To have quit a one way video interview

[sapphicy]

Bit of a reality check needed, I am going for a job I am really confident I’d be good at, I have already passed the written assessment and the initial interview and found them very straightforward. There is now a video interview and then a final interview.

Today I had the video interview which is one way, so a pre recorded person reads you the questions and you have to film your answer. There isn’t much info online about how to prep but I’ve got loads of STAR answers and rehearsed reading them aloud to myself.

No idea what happened really but speaking to the camera and seeing myself on the screen felt really alien and it killed my confidence and it really reflected in my voice. I froze up and couldn’t even finish the interview, questions I’d normally be good at answering became impossible, my mind went blank and my nerves and panic got the better of me and I shut the laptop and cried. I only got 3 of the questions done.

I am usually a very loud and confident person so this has totally rattled me. My current job is all about communication skills! DP is trying her best to comfort me, but usually if you fail the video interview you have to start the whole application again in a few months time and I’m totally angry at myself. I’ve emailed the recruiter to say I ran into some problems and couldn’t complete it but haven’t heard back yet.

I feel like a failure as there are 21 year olds who pass this video interview easy peasy and I’m well into my 30s and just couldn’t do it and don’t understand why. I would be so confident answering these questions face to face with someone.

Should I even try again, or just find something else where I don’t have to jump through this hoop? Sounds ridiculous but I feel like I’ll need to pay for coaching to get through this and it makes me question if it’s worth it and what is actually the issue here. Anyone else had problems with this?

I loathe this format and have done similar in the past - just exited and not finished. My job involves presenting to large numbers of quite senior people, and I manage that just fine. But this type of video interviews needs to fuck off.

Theres a function that you can hide your face on Teams everyone sees you but you don’t see yourself, It’s brilliant

These multi layer interviews are lazy bs. Unless you’re going for a very senior position, some kind of test followed by interview with humans is all you need.

This might not be an option here. It’s not a teams interview, it’s a specific programme on the recruitment system where you read/hear the question, get a countdown (say, 30 seconds) and then have 3 mins to record yourself answering the question. Turning off the camera may be possible on some, but not guaranteed.

Can confirm it was not possible to do this! Or if there was a way it wasn’t obvious. Thank you though. It doesn’t bother me on teams, FaceTime etc as a real conversation is going on and I’m looking at the other person

This is the reason I cannot even face time my son in Australia!! I am too self conscious and am distracted by how distorted my face looks.
Interviews should be face to face ,to benefit both parties!

is there anything you need to read on the screen? If not I would just cover it so you don't have to look at yourself. The 21 year olds can do it fine because they've grown up with selfies etc

Was there an option to minimise the screen whilst you answered the question?

There was a thread about these interviews on here just a few days ago and whether they were ageist. I don’t know how to share threads (I’ve just tried).

I think just do lots of videos of yourself talking random nonsense until you feel less self-conscious. I would hate them too. Let’s hope it’s just a fad.

It’s too late for OP to minimise or turn off her camera, she’s finished it now 😭

OP I’m sorry, it’s super annoying to end up out of the race over something so unexpected. At least your application will be stronger next time?

Ds had to do this for one of his degree apprenticeship interviews when he was just 17! It was awful. Even worse though was an online interview for Barclays where the interviewer was late, then didn't put her camera on - and then mumbled all the questions so he kept having to ask her to repeat what she had said.

Either practice talking to yourself with camera on OP or cover your screen so you can't see yourself.

I’ve done a few of these. Our internal one is quite good, you get three attempts to record your answer to the (same) question before you have to submit. If yours does the same, I would attempt an answer, watch it back, write down what you want to say and then re-record. If it’s a one take thing then I feel for you, because they are truly awful to do!!

It was a one take! I have no idea how people are passing it

My 22 year old daughter had one of these interviews and she froze and cried too. What made it worse for her was that she'd ticked the box asking for her interview to be reviewed by a real person afterwards, rather than AI. She didn't get that job but I'm pleased to report that she started a different graduate job last month and is very happy there instead. Things will work out OP.

Thank you, yes I absolutely see why people think it’s ageist. I am 32 but feel ancient after this experience 😂 will definitely be practicing talking to myself on camera if I try again

I did one of these a few years ago and felt massively anxious but I somehow pulled it off and got the job. In the end the organisation was terrible, culture completely toxic, bullying was rife, and management had the expectation that people should perform like robots, so I wish I had listened to my gut and just not forced myself to do something that made me so uncomfortable in the first place. So you might have dodged a bullet because the fact that they're using this software probably says something about the culture of the organisation and it's probably not a good fit for you anyway

I could have minimised the screen but then wouldn’t be able to see the timer or the question. Now I’ve had time to think about it, next time I could stick a post it note over the part of the screen where I can see myself for the entire thing

I'm in my fifties and done a few myself and don't see the problem, however as someone who does a lot of hiring I find them brilliant, I can listen to far more people that I would have normally filtered out at the CV stages, so more people get a chance, and can listen to the responses around my workload.

I think the trick is just to pretend the recording is the person asking the question and focus on that.

That’s a good idea.

Well that sounds absolutely hideous OP and you have my sympathy. I already hate virtual interviews as it is just not a natural way to hold a conversation or form a connection, but I've not yet come across this aberation.

I hope the recruiter can get you a second chance OP. If not, I suppose practicing is the only solution and then try again when you get the opportunity.

It's very dehumanising and I think refusing is the right approach - if everyone does they'd have to change it

That sounds awful! I've never seen this type of interview before but I hope it doesn't become more common. I'd struggle with it too. I can't see what the point is of a video interview if it's not an exchange with another person.

It's far better than throwing CV's in the bin, and don't think the job market is such that people can turn down opportunities for work.

As someone that hires people I find it much better, gives companies the opportunity hear more people that they would be able to with standard interviews, and is far more flexible as doesn't waste people's time having to travel to an office in the middle of the work day, they can record in evening/weekend etc.

It's dehumanising. Most adults "hire people" at some point you're not special.

That is one way to look at it, but actually think it levels the playing field, you get to ask everyone the same question, people that have children or afford to travel can interview in their spare time, and people interviewing and review more candidates than they could with more standard interview process.

In most case there will still be a more formal face to face interview, but just means people are not discounted based on keywords on their CV.

But guess it depends on your industry, most people are used to teams/zoom calls, my team is all over the world, do perhaps more used to online conversations.