Josh TolanScreening candidates is typically as time-consuming as it is tedious. Many companies have dropped phone interviews and adopted new screening strategies to enhance the experience for hiring managers and candidates alike. Video resumes are becoming more popular among tech-savvy and creative candidates, but most talent still requires you to dig a bit deeper for insight in the early screening stages.
One-way video interviews are the superior alternative to phone screening for several reasons. They cut out scheduling conflicts and reduce time-to-hire from the very start of the hiring process. They also allow your team to assess candidates for fit based on characteristics and qualities that may not be apparent through a phone conversation. And they give candidates a fair opportunity to put their best foot forward.
But once you choose to use one-way video interviews, what kind of interview questions should you be asking candidates early on in the hiring process? In this case, the interview questions you ask in a video interview will likely be geared the same way as those in a phone interview.
Take a look at these five interview questions you can ask in a one-way video interview to break the ice with candidates:
Share something about our company that inspired you to apply
It would not be uncommon for you to ask your job seekers what they already know about the company in a phone interview. Therefore, this is the perfect question for a one-way video interview to assess if candidates did their homework and also to see if you share common values.
You can’t expect them to know tons just yet. But if they applied for your open position, they should at least know what kind of business you conduct and your specialty so jumping off with commonalities and interests can give you greater insights.
Judging by their answers, you can see which candidates genuinely connect with your company, and those job seekers who applied because they just need a job. Needing a job is not a disqualifier of course, but when you’re hiring for retention, you may want to press those candidates a little more to learn what they hope to gain from the position.
What excites you most about this particular role?
If you want to have employees that are truly passionate about what they do, this will be a great question to ask early on in the hiring process. Their answer can give you great insight into why they chose this field and where they intend to go in the future. Is this a position their dream job or will get them closer to where they want to be in your organization?
You may learn this is the next step in advancement for a candidate who hopes to grow with your company. In that case, your employee development programs and internal mobility may have attracted them to the job. Maybe the candidate is eager to work from home with a company that offers an engaging and positive remote work environment. You can learn more about the talent that applies to your open roles and the effectiveness of your employer branding simultaneously.
Check out: 10 Best Interview Questions to Screen for Remote & Hybrid Roles
What do you look for in a positive work culture?
You may be looking for culture fit and culture add with this question. Culture fit is crucial to employee satisfaction in their new job. You also don’t want to throw off your current team’s dynamics.
With that said, if every hire fits an exact mold, your culture cannot grow. A candidate who enjoys a work culture where new ideas can be brought to the table and employees embrace change and take on challenges together may be a great culture add.
Aside from corporate culture, this question will give you insight into what they are looking to get out of their team and how much they want to contribute. If they are applying for a highly-collaborative role but reveal they prefer a culture that encourages autonomy, they may not connect well.
What motivated you to look for a new job?
This interview insight is valuable and the question is bound to come up at some point in the hiring process. If they are leaving their current position because they are unhappy, you certainly want to know how your company can avoid losing top talent in a similar way.
Maybe they want a company that offers better benefits. Or maybe they just feel stagnant in their role. You want to catch early red flags with this question such as if they speak negatively about their employer or if they are looking for opportunities your company can’t offer at this time.
Don’t miss: 6-Step Guide to Weaving Company Culture Into the Video Interview Process
Expand on your strength you believe is your greatest asset to our company
Obviously, you want to know what candidates consider to be their biggest strengths and how that aligns with your team’s needs. Answering questions about strengths is always easier than answering weaknesses, and the candidate is more likely to be honest. But often, candidates will be vague and offer strengths they feel are good buzzwords to catch the hiring manager’s attention.
Asking candidates to expand on the strengths they recognize as an asset to your team/role/company encourages them to think harder about the role and your team. You can also see how they think on their feet and use the information they know about your company and role to show a strong connection.
One-way video interviews are a great way to streamline your candidate screening and hiring process. There are countless ways you can tap into the most valuable information your hiring decision-makers need in the early stages of hiring. Structuring your interview questions reduces bias and improves accuracy in your early assessments as well. This means you don’t miss out on the best candidates.
—
