vary, 72 hours is pretty standard.
This 72-hour window should give you plenty of time to get zoned in and ready to put your best foot forward.
Maybe your interview will be at 6:00 a.m. before you head to work or at 9:00 p.m. after all the children are sound asleep.
Simply find the time that works best for you and the one-way video interview platform will cater to you and your schedule.
That said, even though you can do your interview at whatever time works best, it’s important to:
- Make sure that you have a clean and non-distracting background.
- Sit in an area that is well lit with your face in the center of the screen.
- Limit the potential distractions in your environment.
- Take your time with each question, thinking through your answers thoroughly.
The last thing you want to do is sit with your back facing a bright window with the camera looking up at you from an uncomfortably close distance. Remember, you want to show the best version of yourself. Make sure that nothing distracts hiring managers from you and your answers.
3. One-Way Video Interviews Help Companies Fit Candidates to Current and Future Opportunities
Last but certainly not least, one-way pre-recorded interviews give recruiters an opportunity to showcase talented individuals to various stakeholders within their organization.
The job market is competitive. With so many great candidates for a company to choose from, however, sometimes you won’t get the position you initially applied to.
Although this can be discouraging — especially after all the effort you put in — recording a one-way digital interview will help your recruiter match you to any future openings that match your skillset.
You see, many businesses — ATS included — value great candidates.
For this reason, decision-makers at these companies are constantly looking to match talented individuals with positions that they’d fit well. These are opening that — although a candidate might not have originally applied for — match their needs, goals, expectations and skills.
By leveraging a completed one-way video interview, these matches can be made.
Here at Anderson Trucking Service, for example, we have several top-performing candidates within our organization that got where they were as a result of their one-way video interview.
Don’t Worry, You’ve Got This!
Now that you understand what one-way video interviews are, how participating in one helps your prospective employer keep the hiring process moving along and the three largest ways these interviews help job seekers, you should be a little more comfortable with this process.
Truthfully, the adoption of digital technologies has helped companies around the world match great people with their dream positions.
And, as technology continues to improve and professionals worldwide look to fill their resumes with new experiences, the use-case for these systems will only increase.
That said, the thought of this change doesn’t need to make your stomach churn or fill you with unease.
No, virtual interview and recruiting practices have been, and will continue to be, developed with your best interest in mind as companies large and small strive to fill their positions in a timely, mutually-beneficial manner.
Here at ATS, one-way virtual interviews are becoming increasingly common within our recruitment processes as we look to fill our locations and open positions with great people, like you.
If you’re interested in learning more about what a career in the transportation industry looks like, or about how ATS can help you further your skillset and meet your goals, check out our open positions here. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions you may have.
