Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Nowadays, many companies interview their job candidates through video calls instead of meeting with them in person, especially when filling remote positions. If that’s the case for you, it’s essential to take time to prepare for the video interview you have coming up.
As a Schneider recruiter who knows a lot about video interviews, here are the top five most common video interview questions I ask with insight on how to answer them.
5 popular video interview questions and answers
1. What are you looking for in a job?
As much as recruiters want to make sure you have the skills for the role, we also want to make sure you will ENJOY that role long-term. If your career goals line up with the job requirements and the company’s culture, you’re much more likely to stick around.
How to answer this question: Be honest. Keep your answer broad and think about what the role you applied for may require.
Answer the question based on your answers to the following:
- Do you want a job that requires you to work as part of a team often?
- Do you want a job that allows you to work mostly independently?
- Do you want to help people, such as customers, and work to resolve issues?
- What schedule do you want to work?
- Do you want a role with opportunities for career advancement?
2. What is an area you need to improve on?
Don’t worry – recruiters aren’t trying to trap you into admitting your biggest flaws. We want to understand what you need help with.
Everyone has areas that they can improve on. Improving doesn’t mean you are bad at something; it just means it isn’t your strongest area.
How to answer this question: Areas for improvement are just as important as your strengths. If you know what you need to work on, we know where to support you.
An example of an answer to this question could be, “I would really like to continue to improve on public speaking. I am comfortable with giving presentations and giving information, but I could learn to communicate better at work.”
3. What motivates you at your job?
When you hear this question, recruiters are looking for something specific or relative to the role you applied for.
How to answer this question: Be honest, but also think about answers tailored to the work you would be doing.
For example:
- If you applied for a customer service job, your motivation could be to help others and solve problems.
- If you applied for a project-based job, your motivation could be to work as part of a team to complete tasks.
4. “Tell me about a time when….”
Recruiters from all industries have shifted to behavioral-based interview questions to get a better idea of how candidates handle real-life situations.
Questions that start with this phrase are meant to be answered specifically and with examples from real life.
How to answer this question: Avoid vague answers. Paint the recruiters a picture. Your answer should include:
- What happened?
- Who was involved in the situation?
- How did you handle the situation?
- How will you handle the same type of situation in the future?
5. Where do you want to be in your career in three years?
While it’s nice to think everyone has a three-, five-and 10-year plan, the truth is, most people don’t. And that’s OK!
However, you should have some idea of where you want to be, and it should be relative to the job you are interviewing for.
How to answer this question: Think about what you like to do and how your unique skills could help the company you applied to.
If you want to be a team leader, say that. If you want to be in a role more focused on individual contributions, say that.
With a little practice, you’ll be ready to ace your video interview. Now go get ‘em!
