It is now fairly common for employers to ask job seekers to record video interviews as part of their application. For most employers, the goal is to get to know the job seeker a little bit better before scheduling an in person interview.
If you've recently been asked to do an online video interview, it's helpful to look at examples of other applicants' videos so that you can see what works.
Below we've posted a few videos. We've jotted down a notes on what the applicant did well and what she could have done better. Note that this applicant is our own employee, Julia and that these are not real applications!
Question 1: About you
Prompt:
"Tell me what you've been doing most recently and why you're looking to make a change. Record a max 2 minute video."
What she did well:
- Video is well lit
- Audio is good and there is no background noise (e.g., no TV)
- She is enthusiastic and engaging (she smiles a lot which is great)
- She is very clear about how she got her last job and why she was selected for it
- She has a clear idea of what type of job she wants to do next
- She speaks clearly and professionally
What she could have done better:
- She had two minutes, but she only recorded a 45 second video. It's usually best to use all the time you have to tell a full and compelling story
- She didn't go into a lot of depth as to what skills she learned at her last job. Being detailed and specific is helpful to employers
Question 2: Customer Service
Prompt:
"How do you think twitter is changing the way we do customer service? Do you think this is a positive trend and if so, whom is it helping? Please provide examples to prove your point. Record a 1-minute video."
What she did well:
- She addressed the prompt and gave specific examples of a situation in which Twitter helped with customer service
- She had logical ideas and a coherent train of thought
- She had some really interesting points – this is helpful as a way to keep the employer engaged.
What she could have done better:
- She didn't ultimately say whether Twitter was positive or negative. She could have given some negative examples of Twitter's role in customer service
- She didn't seem particularly excited.
Question 3: Sales
Prompt:
"Imagine that you are hired to sell ads for the New York Times. You are pitching the VP of Marketing for Toyota Prius (Hybrid Cars) and are trying to convince her to advertise in the New York Times. She is pushing back and tells you that newspaper sales have been in decline for multiple years. What do you tell her? Why should she advertise in the NYTimes? Please role-play as if you were talking to the VP. Record a 1-minute video."
What she did well:
- She researched the question before starting and had thought carefully about why the NYTimes was well positioned to advertise the Prius. She had specific examples of the demographics the NYTimes addresses. She also knew exactly how many readers the NYTimes has each day.
- She had convincing arguments and presented them in a professional and polished way
- She was concise and not too verbose
- She was not defensive
What she could have done better:
- She has some claims that are not backed up by facts (eg., "The NYTimes is seen as the most forward thinking newspaper in the country")
- She didn't add much humor or color into the mix – often this helps keep the employer engaged
