10 Video Interview Questions Ideas

Are you new to pre-recorded video interviews and wonder what questions you should ask from your candidates? Or are you looking for ideas to refresh your hiring process? Either way, you came to the right place! 

In this blog post, I will elaborate on some of the most popular and insightful video interview questions that you can use in your next video recruitment.

These question examples are more general rather than position-specific, and they will fit in most video interview setups. Therefore there is always extra room for adjustment of each question for whatever candidate you are interviewing. Enjoy!

Note: all of the questions below can be used in your pre-recorded video interviews.

1. What would you change in the way we (as a company) do things? Please give a concrete example.

You can tailor this question for the job position at hand. For example, if the candidate is applying for a marketing job - how would they change your marketing efforts?

This question not only gives you an idea of your candidates’ expertise but also offers a glimpse into how they think and approach change. Though the question isn’t an easy one, it can immensely help you determine whether the person you’re interviewing is a perfect fit for your role/ position. 

2. Can you share an example of a conflict or a disagreement you had at work? How did you solve the issue?

Conflicts are a part of most people's work lives, and how people resolve them tells a lot about their interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, and personality. 

By asking your candidate this question, you get a chance to learn how they deal with conflict, resolve problems, how they would fit in your organization.  Is the candidate defensive and blaming others? Or did they take responsibility for the situation and help to solve it?

Pay attention to a candidate’s tone of voice when describing the situation and the way it was resolved. Nowadays, conflict resolution and emotional intelligence are becoming increasingly important in the workplace. According to a study conducted by P.J. Jordan and A.C. Troth, emotional awareness and management “help maintain effective and appropriate relationships with fellow workers.”

This is not the right way - via GIPHY

3. If you were hired for this position, what would be the first three things you would want to learn?

A lot like the first question, this shows both candidates’ ability to take initiative as well as their understanding of the job description. It will also reveal the expectations of candidates and the direction they would like to take. Maybe they would be interested in mastering certain skills? What if they already have a certain level of expertise that they would bring on board? 

4. If you were to start a completely different career, and could not choose your current one, what would it be and why?

This question can provide you with a deeper understanding of a candidate's interests and mindset. Is your candidate passionate about something that would be helpful in the role they are applying for? You can foster skills in those interest areas and support employee development early on, and you’ll be surprised how well your actions will pay off! 

Moreover, it’s important to remember that you are hiring a human. It is always an added bonus to have a sneak-peek into deeper levels of the candidates’ personalities. The question is similar to “What was your dream as a kid?” and can serve as a nice ice-breaker.

5. Which one do you prefer more, working in groups or alone? Why?

Depending on a role, you might want to identify how well the candidate works in certain environments. It might be the case that there is a lot of independent work involved that doesn’t require supervision. It could also be so that you have a big project going on which requires active collaboration within your team and with external parties. 

Not everyone is a natural team player. 

Having said that, it doesn’t mean that they are a bad fit, even if the role involves a lot of teamwork. Most of the actual work people do are still done individually. It’s not necessarily a good thing if your whole team consists of social butterflies who can’t be left alone. Balance is the key here. At the end of the day, everyone still answers for their own performance.

Teamwork - via GIPHY

6. What is your biggest personal goal right now (outside of work)?

What drives your candidates?

Knowing what the candidate is trying to do outside of the workspace might give you a deeper understanding of their personality. Are they training for a marathon? Maybe rethinking their diet or planning a big trip? Either way, it is always a nice touch to briefly talk about something not related to work to build a stronger personal connection. 

Additionally, sometimes, the projects the candidates are working on might bring unexpected useful ideas to your own business. Has the candidate been working hard to improve their personal blog? See if this is something you both would be interested in developing within your company.

7. What does your everyday work routine look like?

Let’s face it. There is no universal approach to doing the job. Everyone has their own ways of doing things, and sometimes they might be similar or the same as yours, or be the complete opposite. There are certain benefits you can discover from the candidates’ workplace routine:

• How does the candidate prefer to work?
• How can you support your candidate's preferred way of working to keep them productive and motivated?
• How can you help the candidate keep a healthy work routine if they get hired?

8. How can we as a company help you grow and improve?

Show the candidates you are ready to invest in them. 

Aside from defining the goals and interests of the candidate, with this question you also show that you care about the candidate’s personal and professional wellbeing. By investing time and energy into nurturing the person’s growth and development you strengthen the employer brand, make a long-term commitment and create a loyal and dedicated member of the team.

9. Describe a good manager

This tells a lot about the candidate. Not all people prefer the same style of management. And especially nowadays, when the more relaxed style of management and flat organizational structure is trending as we are moving further from the industrial style of management, there can be huge differences in the candidate's expectations and the idea of a good manager.

Efficient managing - via GIPHY

Some people are good at taking initiative, but other people prefer clear instructions and structure. Depending on the answer, you'll figure out if the candidate fits in your organization and culture.

10. If the applicant is employed: Why are you leaving your current job?

Asking this question should help you understand your candidate’s motivation for finding a new place and get an idea of whether your organization and the role are a good fit for them. When asking this question, you should consider:

• What are the reasons why the candidate is leaving their current place, and how can you prevent them from quitting yours?
• What are the most important things to their employee satisfaction and overall happiness at work? How can you support that?
• What is something you can provide that their current employer couldn’t?

These interview questions may give you useful insight into how candidates see themselves, how they see the company, and how they work best. Hopefully, these interview questions will help you build your own, company-specific questions, so you can find candidates who best fit your company and its needs.