You’re currently reading Chapter 2 of The Ultimate Guide to Video Interviews
Two-Way Video Interviews
What is a Two-Way Video Interview?
Two-way video interviews allow audio and video communication in two directions – between you and your interviewer.
Most of us are familiar with Skype interviews, which is one of the many ways a two-way video interview can be conducted. Skype is widely used because it’s free from computer to computer, but there are several other proprietary software platforms available to companies for two-way video interviews.
The main advantage that a two-way video interview has is that you’re talking somewhat face-to-face with another person, live. This is not the case for the other two video interview types.
How does a Two-Way Video Interview Work?
When you’re invited to do a two-way video interview, you will be sent details on how to join the meeting. There are several different applications that provide a two-way video interview environment, therefore setup instructions will be different.
You will most likely be required to download a specific application or plug in to your computer (or mobile device) in order to join the call, therefore it’s important to do that well in advance.
Some software platforms have a staging area where you can test your video and audio before you join the live video interview.
Once you join the live video interview, you will be immediately seen and heard by anyone already in the meeting. Your video interview has now started.
Once you’re finished, you then close the applications or windows on your computer or mobile device to exit the video interview.
3 Benefits of a Two-Way Video Interview
The main advantage of a two-way video interview vs. the other video interview types is that you are able to talk to a real person (or persons). Three key benefits come from this ability.
1. You can sense how the interview is going
A very high percentage of communication is non-verbal. Some say it’s as high as 93%. In a two-way video interview, you can more easily FEEL if the interview is going well or not.
This comes from being able to see their face, read their body language, hear the tone and modulation of their voice, and so on. And if you FEEL like something is off, you have the ability to adjust on-the-spot or seek out any objections they may have towards you.
2. You can ask clarifying questions
The ability to talk to someone allows you to ask clarifying questions in your video interview. When given an open-ended question like, “Tell me about yourself”, you have the ability to ask a clarifying question that may clue you in on what they really care about knowing. With that knowledge, you can avoid talking about certain skills or work history they could care less about for the position.
3. You can more easily connect with the interviewer on an emotional level
When you walk into an in-person interview. Before you sit-down and “get to business”, there’s typically a brief time for small talk. How was the drive? What did you have for lunch? Things like that.
Sometimes that can help you better connect with your interviewer on an emotional level. Even better is finding a commonality between the two of you – dogs, cars, technology, anything. A two-way video interview may allow you the opportunity to do that as well.
2 Challenges of a Two-Way Video Interview and How To Overcome Them
1. Distractions
Several types of distractions can occur in any kind of online conference call, whether just audio or video as well. Working from home for several years, I’ve seen it all. But what’s interesting is that those people who are used to online meetings are also used to the distractions that occur. They’re not offended by the interruption and it’s easy for them to keep talking and not lose their train of thought.
Here’s a list of the different types of distractions that can occur in your video interview so that you can prepare for them:
- A noise being made when people either join or leave the meeting (multi-person video interviews)
- Screaming children
- People chewing their food
- Too much chronic background noise (music, people, car, fans, etc.)
- Pets or people interrupting you during your video interview
- Their audio is choppy
- Their audio is too quiet to hear even on the loudest volume setting
- They have a thick accent mixed with a mediocre audio signal which is making it impossible to comprehend what they’re saying
Distractions like these can be very challenging to work through if you’re new to video interviewing or lack experience with online meetings. Here is how to overcome these distractions:
- Distraction 1 is likely a software setting that your interviewer may be able to turn off. But you will probably just have to talk through it.
- Distractions 2-4 occur because people often forget to mute their microphones. If the distraction is quick and only happens once then you should talk through it. If the distraction goes on for longer than a few seconds, it’s appropriate to pause, politely inform them of the distraction, and move on immediately after it’s over.
- Distraction 5 can be prevented by preparing your environment. Chapter 3) Setting Up Your Video Interview Location and Equipment: How to Look Really Good On Camera goes into detail about how to do just that. All online meeting platforms have the ability to mute your microphone during the meeting. Be sure to know where that location is so you can mute your microphone quickly if needed.
- Distraction 6-7 may require you or the other person to leave the meeting and rejoin to fix it. You may even need to quit the application running the video interview and rejoin. Since being able to hear what they’re saying is critical to responding appropriately, these audio problems need to be addressed immediately. It’s appropriate to address the audio problem and then ask them who should rejoin the meeting first. Likely they will offer to rejoin first. If the audio problem is still present, then it’s your turn.
- Distraction 8 is a tough one. You don’t want to insult the person by pointing to their accent as the problem. You also can’t guess what they’re saying because you may respond inappropriately. In this situation, address that you couldn’t quite hear everything they said, and reiterate all the parts you did understand. That way they can put together the missing pieces for you without having to repeat themselves completely.
2. They don’t have to show you their face
You can go into a Skype interview expecting to see the other person as they see you and quickly end up in a “two-way audio, one-way video” interview. They might say, “I can’t get my camera to work, let’s just keep going.”
Be warned. This does happen – whether intentional or not. This can feel very awkward for a lot of people, like being interrogated at a police station in front of a one-way mirror.
If you’re caught off guard then your interview performance can be affected. This situation can feel very much like a one-way video interview, but instead it’s live! Knowing that this can happen to you, be sure to read about one-way video interviews to prepare yourself for possibly doing a one-way-like two-way video interview.
A High-Level Strategy For Two-Way Video Interviews
- Set up your location and equipment for a professional looking video interview (Chapter 3)
- Create and know your Must Mentions by heart (Chapter 4)
- Create and practice delivering your STAR and STARLESS stories (Chapter 5)
- Test your audio and video before joining the live video interview
- Determine how to mute your microphone quickly if needed.
- Expect distractions to occur and handle them appropriately.
- Execute your competence triggers so you look and sound competent on video. (Chapter 6)
- Since you can’t collect business cards over video, collect email addresses from every person you video interview with so you can send thank you emails to all of them.
One-Way Video Interviews
What is a One-Way Video Interview?
One-way video interviews, also called asynchronous video interviews, are just you, the camera, and answering interview questions. This is becoming widely popular amongst companies in every industry.
One-way video interviews are a paradigm shift from in-person interviews, even from two-way video interviews. You cannot prepare for a one-way video interview just like you would an in-person interview. There are different psychological mindsets and challenges that you will encounter. If you haven’t prepared ahead of time, like you are now by reading this guide, then you’re not going to do well.
How it works is that companies will leverage 3rd party businesses like Hirevue or Venterview that enable online one-way video interviews. These businesses allow their customers to customize the video interview process to their liking.
As a side note: The entire Hirevue/Venterview interview process could include questions that require a mix of different response types: video scenario, recorded video, image analysis, multiple choice, or text. But we’re only discussing one-way video interview questions in this guide.
For “recorded video” questions (a one-way video interview), the components that can be customized typically include:
- The time-limit allowed to answer each question.
- How many redos are allowed (multiple attempts or not)
- The ability to see yourself live as you’re being recorded
- The questions being asked
Some platforms also allow you to take your video interview on your iOS or Android mobile devices as well as with your computer.
How does a One-Way Video Interview Work?
A One-Way Video Interview typically starts by you watching a quick video made by the company you’re applying to. They will welcome you and give you brief instructions along with other pleasantries.
You then may be given a couple practice questions so that you get used to using the platform. You can skip the practice questions and jump straight to the real questions if you want.
Then you will be required to answer the real video interview questions.
Once the question is displayed, you may be given a brief period of time before recording starts, like 30 seconds. Once that preparation period is over, the recording starts.
You typically have a limited amount of time to answer each question. Some companies allow up to 3-5 minutes. Other companies keep you to 45 to 60 seconds, (which is closer to how long your interview answers should be). You then stop the recording when you’ve finished your response, and move on to the next question until you’ve answered all questions.
6 Challenges Unique to One-Way Video Interviews and How To Overcome Them
One-way video interviews bring a new set of challenges that are not present in two-way video interviews or in-person interviews. Therefore, anyone who says that you should prepare for one-way interviews just like any other interview is wrong.
Here I’ve broken down six unique challenges you will have with one-way video interviews that you have never encountered before. These six challenges can greatly affect your interview performance if you don’t prepare for them and know how to overcome them. But when you do, you will have an advantage over those who walk into their video interview blindly. So, what are the major challenges of one-way video interviews and what can you do to overcome them?
1. You are used to talking to REAL LIFE people! Not a camera.
You can’t take advantage of the many benefits that a two-way video interview gives you – benefits that I covered in the Two-Way Video Interview section. Instead, you’re alone at home talking to a camera. This key difference is one of the fundamental challenges of one-way video interviews.
The best way to get comfortable talking to a camera is by practicing, building your confidence, and coming prepared knowing what to say in a video interview.
But don’t worry, this entire guide covers all of that.
2. The countdown timer can give you a sense of urgency
How would you feel if you walked into a live in-person interview, you sit down, then your interviewer plops a digital timer on the desk and says, “you have 5 minutes to answer every question I ask you?” That would be absurd, right?
No one would do this in an in-person interview, because in a two-way interview you are having a CONVERSATION. There’s some back and forth.
It always matters how long your answers are, but not down to the second! They’re seeing how prepared you are – if you ramble, if you know how to answer behavioral based questions, open ended questions, etc.
A timer is a distraction, and looking at it while you’re interviewing can affect your performance. It can give you an unneeded sense of urgency and anxiety that you’re going to run out of time!
Therefore, I recommend covering the timer with tape or a sticky note so you aren’t distracted by it. Even move it out of the desktop frame if you must.
Also, knowing your Must Mentions (Chapter 4) and your STARLESS stories (Chapter 5) will help you prepare for what to say, so you can deliver concise interview answers that are exactly what they want to hear.
3. Having more than one attempt can inhibit your “flow”
It’s not common for companies to allow multiple attempts at an interview question, but it’s possible. Feeling like you have multiple attempts can give you the urge to stop and start over after every verbal mistake you make, instead of just rolling with it like you would do in a two-way video interview or an in-person interview.
Another reason why people stop and fumble is because they don’t come prepared. Chapter 4 and Chapter 5 of this guide provide two in-depth ways that will prepare you for your video interviews.
But prepare of not, it’s important to have a “one-take” mindset when recording your one-way video interview answers. Try to imagine that you’re sitting across the table from your interviewer and if you fumble your words, freeze, or mess up in any way, JUST KEEP GOING!
4. Just talking to the camera can affect your voice projection and energy
When you’re sitting in front of another person across the table, you know how loud to talk based on your distance. Even in a two-way video interview you can ask “Can you hear me loud enough?” and get that concession that they can hear you alright.
Although when it’s just you and the camera, you don’t have the ability to immediately know if you’re talking too loud or too soft.
There are several ways to test out your voice projection. Going through any practice questions they give you and listening to your recordings is one way. Creating a test video on your device is another. Although, there is another factor that talking to the camera can have on you rather than just how audible you are.
Talking to a camera rather than a person can affect the energy you bring to the interview. When you’re talking to a real person in an interview, you can be more easily energized by the back and forth engagement a conversation inherently has. When you’re just talking into the camera, it’s hard to imagine another person at the other end of that device being engaged by your interview. Therefore, your energy can easily dwindle if your mindset is focused just on the camera and not on the real person that will eventually be watching your video interview.
Therefore, to bring more energy into the interview, it’s important as you look into the camera that you imagine yourself talking to a person. Visualize yourself sitting in an office talking to your interviewer and project your voice accordingly.
5. You’re not used to seeing how you look and sound on video
With the rise of social media and smart devices, we are getting more and more used to looking at ourselves in pictures and video. Although most of the time we’re recording ourselves in short 20 second clips in non-stress environments where money and jobs aren’t on the line.
What we’re all not used to is seeing how we look and sound in a video interview, answering unknown questions about our past for minutes at a time, with money and jobs on the line. Quite different!
This is something we don’t have to worry about when we walk into an in-person interview. We don’t have to look at ourselves perform.
Chapter 6) Competence Triggers: How to Look, Sound and Feel More Confident On Video explores this psychology shift further and provides ways to combat it.
In general, watching yourself as you’re being recorded can screw you up royally because it distracts you from thinking on-the-spot and articulating those thoughts into words. If possible, move any live recordings of yourself off screen so you’re not distracted.
6. It’s harder for you to be mentally immersed in the interview
The definition of immersion is to involve yourself deeply in a particular activity.
When you go to the gym to work out, you are immersing yourself in that activity. All around you, there’s nothing but workout equipment. There are people working out and talking about it. There is music that makes you feel energized. There are no outside distractions. When you are immersed in an activity it’s easier to focus and perform.
On the contrary, working out at home is quite the opposite. For some, it can be very challenging to focus on working out and not be distracted without being immersed in a gym.
For the same reasons, a one-way interview at home can be very challenging just like working out at home.
You don’t have the benefits of being immersed in an interview like you would in an office setting, where everyone is dressed professionally, you’re in a clean environment, there might be people working around you, there isn’t any music or outside distractions, etc.
Even talking to a real person in a two-way video interview gives you a little bit of an immersion advantage – something a one-way video interview does not.
Therefore, it takes a lot of mental focus and concentration to mentally put yourself in an office setting before starting your one-way video interviews so that you can perform at your best. You should limit all distractions such as your phone, people, white noise, and animals.
Chapter 3) Setting Up Your Video Interview Location and Equipment: How to Look Really Good On Camera goes into more detail on how to prepare your equipment and your environment for your video interview.
A High-Level Strategy For One-Way Video Interviews
- Set up your location and equipment for a professional looking video interview (Chapter 3)
- Create and know your Must Mentions by heart (Chapter 4)
- Create and practice delivering your STAR and STARLESS stories (Chapter 5)
- Treat the practice questions like real questions.
- Use the entire preparation period – the ~30 seconds you get from when you see the question to when your recording starts automatically.
- Execute your competence triggers so you look and sound competent on video. (Chapter 6)
Making Your Own Video Interview
What is Making Your Own Video Interview?
A Make Your Own Video Interview is when a company asks you to create a short video of yourself. They can be specific in asking you to answer certain questions, or they can leave it open-ended and let you decide what to talk about.
They will usually provide you with instructions on how to send them your video once you’re finished.
Some companies have you make your own video because they don’t want to pay the costs required to use one-way video interviewing platforms. On the contrary, they also may only want candidates to answer one question which wouldn’t make sense to pay for a one-way video interviewing platform.
3 Benefits of Making Your Own Video Interview
1. Time is on your side
Most one-way video interviews have timed questions, which you don’t have to stress about when making your own video interview. With time on your side, you can prepare your answers in advance and practice delivering them in front of a camera.
2. They will only see your best take.
With time on your side and your ability to shoot multiple takes, the hiring team will only see your best take. This allows you to control your first impression to the company, ensuring they perceive you exactly how you want them to.
3. You can use better video equipment
Two-way and one-way video interviews force you to use the cameras on either your computer or your mobile device. Although, when you make your own video interview you can leverage a digital camera to make your videos look more professional and of a higher quality. Chapter 3) Setting Up Your Video Interview Location and Equipment: How to Look Really Good On Camera goes into detail about this topic.
3 Challenges of Making Your Own Video Interview
1. It’s like a one-way video interview
Making your own video interview is very similar to a one-way interview and it inherits most of the challenges previously mentioned in the one-way video interview section.Like one-way video interviews, you don’t have any of the benefits that come with two-way video interviews.
2. You can get “blank page” syndrome
Some employers can give you very vague instructions on what to say in your video interview. Like writers that stare at the blank page on their computer, you can get stuck figuring out what to say when making your own video interview. Chapter 4) Preparing Your “Must Mentions”: What to Say In Your Video Interview to Make Them Want You And Only You will provide you with the knowledge you need to know exactly what to say when they ask you open-ended interview questions.
3. You can be a perfectionist
Because making your own video interview gives you an unlimited amount of takes, you can easily get into a cycle of continuous improvement. Re-shooting your video interview can drastically improve your delivery, articulation, and overall performance early on. Although knowing when the point of diminishing returns has been reached – when your video is “good enough” – can be challenging, especially if you’re a perfectionist.
A High-Level Strategy for Making Your Own Video Interview
- Set up your location and equipment for a professional looking video interview (Chapter 3)
- Create and know your Must Mentions by heart (Chapter 4)
- Create and practice delivering your STAR and STARLESS stories (Chapter 5)
- Execute your competence triggers so you look and sound competent on video. (Chapter 6)
Continue to Chapter 3: Setting Up Your Video Interview Location and Equipment: How to Look Really Good On Camera
Your Turn. Which of the 3 video interview types are you struggling with the most? And why? Let me know in the comments below!
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