Top Video Interview Questions for Recruiters & Hiring Managers

For many recruiters, around half of the recruiting process is simply… asking questions.

Ask the wrong questions, then, and you risk making this process a lot longer than it needs to be. One way to massively reduce the time spent on the interview process is to use a one-way-interview solution like Willo, which helps companies save hundreds of hours on their interview process. 

In this guide, we'll unveil the top recruitment questions that will streamline your hiring journey, helping you identify the ideal fit quickly and avoid unnecessary setbacks.
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How Can Video Interviews Benefit Recruiters and Hiring Managers?
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Video interviews have a broad range of benefits a business can profit from, including:

Hire faster

Conducting hiring interviews via video means no more scheduling hassles (with time zone problems, cancellations, and trying to fit in a candidate who already works full-time when you’re recruiting them). 

All of these lead to significant efficiencies—for instance, Willo data found that recruiters save six hours per week by switching to one-way video interviews instead of phone screens. Applicants can complete interviews on their own time and you can review when it’s convenient, rather than trying to coordinate a time to chat live for the initial screen. 

If you’re curious about how Willo can make a tangible impact, take a look at how we helped Packaly do the work of four recruiters. 

Better candidate experience

Very few people want to have to commute when it’s not absolutely necessary—for example, 65% of surveyed candidates preferred virtual interviews. As travel prices (whether you’re using public transport or otherwise) are rapidly increasing, hosting virtual interviews will keep the costs down for your candidates. 

This isn’t just beneficial for your candidates either; a cost-efficient recruiting process benefits not only your bottom line but also your public image. 

Beyond simply money, video interviews also create a better candidate experience for neurodiverse or disabled applicants or people with children, giving them a way to engage with a job listing that doesn’t require significant additional work to make it possible. For example, someone with a disability doesn’t need to figure out accessible transportation; similarly, a person with children won’t need to coordinate childcare for the time it takes them to get to the office, interview, and get home. 

Improved diversity and inclusion

The importance of diversity and inclusion shouldn’t be understated. The concept plays a huge part in the success of your business. Not only do employees feel more comfortable at companies that value diversity and inclusion, but companies with more diversity outperform their peers by 36%. 

Video interviews enable recruitment teams and hiring managers to reach a larger pool of candidates, which means they have a greater chance of assessing a range of candidates from different areas and with more diverse backgrounds. 

With video interviews, you don’t have to worry about local applicants only, especially if you’re hiring for a remote role. And of course, asking the right video interview questions will show your commitment to fostering a truly inclusive workplace.

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Best Video Interview Questions

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There are 8 main kinds of interview questions interviews used when screening candidates:

1. Behavioral interview questions
2. Situational interview questions
3. Technical interview questions
4. Competency-based interview questions
5. Cultural fit interview questions
6. Open-ended interview questions
7. Closed-ended interview questions
8. Hypothetical interview questions

Below we give you seven of the best questions for each of the 8 types. 

Behavioral Interview Questions

Behavioral questions are designed to assess how candidates might act in any given professional scenario. These are excellent questions, as they can help interviewers gauge how candidates work with teams, how they manage time, and how they deal with conflict. 

1.  "Tell me about a time when you had to resolve a conflict within your team."
2.  "Describe a situation where you faced a setback or failure. How did you handle it?"
3.  "Can you share an example of a time when you had to work under pressure to meet a tight deadline?"
4.  "Tell me about a project where you had to collaborate with colleagues from different departments or teams."
5.  "Describe a time when you had to persuade others to adopt your ideas or recommendations."
6.  "Tell me about a situation where you had to manage competing priorities or multiple projects simultaneously."
7. "Describe a time when you had to adapt to a significant change or unexpected circumstances at work."

Situational Questions

Situational questions seek to understand how a candidate reacts to being placed in different scenarios. These can be excellent questions to ask prospective managers, as you’ll need an understanding of how they handle pressure and the types of solutions they provide.

1.  "How would you handle a situation where a team member consistently misses deadlines?"
2.  "Imagine you are assigned a complex project with limited resources. How would you approach it?"
3.  "If you were faced with conflicting feedback from two supervisors, how would you resolve the situation?"
4.  "How would you handle a customer who is upset with the company's product or service?"
5.  "Imagine you discover a mistake in a report just before an important meeting. What steps would you take?"
6.  "How would you handle a situation where you disagreed with a decision made by your superior?"
7.  "If you encountered resistance from team members during a change implementation, how would you address it?"

Technical Interview Questions

Many jobs require a specific skill set and knowledge base. Technical questions quickly reveal a candidate's suitability for many positions, and how much they understand their responsibilities in a role. 

1. "What programming languages are you proficient in, and how have you applied them in your previous projects?"
2. "Can you explain the process you follow for conducting market research?"
3. "Describe the steps you take to ensure data accuracy and integrity in your work."
4. "What tools or software do you use to manage project timelines and tasks?"
5.  "Can you walk me through your experience with financial analysis and forecasting?"
6.  "How do you stay updated on the latest trends and developments in your field?"
7.  "Tell me about a time when you encountered a technical problem and how you resolved it."

Competency-Based Interview Questions

Competency-based questions are similar to technical or job-specific questions, but they tend to be broader, as they assess more general skills. These are better for identifying a candidate’s soft skills, which can help interviewers understand how a prospect works within a company.

1.  "Describe a situation where you had to demonstrate strong leadership skills."
2.  "Tell me about a time when you had to work with a difficult colleague or team member."
3.  "Can you share an example of a project where you had to use your problem-solving abilities?"
4.  "How do you approach decision-making when faced with incomplete or ambiguous information?"
5.  "Tell me about a time when you successfully managed a project from initiation to completion."
6.  "Describe a situation where you had to provide constructive feedback to a coworker or subordinate."
7. "Tell me about a time when you had to learn a new skill or tool to complete a project."

Cultural Fit Interview Questions

Some candidates have all the technical skills and know-how, but that isn’t always enough to make them a good hire. 

Cultural-fit questions help hiring managers determine if the prospective employee will fit in well with the company culture and get along with their future colleagues. 

1. "What does work-life balance mean to you and how do you approach it when there are multiple competing deadlines or priorities?"
2. "Describe a team environment where you thrived. What made it a good fit for you?"
3. "Tell me about a time when you contributed to fostering a positive and inclusive workplace culture."
4. "How do you approach collaboration and teamwork, and why is it important to you?"
5. "Describe a work environment where you felt motivated and engaged. How do you seek to replicate that?"
6. "Tell me about a situation where you had to adapt to a change in company culture. How did you handle it?"
7. "How do you approach feedback and criticism, and how does it contribute to your professional growth?"

Open-Ended Interview Questions

Open-ended questions are aimed at getting the candidate to reveal their true character and personality. 

Be careful with these ones. They can really eat into interviewing time, as there are no clear-cut answers. Generally, it’s best to pepper in a few open-ended questions amongst more traditional ones so that you keep on schedule.

1. "Tell me about a project or accomplishment that you're most proud of in your career."
2. "Describe a time when you took the initiative to implement a process improvement or innovation."
3. "How do you approach building and maintaining relationships with clients or customers?"
4. "Tell me about a time when you had to deal with ambiguity or uncertainty in your work."
5. "Describe a situation where you had to influence or persuade stakeholders to support a new idea or strategy."
6. "How do you stay motivated and continuously develop your skills and knowledge?"
7. "Tell me about a time when you successfully managed a team through a challenging project."

Hypothetical Interview Questions

These get candidates to “think on their feet '' to reveal their proficiency in problem-solving and strategy development. It can also give you an idea of a candidate’s preparedness, as answering these questions effectively often requires more in-depth research into a company’s processes and practices. 

1. "If you were given the opportunity to redesign our company's customer service strategy, what steps would you take?"
2. "Imagine our organization is expanding globally. How would you approach building and managing international teams?"
3. "If you were in charge of implementing a new employee development program, what factors would you consider?"
4. "How would you handle a situation where a key client threatens to terminate their contract?"
5. "If you were tasked with improving the company's sustainability initiatives, what strategies would you propose?"
6. "Imagine you have a limited budget for a marketing campaign. How would you maximize its impact?"
7. "If you were leading a team through a major organizational change, how would you ensure successful adoption and buy-in?"

Improve the candidate experience with video interviewing

While video interviewing is generally much less time-consuming (and less environmentally impactful than in-person interviews), you should still ensure you’re properly prepared. 

If you’re looking for excellent software that will help you with all of your recruiting needs, consider Willo as a solution. If you’re struggling to think of a good question to ask, you can use the platform to quickly generate relevant questions for the interview.

We’ve been helping some of the biggest and best companies streamline their interviewing process with sleek video software supported by speedy servers, to ensure you don’t get any interruptions during your interview. 

Check out our prices today to find a plan that works for your business.