You’re all up to speed on what a one-way video interview is and have learned about best practices for successfully completing one. Now, how do you go about answering the one-way interview questions? You definitely want to seize this opportunity to show the recruiter or hiring manager that you are a good fit for the job and that you are sincerely interested in the company and position.
Below you will find several of the more popular questions recruiters and hiring managers ask in one-way interviews along with tips on how you can form great responses:
What do you know about our company?
There is no reason that you shouldn’t be able to answer this question. Thanks to the internet, you can easily look up anything you need to know about a company. The recruiter or hiring manager is asking this to see if you’ve done your research prior to the interview, therefore, make certain that you do. Research the company by browsing their website, reading articles about their accomplishments, and checking out their social media accounts (if any) to get an idea of their company culture. You don’t need to recite every single fact you find, but make sure you mention at least some of the following:
Your response should relate to the job description and your ability to perform the tasks assigned to you. For example, if you are being interviewed for a position where you will be leading a large group of people discuss your strong communication skills and ability to work with a variety of people and personalities.
Why are you interested in this position?
Take this opportunity to talk about how your past experiences have helped to prepare you for this job. You should also mention any success you experienced in a previous position that will show that you are the right candidate.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Why interviewers ask it:
Although five years is a common timeframe, this question may be positioned more generally such as “How do you see your future?” or “How would you like to shape your career path?”. Regardless of how the question is phrased, the intention behind it is to determine how future-thinking you are, and whether or not you plan ahead.
How to Answer:
Give this question some serious thought before your interview. Close your eyes and imagine that you’re working your dream job surrounded by a great team of people. You’re living your best life and accomplishing your goals, whatever those may be for you. Consider all the steps it’d take for you to get there, and use this honest reflection to help shape your answer. Of course, keep your response focused mostly on your professional aspirations.
6. What makes you the right person for this position?
Why interviewers ask it:
Interviewers are inviting candidates to put themselves in their shoes, and answer the biggest question of all: “why should we hire you?”. At this stage, you’ve likely already touched on some of the things you can bring to the role, but a direct question calls for an all-encompassing elevator pitch. They’re trying to see if you can adequately “sell” yourself.
How to Answer:
Consider what makes you different from other applicants and how you stand out from the rest of the pack! How has your education and work experience combined to give you what it takes to succeed in the position? You may want to mention what you did well in similar roles, articulating how that helped the company. You could also talk about what you’ve learned from past employment to propel your career in this direction.
Now that you know the most popular interview questions and you’re prepared to answer them, don’t forget the basics.
Some lesser known best practices (like where to look when answering questions) can be found in our Ultimate Guide to Acing Your Video Interview. We encourage you to give them a read to perfect your digital interviewing skills.