Video Interview Techniques for Employers

• With a web camera on your PC or laptop, you can participate in interviews with applicants. ULTRA.F/Photodisc/Getty Images

  Interviewing applicants via video offers employers the ability to save time and expenses. Through video conferencing technology, for instance, employers can interview candidates with access to the Internet and a web cam anywhere in the world. Employers should determine the feasibility of getting the information they need from applicants before substituting video interviews for face-to-face interviews.

Video Questions

• You can work with a third-party provider to conduct video interviews. In one business model, the provider uses a platform that employers log into to submit their interview questions. Applicants also use the same web-based platform to participate in interviews. One technique involves submitting video questions. Applicants will see the question on their screen and then provide an answer within a predetermined time frame.

Situational Interviews

• Video interview techniques may focus on what types of questions the employer wants to ask candidates. Remember that a video interview allows an interviewer to see a respondent's facial expressions and some body language. Situational interviews are a technique based on prepared questions, and they require applicants to think on their feet. Give a scenario to an applicant and let her take a few moments to consider her response. Then she will tell you how she might handle a situation, such as dealing with an angry customer.

Screening Interviews

• Employers may also use video interviews to screen candidates. This technique might be used in addition to telephone interviews or in place of interviews. Screening narrows down the field of candidates from a larger number of qualified candidates to a select few. An employer should seek to obtain the best information about applicants through a video interview. One way to screen is to ask a small number of questions, including a couple open-ended questions and a couple close-ended questions. This approach standardizes screening, enabling comparisons among applicants' responses.