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One-sided video interview as part of the screening process?

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One-sided video interview as part of the screening process?

I applied to a Manager of Talent Acquisition position and had a good phone interview with the recruiter.

She explained that the next step would be for me to complete a personality assessment and a knowledge/skills assessment, and if all goes well I would do a video interview with the hiring manager and then an an-person interview.

I took the personality assessment and began the knowledge/skills assessment. Everything was going fine with the knowledge/skills assessment until I got to the final question! I was asked to submit the answer on video!

I have never experienced anything like this in my professional career. Antennas went off and I looked at this as a red flag or a precursor for being discriminatory by the employer. I emailed the recruiter to find out why I had to answer the last question via video as this didn’t seem right to me. I await her answer as I did not finish that portion.

Has anyone ever gone through something similar to this? Is this legal? FYI - the recruiter never mentioned that I would need to answer one question via video. To me, she was not being fully transparent.

Also, I wonder what would happen to that video clip if I even submitted one. There was no statement of confidentiality attached to that question.

I am inclined not to move forward.

Any thoughts or insights? Thank you.

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  1. Ayian

    I have had a video answer for application/interview. It's no more discriminatory than people are when they meet you in person. I personally don't like video questions in the application process. You don't know them or what they like or necessarily mean and you don't have the opportunity to ask clarifying questions. Really it's up to you. Is the organization one you really want to get into?

  2. Cyndy N Riley

    I agree with you. I was actually asked to submit a copy of my drivers license with my resume once.

  3. Anonymous

    The cynic in me says hire someone super attractive to do the video for you. Lol. I’m kidding of course but you got a wonder what it is that they’re looking for.

  4. Anonymous

    It is just part of the screening process. I am older, overweight, and did the video portion. No problem. I was hired for the position.

  5. Anonymous

    Good for you! We gotta be flexible in our old age.

  6. Anonymous

    People who are not flexible using this technology, are probably not a good job fit for companies who are progressive and moving forward in using AI for work processes.

    People need to accept that the work environment is dynamic and changing. Would these same people still be wearing large shoulder pads and suits from the '80's?! LOL.

  7. Anonymous

    If they don’t respond to your query I’d be concerned and probably not go through with the process. I don’t like companies that pry so thoroughly before offering you a job. I find it intrusive and doesn’t go with who I am and how I like to work. Pretty clear that companies like this aren’t a fit for me. Now 20 somethings I work with love taking the personality tests doing full video resumes they think it’s fun fun fun.

  8. Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition Specialist

    Those are a hard no from me - in any context. That the recruiter didn't mention it to you in advance is shady to me. I mean, she could have forgotten but still seems shady.

    Personally, when I was in my own last job search, I never moved forward with a company that wanted to do those - if you're interested in me as a candidate, then TALK TO ME.

  9. Anonymous

    Some HR people who don't truly understand recruiting think they're saving time/money with these one-way interviews. In fact, they're dehumanizing to candidates and even borderline discriminatory. I'm an older, disabled recruiter. I know from experience that people see my disabled self and dump me, it's happened many times. Yet I also know my background, knowledge, personality and skills really shine in a phone or two-way Zoom/Teams interview, where it's a CONVERSATION. I was asked to do a one-way video for a senior-level recruiting position and I said no thanks. The recruiter said, "oh that's just how we do interviews here." I replied double no thanks - I don't treat candidates that way.

  10. GirlBossanova934974

    I terminate any and all applications that require pre-recorded videos on my part. The reason is rather straight-forward. The company is SCREAMING at you that they are too darn LAZY or pre-occupied to have a two way conversation with you. As a business owner myself, would I ever do to this to ANY candidate? NEVER! I want to speak directly to the people I am hiring. Employers get FOOLED AND CONNED all the time these days by candidates with carefully crafted and rehearsed speeches. A few months down the road, they stand there like statues wondering how that happened. Canned video interviews/answers are just open invitations for more canned rehearsed answers aka FLUFF that probably come from some "professional interview company" that sells its services for large sums of money. In the technology sector, this is well known.

  11. Anonymous

    I don’t think it’s lazy. Depending on the company it’s a come off as them being efficient. I respect it as someone who has been called in to interviews where I was welcomed with judging looks or a line of questioning that had me thinking, if I knew ahead of time I wouldn’t have taken the time to show up.

    I don’t mind this being in the process and disagree about candidates being able to con their way in… it usually leads to an in person interview so the employer can gain more insights then.

  12. GirlBossanova934974

    Candidates con themselves in the door ALL THE TIME! These sorts of candidates are pretty good at reading an audience. They know what buttons to push with their interviewers and the next thing you know, the interview turns into a checklist of common hobbies, common background, and a POPULARITY contest aka playing on the BIG EGO of the interviewer. Canned videos are just another CON. The obvious question that should be asked is if they don't have time to do regular interviews, WHERE ELSE are they cutting corners? I have seen this a few times. Next thing you know the company goes out and buys other companies on A WHIM! Runs its business based upon thin air and OPINIONS. Sycophants become the majority.

  13. Barbara

    I totally agree with you. Especially if I was hiring! So much slick stuff can be done with tech nowadays who knows what you’re getting. But I’m old school…and older. My young adorable 20 something colleagues are brilliant and think the videos are the way to go.

  14. Anonymous

    The organization I work for has done entire first round interviews through prerecorded interviews. I think it’s a way to keep the process moving without having to coordinate several busy schedules. In our case, it’s just the first round and the role of the review committee (which does not include the hiring manager) is solely to determine whether the applicants qualify to move to in-person interviews. I think prerecorded responses are being used more frequently to keep things moving in the world of over-scheduled people. As a committee member, I see the pros and cons. My point is, the request isn’t all that unusual these days.

  15. Anonymous

    As a recruiter I’ve seen people complete the video with their camera off. They may also want to see if you are put together if interfacing with Sr Executives.

  16. Me!

    I have done several of these. The hiring process is equal parts employer and potential employee discovery. These hinder my ability to gain the information needed to identify if the company and position are the right fit. If a one sided video is required I kindly decline moving forward with the interview process. It is important for me to know the potential employer is engaged in the hiring process.

  17. Anonymous

    I've been asked to complete the one sided interview for two different job opportunities with a large well respected company. It took considerable time and effort and I was immediately rejected right afterwards. I don't think I would do it again, but I really want to work for this company. I understand that it saves the company time, but I don't feel like they can really get a feel for me by watching my video. I'm sure I came off as rather flat and dull. I am not an actor.

  18. Anonymous

    You are speculating about discrimination via video responses. I didn’t feel discrimination from this sort of process… However I felt so from in person interviews. The difference is the amount of time and energy it took for me to go to an interview only to feel such face to face discrimination!

  19. Maegan, Nike Sales Rep & Career Coach

    Someone very close to me did an entire interview this way. A question populated, and you had to answer on video within a certain timeframe. They were hired and are now hiring others using the same process, and it helps their department get through a large pool of candidates and get a sense of each person. I dont think its a red flag, and can be a great way to be considerate of your time so you aren't having to take PTO to do an interview.

  20. Anonymous

    Yes, this really pretty common now. And there's no confidentiality. The hiring company has a deal with the tech company or gets a good deal on the product b/c they share the vids for AI purposes. You're training systems to be looking for cues. Sucks. However, the times I've been asked to do a video interview, I know in advance. I think the springing it on you is crappy and probably part of an intentional stress interview.

  21. Krystin Morgan

    Any company that uses personality tests as part of their hiring is already a little suspect, in my book. I don't love videos, either; I don't necessarily believe companies are using them for anything nefarious but in my opinion it's a lot of trouble to go to when you don't even know if anything will come of it.

  22. Anonymous

    I had one interview process where the app asked what year I graduated high school and what my gpa was. WOW. I was also once interviewed and asked to discuss my time in high school.

    I was 58 years old at the time. The woman interviewing me

    was the same age. I told her I thought that was a very strange question she seemed to think that high school experience was relevant. Uh no. Too personal in my opinion especially for those of us who made tremendous mistakes during those years. Geez! So

    I gave a very uncomfortable account. It was pretty sadistic and intrusive. Oddly I went on to the next level of

    interview. But knew this place wasn’t for me.

  23. Anonymous

    I don't even have that information about GPA for highschool or college - how would I even find that out it was so long ago ?

  24. Anonymous

    Asking your date of graduation is borderline illegal. Anyone can take that date and subtract 22 (for college graduation) and guess your age, which is illegal to ask. Unfortunately, many applicant tracking systems still allow the employer to include that question.

  25. Peace Out

    I've done two one-sided video 'interviews' and after the second, I have made the decision that I would decline any future opportunities that would require this.

  26. Anonymous

    I had to do this at my last interview. I hated it. But I got thru it and now have a great job.

  27. Anonymous

    I have been asked to take that CCAT which is a total of 50 questions wth only 15 minutes to answer them. I also had one sided video interviews, where I am basically talking to the camera. What I am trying to decide is which one is worst, these new forms of torture or the 6 - 7 rounds of interviews and at the end they disappear, leaving you to figure out you were not selected IF the position even existed in the first place.

  28. Anonymous

    Welcome to some new parts of being considered. it's getting normalized in some areas of business. Either follow their ask or keep looking. Legal? yes, it is. It's a submission to be considered in the hiring process.

  29. Anonymous

    Working in HR for 37 years, I say go with your gut!

    While it might be legal, one has to ask is it “right” and supportive of a truly non-discriminatory company. Especially if they wish to hire a QUALIFIED diverse workforce!

  30. Antonia Calzetti

    While I find asking you to answer 1 question via one-way video a little suspect, I don't find 1-way videos an out of the ordinary request. As a recruiter and career coach in this space, I participated in a 1 way video interview in 2016. At that time, it wasn't as common as it is in today's job search landscape. Though I don't currently use 1 way video interviewing, it gives the candidate flexibility to complete the interview on their own time and there is less pressure to perform. Depending on how the video is structured, a candidate may have the opportunity to do unlimited takes. It also helps a recruiter screen more applicants which is great for a candidate who may otherwise be overlooked and now has the opportunity to stand out. Don't think of it as a discrimatory way of viewing candidates. One-way video interviewing was made to help teams manage candidates and interviewing more efficiently.

  31. Anonymous

    This is not out of the ordinary. Video Recorded responses to questions were the first step in the interview process for my current position on a customer service team. The employer is looking to see how you conduct yourself when speaking. Are you fidgety, don’t make eye contact, etc can play into how they feel you can do in the role. I completed 4 or 5 questions with a video response. It was completed via LinkedIn and I had the opportunity to re-record my response to a question if I felt I spoke in error. Following the recordings I completed a live interview via Zoom (this was early 2021). The only thing that gives me pause is that it does not state you need to do a recording at the beginning of the evaluation. I was informed upfront what to expect. However to me this is not enough of a fallacy to red flag the business and/or their practices.

  32. Anonymous

    These days many companies are resorting to video interviews but in some instances recording you without consent is illegal so they have you do that instead. Let them know that you are happy to do a live conversation and a video interview but not this. It seems odd and IMHO being in TA as well note that you would have to do this to candidates when you come into the job so if this does not align with your work style and beliefs then it's not the right place for you.

  33. carolina girl

    I think you made the RIGHT decision!

  34. Anonymous

    Actually, I would have had more objections to the personality test than the interview. As someone who has videotaped portions of an interview, I do see the value of it even though I too was hesitant at first. They are checking your presentation skills and delivery. They're also able to share the video with others across the team as part of the shared assessment for your alignment to the role.

  35. Anonymous

    I personally wouldn't do video - I'm uncomfortable in front of a camera. And then there's the AI part - just waiting for someone to write a good prompt for one of the chats to create a video of a candidate using their likeness and voice to answer.

  36. Liz Milne

    My daughter had to do a video application for a job once - she didn't think anything of it (personally, I'd hate it, but do it). But yeah, it opens the door to potential discrimination...

  37. Anonymous

    I’ve had to do this multiple times, I think it’s become quite common. If you don’t complete that part, I imagine you would no longer be considered for the position.

  38. Anonymous

    I would have completed the video & never thought twice about it. I really don't understand the paranoia about this.

  39. Anonymous

    Why should a company do this to cause paranoia?

  40. Anonymous

    LOL You think they did it to create paranoia? They can't help that people need tinfoil hats.

  41. Bridget Harrington

    I am currently looking for my next role (was part of a 18 person RIF). I refuse to do "one way interviews." Interviews are supposed to be two way, so the candidate can learn about the company, just like they want to know about you.

    Some companies do these for AI learning purposes. I personally don't care WHY they do them. It's not an interview and puts the candidate at a disadvantage.

  42. Anonymous

    That is some wild speculation there. You're looking for something to be offended about & projecting some insecurities onto a common interview practice.

  43. Anonymous

    You know interviews are like dating. Some dates want you to put all of it out there and give very little in return . Unfair advantage and disrespectful. Many younger folks have zero understanding of the rights to privacy ,

    subtlety and negotiation. Also they video themselves eating cheeseburgers and putting on their eyelashes to get likes and views. A different generation and priorities. The discrimination is against those of us who aren’t into that, and we are not a protected minority. If I was in that position and didn’t know who the audience was and how it would play…

    well I just couldn’t do it. So they are definitely looking for someone else.

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