Recorded Video Interviews and Online Tests: What to Expect and How to Get Through Them

If you have applied to a large UK employer, especially for a graduate or apprenticeship role, you will probably meet a stage where you talk to a camera with no human on the other end. It is one of the most disliked parts of modern recruitment, and many people say it feels strange and impersonal.

Fair enough. But it is a skill you can practise like any other.

How it usually works

You get a link and a deadline. You see each question on screen, get a short time to think, then record your answer, often with a time limit of one to three minutes. Many systems allow only one attempt per question. Employers vary in how they review the recordings: some use a person, some use software to help rank them, and some use both. If it matters to you, the application instructions or the recruiter can usually tell you.

Practical tips

• Test your camera, microphone and internet connection first. Use a plain background and good light from the front.

• Practise answering aloud with a timer. Reading your answer in your head is not the same.

• Keep notes with a few keywords beside the screen, but do not read.

• Look at the camera lens, not at your own face.

• Use the thinking time to pick one clear example and a structure, such as Situation, Action, Result.

The online tests

Numerical and verbal reasoning tests are about speed and accuracy, so do a few timed practice papers before the real thing. Situational judgement tests ask what you would do in a work scenario. There is rarely a trick: read the company values and choose the answer that shows good judgement, teamwork and honesty.

Find a quiet room, switch off notifications and treat it like a proper interview. You will feel less awkward by the third practice run.