Asking the right questions in the video interview isn\u2019t rocket science. Using a new pre-selection method, like video interviewing, comes with new challenges, of course. But the results and added value that new methods might bring for your recruiting are worth considering. We have crafted a guideline of how to set up the right questions for a video interview.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A job description vacancy ususally contains at least 6-8 skills. We advise you to use the
\njob description as the basis for putting together your video interview questions. BUT please consider the following:<\/p>\n
Tip 1: Shorten. <\/strong>Which competencies do you want to cover in the pre-screening step of the recruiting process versus the subsequent steps?<\/p>\n Tip 2: Define the competencies. <\/strong>Do you and your hiring managers really have the same opinion on what \u201cmotivation\u201d means? Take some time to define the meaning of each competency, with 2-3 bullet points, so that you may check during the interview. You do not have to reinvent the wheel in a video interview. You simply work with all of the questions that you have normally used in telephone or personal interviews:<\/p>\n You can work with all the above-mentioned types of questions, BUT you need to be very precise when phrasing them.<\/p>\n Example: Questions like “What do you expect of your future work environment ?<\/em>” or “What was your biggest challenge<\/em> ?” do not work, because the answer will not be very precise and, therefore, will not reveal anything about a candidate\u2019s suitability for a job.<\/p>\n Here, you should put the question into a certain context: \u201cPlease describe your biggest challenge within the last 2 years: What was the situation and what was the concrete challenge for you? What have you done to meet this challenge ? What was the result ?”<\/strong><\/p>\n When putting together the interview questions, please ask yourself: Will I get exactly the information that I want (and need) to have, or will there be candidates who could misinterpret the question? If that is the case, you need to reconsider the phrasing of the question.<\/p>\n The example of the previous paragraph makes it perfectly clear: try to capture a so-called “full-sample behavior”. This means the applicants should give the context of their action and performance. This will give you the information needed to assess how much the candidate has actually performed in the situation and how he matches your criteria. (Read more about that topic here.)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Some feedback we get from our customers is related to working samples, which reveal a lot about a candidate\u2019s job suitability. For example, when looking for a social media manager, ask the candidate to analyse the performance of your Facebook page with regard to factors that are particularly important to you. Then, ask them to give 2-3 specific ideas for further optimisation.<\/p>\n The previous tips are mainly aimed at ensuring you get the information needed to best evaluate the skills of your applicants. We always recommend that our clients give background information to their questions. If you want the candidate to answer a questions in Spanish, for example, try to explain why: \u201cSpanish is an essential part in your future daily business. Therefore, we are looking forward to hearing your answer to this question in Spanish.”<\/p>\n
\nThe time you spend on defining competencies will pay off when forming questions and when evaluating candidates.<\/p>\nUse what you already have <\/span><\/h5>\n
\n
Be as precise as possible<\/span><\/h5>\n
Always ask for the context<\/span><\/h5>\n
Let the candidate do a working sample<\/span><\/h5>\n
Explain why you are asking the questions you ask<\/span><\/h5>\n