Good one-way video interview questions ask about one specific situation, decision or task, and they can be answered well in 60 seconds to 3 minutes without a live interviewer to clarify. For a first round, use 4 to 6 questions: one about the role basics, one about motivation, two behavioral questions, one role-specific scenario and an optional closing question. Below are 30 questions grouped by hiring stage and role family, each with a suggested time limit and what to listen for in the answer, plus a ready-to-copy six-question set, an intro video script and candidate instructions you can paste into your interview.
Ask one topic per question, about real past work or a realistic scenario, and set the time limit by question type. A first round needs 4 to 6 questions: role basics, motivation, two behavioral stories, one role scenario and an optional closing question.
- A first-round one-way video interview works best with 4 to 6 questions and about 8 to 12 minutes of recording at most.
- Set time limits by question type: 60 to 90 seconds for motivation, 2 to 3 minutes for behavioral stories and 3 to 5 minutes for a technical screen walkthrough.
- Allow retakes by default, and say in the instructions whether they are allowed so no one is surprised.
- Review question by question across candidates, against standards your team writes down before the first answer comes in.
- RecRam transcribes and summarizes every answer, and AI Analysis can score each answer against criteria you write; your team decides who moves forward.
Everything here is about what candidates say: their examples, their reasoning and their choices. None of it is about how they look on camera. If you are new to the format, start with our one-way video interview guide, then come back for the questions.
What makes a good one-way video interview question
In a live interview you can rephrase a question or ask a follow-up. In a recorded interview the question has to do all the work on its own. Strong questions share four traits:
- One topic per question. “Tell me about yourself” invites a 3-minute CV recital. “Tell us about a project you’re proud of and what your part was” gets a story you can compare across candidates.
- A clear shape for the answer. Say what you want: “What happened, what did you do, and how did it end?” Candidates who can’t ask you what you mean will follow that structure.
- Mostly behavioral, some situational. Behavioral questions (“tell us about a time”) ask about real past actions. Situational questions (“what would you do if”) show how someone reasons, and they work for candidates with little work history.
- Tied to the actual job. Every question should map to something the person will do in the role. If you can’t name the skill a question checks, cut it.
Asking every candidate the same questions in the same order, and reviewing against the same standards, is what the U.S. Office of Personnel Management calls a structured interview. One-way video makes that structure easy to keep, because the questions can’t drift from one candidate to the next.
Time limits and retakes by question type
Pick the time limit from the type of question, not from a single default for the whole interview. Short limits suit direct questions. Stories need room for a situation, an action and a result.
| Question type | Recommended time limit | Retakes allowed? |
|---|---|---|
| Logistics (schedule, location, start date, right to work) | Text answer, or 30 to 60 sec | Yes |
| Motivation and role interest | 60 to 90 sec | Yes |
| Behavioral (“tell us about a time”) | 2 to 3 min | Yes |
| Situational (“what would you do if”) | 90 sec to 2 min | Yes |
| Role play (reply to a customer, short pitch) | 60 to 90 sec | Yes, or one take if you say so in advance and offer a practice question first |
| Technical explanation or screen walkthrough | 3 to 5 min | Yes |
| Language check (answer in a second language) | 60 to 90 sec | Yes |
| Closing (“anything else we should know?”) | 60 sec, optional | Yes |
Our default is to allow retakes. A nervous first take tells you very little about how someone will do the job, and a candidate who re-records is usually just making the answer clearer. Whatever you choose, say it in the instructions so no one is surprised.
How many questions to ask per screen
- First round: 4 to 6 questions, about 8 to 12 minutes of recording at most. The goal is to decide who gets a live conversation, not to run the whole interview.
- Second round: 3 to 5 deeper questions, for example a work sample, a screen walkthrough or a longer behavioral story.
- After a live interview: 1 to 3 follow-ups on things you ran out of time to cover.
Put logistics first and make them text answers where you can. Then every recorded minute goes to questions that actually need a spoken answer.
For more on when a recorded round makes sense at all, see async video interviews vs live interviews.
Questions by hiring stage
The same question bank serves different stages. Here is how to pick from the numbered questions below.
Stage 1: first-round screen
Replace the phone screen. Confirm the basics, hear why they applied, and get one or two real examples. Good picks: a logistics question, #2 or #5 for motivation, #1 or #3 for a behavioral story, and one scenario from the role family section (for example #8, #12, #15 or #24).
Stage 2: skills and work sample
Go deeper on the core skill. Good picks: #9 or #11 for sales, #19 to #23 for technical roles (including a screen walkthrough), #16 to #18 for operations, #25 or #26 for remote roles, and #28 or #29 for managers.
Stage 3: after the live interview
Use one to three targeted questions to close gaps, such as “We didn’t get to talk about how you handle [X]. Can you give us an example?” or #30 for leadership roles. For a back-and-forth with a shortlisted candidate, an async thread in Room often works better than another form.
General questions for any role
“Describe a time you had to figure something out on your own. What was the situation, and what did you do?”
RevealsResourcefulness and how they work without step-by-step instructions.
Time2 min
Listen forA specific situation, the steps they took in order, and an honest outcome, including if the first attempt didn’t work.
“What made you apply for this role, and what do you expect a normal week in it to look like?”
RevealsMotivation and whether their picture of the job matches reality.
Time90 sec
Listen forReferences to the actual work in the job post, not just the company name. A realistic view of the routine parts is a good sign.
“Tell us about a piece of work you’re proud of. What was your part, and what was the result?”
RevealsWhat they consider good work and how they describe their own contribution.
Time2 min
Listen forA clear split between what they did and what the team did, and a concrete result.
“Share an example of feedback that changed how you work. What did you change?”
RevealsOpenness to coaching.
Time90 sec
Listen forA specific piece of feedback and a specific change in behavior afterward. A general statement that they “love feedback” tells you little.
“What’s one thing you’d want us to know about you that your resume doesn’t show?”
RevealsStrengths that don’t fit on paper, such as a career change, caregiving or volunteer experience.
Time60 to 90 sec
Listen forA skill or experience they connect to the role. This question gives candidates with unusual backgrounds a fair way to make their case.
I'm preparing a one-way video interview. Here are 5 questions in the "General questions for any role" group: 1. “Describe a time you had to figure something out on your own. What was the situation, and what did you do?” 2. “What made you apply for this role, and what do you expect a normal week in it to look like?” 3. “Tell us about a piece of work you’re proud of. What was your part, and what was the result?” 4. “Share an example of feedback that changed how you work. What did you change?” 5. “What’s one thing you’d want us to know about you that your resume doesn’t show?” Adapt them to the role I am hiring for: [job title, seniority, location, must-haves]. Keep each question open and neutral, and add one follow-up question for each.
Customer service and customer success questions
These three cover the basics. For 16 support-specific questions with strong and weak answer signals, see our customer service video interview questions.
“Tell us about the most difficult customer situation you’ve handled. What made it difficult, what did you do, and how did it end?”
RevealsHow they handle pressure in practice.
Time3 min
Listen forTheir specific actions in order, a clear outcome, and what they would do differently. Watch for stories told mainly to criticize the customer.
“Describe a time you noticed a customer was unhappy before they said so. What did you notice, and what did you do?”
RevealsProactive account management, most relevant for customer success roles.
Time2 min
Listen forConcrete early signals (fewer logins, missed check-ins, a new stakeholder) and an action they took before the problem grew.
“A customer is confused about [a policy or feature you choose]. Record the explanation you would give them.”
RevealsHow clearly they explain something to a beginner.
Time90 sec. Allow a text answer for chat and email roles.
Listen forThe main point first, plain words, steps in order, and a clear next step for the customer.
I'm preparing a one-way video interview. Here are 3 questions in the "Customer service and customer success questions" group: 1. “Tell us about the most difficult customer situation you’ve handled. What made it difficult, what did you do, and how did it end?” 2. “Describe a time you noticed a customer was unhappy before they said so. What did you notice, and what did you do?” 3. “A customer is confused about [a policy or feature you choose]. Record the explanation you would give them.” Adapt them to the role I am hiring for: [job title, seniority, location, must-haves]. Keep each question open and neutral, and add one follow-up question for each.
Sales and business development questions
“Walk us through a deal you lost. What happened, and what would you do differently?”
RevealsAccountability and how they learn from a loss.
Time2 min
Listen forA specific deal, their own part in the outcome, and a concrete change they made afterward. Blaming only price, product or the prospect is a weak answer.
“How do you research a prospect before the first outreach? What do you look for, and why?”
RevealsPreparation habits.
Time90 sec
Listen forResearch that leads to a specific opening line or angle, not just “I check their LinkedIn.”
“A prospect says, ‘We’re happy with what we have.’ What do you say next? Use a real example if you have one.”
RevealsObjection handling.
Time90 sec
Listen forA question that uncovers what “happy” means before any pitch, and a respectful way to leave the door open.
“Pick a product you use every day and sell it to us in 60 seconds.”
RevealsStructure and focus in a short pitch (a role play).
Time60 to 90 sec
Listen forWho the product is for, the problem it solves, one concrete benefit and a clear ask. Polish matters less than structure.
“Describe your best quarter or month. What did you do differently in that period?”
RevealsWhether they understand what drives their results.
Time2 min
Listen forSpecific inputs they changed (more discovery calls, a new sequence, a different segment), not effort alone.
I'm preparing a one-way video interview. Here are 5 questions in the "Sales and business development questions" group: 1. “Walk us through a deal you lost. What happened, and what would you do differently?” 2. “How do you research a prospect before the first outreach? What do you look for, and why?” 3. “A prospect says, ‘We’re happy with what we have.’ What do you say next? Use a real example if you have one.” 4. “Pick a product you use every day and sell it to us in 60 seconds.” 5. “Describe your best quarter or month. What did you do differently in that period?” Adapt them to the role I am hiring for: [job title, seniority, location, must-haves]. Keep each question open and neutral, and add one follow-up question for each.
Operations, retail, hospitality and hourly roles
Keep these short and practical. Candidates for hourly roles may well answer on a phone between shifts, so 60 to 90 seconds is usually enough, and audio-only answers are a fair option.
“This role is [shift pattern, location, physical requirements]. Does that work for you? Is there anything we should plan around?”
RevealsFit with the schedule and conditions.
TimeText answer or 60 sec
Listen forA clear yes or a clear constraint. A text answer is fine here and saves recording time.
“It’s your busiest hour and two things need you at once: [a customer waiting] and [a delivery or task due now]. What do you do?”
RevealsPrioritization under pressure.
Time90 sec
Listen forA decision with a reason, a quick word to whoever has to wait, and knowing when to ask a teammate or supervisor.
“Tell us about a time you noticed something unsafe or broken at work. What did you do?”
RevealsResponsibility and following procedure.
Time90 sec
Listen forThey acted or reported it right away, followed the process, and checked that it got fixed.
“Much of this job is repeating the same task carefully. How do you stay accurate on the hundredth one?”
RevealsWork habits for repetitive tasks.
Time60 to 90 sec
Listen forA specific habit, such as a checklist, double-checking counts or flagging recurring problems.
“Tell us about a time you covered for a coworker or a shift changed at the last minute. How did you handle it?”
RevealsReliability and teamwork.
Time90 sec
Listen forWhat they did to keep things running and how they communicated with the team or manager.
I'm preparing a one-way video interview. Here are 5 questions in the "Operations, retail, hospitality and hourly roles" group: 1. “This role is [shift pattern, location, physical requirements]. Does that work for you? Is there anything we should plan around?” 2. “It’s your busiest hour and two things need you at once: [a customer waiting] and [a delivery or task due now]. What do you do?” 3. “Tell us about a time you noticed something unsafe or broken at work. What did you do?” 4. “Much of this job is repeating the same task carefully. How do you stay accurate on the hundredth one?” 5. “Tell us about a time you covered for a coworker or a shift changed at the last minute. How did you handle it?” Adapt them to the role I am hiring for: [job title, seniority, location, must-haves]. Keep each question open and neutral, and add one follow-up question for each.
Software engineering and technical questions
For technical roles, a screen walkthrough often tells you more than a talking head. With a screen recording question, a candidate can share their screen and talk through code, a dashboard or a spreadsheet they built.
“Tell us about a technical decision you later regretted. What did you decide, and what would you do now?”
RevealsTechnical judgment and how their thinking has evolved.
Time2 to 3 min
Listen forExactly why the decision was wrong (the constraint they missed) and the trade-off they would make today.
“How do you get up to speed in a codebase you’ve never seen? Walk us through your first week.”
RevealsOnboarding method.
Time2 min
Listen forA system, such as reading docs, running the tests, tracing one request end to end and shipping a small change early.
“Describe a performance problem or bug you diagnosed. How did you find the root cause?”
RevealsDebugging approach.
Time2 to 3 min
Listen forMeasurement before guessing, a hypothesis they tested, and how they confirmed the fix.
“Tell us about a time you pushed back on a request from a non-technical stakeholder. How did you handle it?”
RevealsCommunication across knowledge gaps.
Time2 min
Listen forThey explained the risk in the stakeholder’s terms and offered an alternative, rather than just saying no.
“Share your screen and walk us through something you built: code, a query, a dashboard or a script. What would you improve?”
RevealsReal work and how they explain it.
Time3 to 5 min, screen recording
Listen forWhy it was built that way, the trade-offs, and a specific improvement. Tell candidates not to show anything confidential from a current or past employer.
I'm preparing a one-way video interview. Here are 5 questions in the "Software engineering and technical questions" group: 1. “Tell us about a technical decision you later regretted. What did you decide, and what would you do now?” 2. “How do you get up to speed in a codebase you’ve never seen? Walk us through your first week.” 3. “Describe a performance problem or bug you diagnosed. How did you find the root cause?” 4. “Tell us about a time you pushed back on a request from a non-technical stakeholder. How did you handle it?” 5. “Share your screen and walk us through something you built: code, a query, a dashboard or a script. What would you improve?” Adapt them to the role I am hiring for: [job title, seniority, location, must-haves]. Keep each question open and neutral, and add one follow-up question for each.
Questions for remote roles
Remote roles depend on written and async communication, so let some answers be text. Our remote hiring guide covers the rest of the process.
“Tell us about a time you had to move work forward with a teammate in a different time zone or schedule. What did you do?”
RevealsAsync collaboration.
Time2 min
Listen forClear handoffs, written updates and decisions made without waiting for a meeting.
“Write the update you would post at the end of a day where you got stuck on a task.”
RevealsWritten communication, a core remote skill.
FormatText answer
Listen forWhat they did, where they are stuck, what they tried and what they need from whom.
“How do you plan your day when no one is checking in on you? Give a recent example.”
RevealsSelf-management.
Time90 sec
Listen forA concrete routine or tool, and how they handle interruptions or shifting priorities.
“Describe a misunderstanding that happened over chat or email. How did you sort it out?”
RevealsJudgment about when to switch channels.
Time90 sec
Listen forThey noticed the problem early, moved to a call or clearer message, and changed something to avoid a repeat.
I'm preparing a one-way video interview. Here are 4 questions in the "Questions for remote roles" group: 1. “Tell us about a time you had to move work forward with a teammate in a different time zone or schedule. What did you do?” 2. “Write the update you would post at the end of a day where you got stuck on a task.” 3. “How do you plan your day when no one is checking in on you? Give a recent example.” 4. “Describe a misunderstanding that happened over chat or email. How did you sort it out?” Adapt them to the role I am hiring for: [job title, seniority, location, must-haves]. Keep each question open and neutral, and add one follow-up question for each.
Leadership and management questions
“Tell us about someone you managed who wasn’t performing well. How did you approach it, and what happened?”
RevealsHow they balance support and accountability.
Time3 min
Listen forClear expectations, regular feedback, the support they offered and a decision when things didn’t improve.
“Describe a significant decision you made with incomplete information and a tight deadline. How did you decide?”
RevealsDecision-making under uncertainty.
Time2 to 3 min
Listen forWhat they knew, what they didn’t, how they weighed the risk and how they explained the decision to the team.
“Tell us about a time you changed your mind on an important decision in front of your team. How did you handle it?”
RevealsWillingness to admit mistakes openly.
Time2 min
Listen forWhat new information changed their view and how they communicated the change.
I'm preparing a one-way video interview. Here are 3 questions in the "Leadership and management questions" group: 1. “Tell us about someone you managed who wasn’t performing well. How did you approach it, and what happened?” 2. “Describe a significant decision you made with incomplete information and a tight deadline. How did you decide?” 3. “Tell us about a time you changed your mind on an important decision in front of your team. How did you handle it?” Adapt them to the role I am hiring for: [job title, seniority, location, must-haves]. Keep each question open and neutral, and add one follow-up question for each.
A ready-to-copy six-question first round
This set works for most roles. Swap question 5 for a scenario from the role family sections above.
| Order | Question | Time limit | Answer format |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Role basics and availability | Text or 60 sec | Text, audio or video |
| 2 | Why this role | 90 sec | Video or audio |
| 3 | Work you’re proud of | 2 min | Video or audio |
| 4 | Something went wrong | 2 min | Video or audio |
| 5 | Role scenario | 2 min | Video or audio (text for written roles) |
| 6 | Anything else | 60 sec, optional | Text, audio or video |
Copy and adapt:
1. “This role is [full-time / part-time], [on-site in X / hybrid / remote], starting around [date]. Does that work for you? Is there anything we should know?” 2. “What made you apply for this role, and what do you expect a normal week in it to look like?” 3. “Tell us about a piece of work you’re proud of. What was your part, and what was the result?” 4. “Describe a time something went wrong at work, in school or in a project. What did you do first, and how did it end?” 5. “[Short, realistic scenario from the job.] Walk us through what you would do.” 6. “Is there anything else you’d like us to know, or a question you have for us?”
That is about 8 minutes of recording at most, which leaves room to add one more role-specific question if you need it.
Intro video script for the recruiter
A short welcome video from a real person tells candidates who will watch their answers and what to expect. Keep it under 90 seconds and add captions (see the accessibility section below).
“Hi, I’m [name], and I [lead hiring / am the hiring manager] for the [role] position at [company]. Thanks for applying. This is a short recorded interview with [number] questions, and it should take about [X] minutes. You can answer whenever it suits you before [deadline]. Each question shows a suggested time, and you can watch your answer back and record it again before you submit. We aren’t looking for a polished performance. We want to hear real examples from your experience, so don’t worry about your background, lighting or camera. If you’d prefer to answer in a different format, or you need more time for any reason, just email [contact] and we’ll sort it out. [Name of reviewers or team] will watch every answer, and you’ll hear from us by [date]. Good luck, and thanks for your time.”
Candidate instructions template
Put this on the first screen of the interview and in the invitation email. Our one-way video interview invitation email templates cover the invite, reminders and follow-up.
- What it is: [Number] questions about your experience and the role. Plan for about [X] minutes. - How to answer: Open the link in your browser on a phone or computer. You don’t need an app or an account. - Time: Each question shows a suggested answer length. You can watch your answer back and record it again before submitting. - Format: Answer by video, audio only or text where the question allows. We review what you say, not your camera, background or appearance. - Who reviews it: [Team or names]. Answers are transcribed automatically so reviewers can read them, and people on our team make every decision. - Deadline: [Date and time zone]. - Need an adjustment? If you need extra time, a different format or any other change, email [contact]. Asking won’t affect how your application is reviewed. - Your data: [How long you keep recordings and who can access them, from your own privacy notice.]
Accessibility and fairness basics
Recorded interviews remove scheduling barriers, but they can add others. A few basics cover most of it:
- Offer an alternative format on request. In the U.S., the EEOC explains that an employer cannot refuse to consider an applicant because they need a reasonable accommodation to compete for a job. Say in the instructions how to ask, and have a plan ready: a text answer, an audio-only answer, a phone call or a live video call.
- Be flexible on time. Web accessibility guidelines treat time limits as a barrier and call for letting people turn off, adjust or extend them. Use suggested lengths rather than hard cut-offs where you can, and extend on request.
- Caption your own videos. If you record an intro or question videos, add captions and a text version of each question. The W3C’s captions guidance explains what good captions include.
- Allow retakes and a practice question. They cost you nothing and reduce first-time nerves.
- Ignore what isn’t the job. Camera quality, background, lighting, accent and appearance are not evidence. Put that instruction in writing for every reviewer.
- Review the same way for everyone. Same questions, same order, same written standards. Our guide to reducing hiring bias goes into structured review in more depth.
Video review questions: what to ask about each answer
Reviewers need their own questions too. Agree on these before the first answer comes in, and write down what a strong answer to each interview question contains.
- Did it answer the question? Did the candidate answer the question that was asked?
- Is there a real example? Is there a specific example, with a real situation, or only general statements?
- What was their part? What did the candidate personally do, as opposed to the team?
- How did it end? Is there an outcome, and do they say what they learned or would change?
- Which must-have does it show? Which must-have from the job description does this answer show, if any?
- What would I ask live? What would I want to ask in a live interview to check or extend this answer?
Review question by question across candidates (everyone’s answer to question 3, then everyone’s answer to question 4) rather than candidate by candidate. It keeps the comparison anchored to the question. To collect each reviewer’s notes in the same format, the Interview Feedback: Panel template is a good starting point.
In RecRam, every video and audio answer is transcribed automatically with a time-stamped transcript, and AI writes a short summary and a few keywords for each recording. That makes it faster to read answers side by side or find the one where someone described a specific situation. The AI transcribes and summarizes so reviewers can compare answers; your team watches or reads the answers and makes the decisions. Turn on AI Analysis to score each answer against criteria you write and flag answers below a threshold, so reviewers start with the most relevant ones (it uses AI credits).
For staffing agencies: one screen, many roles
Agencies often screen for many similar roles at once. You don’t need a separate interview for each requisition:
- Build one shared screen. Use the general questions (#1 to #5) for everyone, then add a multiple-choice question such as “Which role are you applying for?” and use conditional logic to show the matching role-specific questions (for example #6 to #8 for support, #14 to #18 for warehouse or hospitality).
- Or use one form per client or job family. Paid plans include unlimited forms, so you can keep each client’s questions and branding separate.
- Give reviewers workspace access. Recruiters and account managers who review answers should be members of your workspace, where a response can be shared with teammates. There is no public share link for a single response, so plan how you present shortlisted candidates to clients, for example through your ATS or your own candidate write-up.
- Route new interviews automatically. The Slack, Google Sheets, Zapier, Make, n8n, webhook and REST API integrations can post each new interview to a channel or add a row to a tracking sheet, so the right recruiter sees it.
- Use a second language where the role needs it. Transcription covers 110+ languages, and transcripts can be translated into 100, so a reviewer can follow an answer while a fluent colleague judges the language itself.
Using these questions with your ATS (JazzHR and others)
If you run hiring in an applicant tracking system such as JazzHR, keep the ATS as your system of record. Paste the interview link into the candidate email template you send at the screening stage, and note the result in the candidate’s profile after review.
RecRam is not an ATS and has no native JazzHR integration. If you want answers to flow somewhere automatically, use webhooks, the REST API, Zapier, Make or n8n, and check first what your ATS can receive.
Setting this up in RecRam
In RecRam Video Forms, candidates open one link in their browser and answer by video, audio or text, with no app or account. Recordings can run up to 10 minutes, partial submissions are captured if someone drops out midway, and the screen recording option covers technical walkthroughs. More detail on the screening workflow is on our video interview software page.
Two templates are a quick start. The Video Interview: First Round template has three recorded questions and a consent question; swap in the six-question set above. The Candidate Screening: Culture Fit template covers values and teamwork with branching logic. If you define “culture fit,” define it as specific working behaviors, not as similarity to the current team.
How the clip math works: each recorded video or audio answer counts as one clip. The six-question set above uses up to 6 clips per candidate (fewer if questions 1 and 6 are text). Starter at $29/mo includes 1 member and 100 clips per month. Professional at $99/mo includes 3 members and 250 clips, which covers about 40 candidates on that set. Extra clips are $24/mo per 100 and extra members $12/mo. See pricing for details.
You can start from the first-round template with a 28-day free trial, no credit card required. Once the hire is made, our candidate experience survey questions help you find out how the process felt from the candidate’s side.
When RecRam isn’t the right fit
- You want software to make the hiring decision. RecRam can score answers against criteria you write, but it does not decide who moves forward or reject anyone automatically; that stays with your team.
- You need an all-in-one ATS. If you want job posting, scheduling, reminders and offers in one place, use an ATS (some include basic video interviewing) and treat a separate video tool as optional.
- The role needs a live conversation from the start. For senior or highly relationship-driven roles, a short live call may be the better first step. Our guide on how to conduct a video interview covers live calls too.
Frequently asked questions
What questions are asked in a one-way video interview?
Usually a mix of role basics (availability, location), motivation (“why this role”), behavioral questions (“tell us about a time you…”) and one or two role-specific scenarios, such as replying to a customer, a short sales pitch or walking through something you built. First rounds typically have 4 to 6 questions.
How long should each answer be?
60 to 90 seconds for motivation and direct questions, 90 seconds to 2 minutes for situational questions, 2 to 3 minutes for behavioral stories, and 3 to 5 minutes for a technical screen walkthrough. Logistics questions work best as text answers.
Should candidates be allowed to re-record their answers?
In most cases, yes. Retakes reduce nerves without hiding anything you need to know. If you want one take for a role play, say so in the instructions and offer a practice question first.
Can I use the same one-way interview for several roles?
Yes. Ask shared general questions first, then add a “which role are you applying for?” question and use conditional logic to show role-specific questions. It works well for staffing agencies running one screen across many openings.
Does AI decide which candidates move forward?
No. AI does the first read: a transcript and summary for every answer and, if you turn on AI Analysis, a score for each answer against criteria you write. People on your team watch or read the answers and decide who moves forward.
