Many companies have moved to virtual video interviews as their first-round screening process. You receive a set of predetermined behavioral questions (4-5) and the candidate has to record his/her response for evaluation without any human monitoring. HireVue is an interviewing platform use for these type of screenings and has an AI component wherein it analyzes the recorded response and assigns a score for each trait selected by the employer. (Eg. Communication, Teamwork, Problem Solver ). Despite ethical concerns raised about the evaluation process, many big companies use it in their screening process and rely on AI to make their decisions. In this post, you’ll find tips and tricks for acing such interviews based on my research and experience.
Evaluation characteristics
The AI algorithm evaluates 2 major aspects of your response:
🗣️ Verbal: Your speech, words, tone, pronunciation, voice, pauses, etc.
👁️🗨️ Nonverbal: Body language, eye, lip and hand movements.
Tips to crack the interview:
Use action verbs mentioned in the job description: The job description mentions the qualities the organization is looking for in a candidate (eg. excellent verbal and written communication, team player, collaborative, problem solver ), and the HireVue questions are designed to determine if the candidate possesses those qualities. The algorithm then checks how many words from the job description you have included in your response. The more words the better. Therefore, you should go over the job description, note the most important skills and qualifications described there, and include them in your response.
Repeat the question: You can repeat the question if you like, as it usually mentions the specific qualifications for which the organization is assessing you.
Look right at your camera: Looking up/ down/ sideways is regarded as cheating and you might run into the risk of getting rejected. You can avoid that by sticking a “Look here” note next to your camera. This will help you remember where to look.
No pauses: Make sure you speak in a clear, concise manner with minimal pauses. Using words such as “like”, “and”, “umm” are common but will reduce your score. Be careful not to use fillers, think before you speak, and keep a steady pace.
No rapid movement: Don’t move your hands/ shoulders too much. Constant body movement indicates nervousness and unpreparedness. Keep your body in a calm and composed state.
Voice modulation: When answering, be sure to emphasize important words and take pauses when needed. Speaking in a single tone feels like reciting a script, so imagine you are in a real interview and speak naturally.
Smile: Don’t forget to smile. Treat it like a real interview.
To learn more about the HireVue process and additional tips please watch this Youtube video by Primal Career:
Practice links:
To practice sample behavioral questions please find the below Duke resource available for free
Big-Interview: Record, evaluate and perfect yourself!!
