On this page
- What is a one-way video interview?
- How it works, step by step
- Timings and retakes
- Questions and how to answer them
- Structuring a three-minute answer
- Camera, lighting and eye contact
- Common mistakes
- How employers assess answers
- Live vs one-way
- Using AI to prepare
- Ways to practise, compared
- Practising with GoRizzume
- Employer formats
- What it costs
- FAQs
- Sources
One question, to scale
Rec · 3:30 total
0:30 to 0:45
Headline
Your answer in one sentence
0:45 to 1:15
Situation and task
Two sentences of context
1:15 to 2:45
Action
What you did, in detail, with "I"
2:45 to 3:15
Result and reflection
The outcome, and what you learned
3:15 to 3:30
Spare
Finish here, before the cut-off
The basics
What is a one-way video interview?
A one-way video interview is an interview you record on your own. There is no interviewer on the call: questions appear on screen, you answer to your webcam, and the employer watches the recordings later. You will also see it called an asynchronous, recorded, on-demand or digital interview. Platforms include HireVue, Sonru, Willo and Spark Hire, and HSBC uses Modern Hire for some roles.1,4,22
For UK graduate schemes it is usually an early screening stage, after the application form and online tests and before an assessment centre. It lets an employer hear from far more applicants than it could ever interview live. Of the 499 employers whose recruitment stages we have researched from their own careers pages, 115 list a recorded video interview. See the graduate schemes.
Step by step
How does a one-way video interview work?
Platforms differ in the details, but the sequence is close to identical across them.
- 01
You get an invitation with a deadline
The email carries a personal link and a date to finish by. You choose when to sit it, at any hour, before the deadline.1
- 02
- 03
- 04
- 05
- 06
- 07
You move on, with no going back
You cannot return to an earlier question. Some interviews mix in yes or no screening questions and written answers alongside the video ones.5
If your connection drops, HireVue says reopening the original link resumes the interview at the next question, with earlier answers saved. Finish it, then tell the employer, who can offer a retake.8
The numbers
How long do you get, and can you retake answers?
Each employer configures its own interview, so read the instructions on the first screen carefully. These are the common patterns.
| Setting | Typical | What varies |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 5 to 81HireVue says most of its assessments have 5 to 8 questions | HireVue says most of its assessments have 5 to 8 questions |
| Thinking time | About 30 seconds2,4,11Up to about 2 minutes where you have a case or documents to read first | Up to about 2 minutes where you have a case or documents to read first |
| Answer time | Up to 2 to 3 minutes2,4Some employers publish 90 seconds; see the employer formats below | Some employers publish 90 seconds; see the employer formats below |
| Retakes | Often none5,7Set by each employer: none, a fixed number, or unlimited | Set by each employer: none, a fixed number, or unlimited |
| Whole interview | Under 20 to 30 minutes1HireVue advises setting aside 45 minutes | HireVue advises setting aside 45 minutes |
Can you retake a video interview answer?
Only if the employer allows it. Some allow none, some a fixed number and some unlimited, and where retakes exist the screen offers re-record or submit. Submitting is final. Willo shows candidates how many retakes remain, and Spark Hire shows thinking time, takes and time limit for every question.5,7,6 If nothing says otherwise, treat every answer as one take.
What some employers publish
KPMG UK
Six pre-recorded questions delivered by an AI avatar, then scored by a person in the student recruitment team.9
Deutsche Bank
Two minutes to prepare, two minutes to record, and one attempt per question.11
Bank of England
A short time to think, recording that stops at the limit, no re-recording, and AI tools banned.12
Unilever (Future Leaders Programme)
Three short questions plus a business case. Unilever says a real person reviews every interview.10
What they ask
What questions come up in a video interview, and how should you answer?
Most graduate video interviews mix four kinds of question. The example questions below are our own practice questions, not any employer's.
Motivation questions
“Why do you want to join this programme, and why us rather than a competitor?”
Name two or three specific things about the employer and the programme, then link each one to something you have done or care about. Generic praise ("you are a market leader") gives the reviewer nothing to score.
Competency questions
“Tell me about a time you had to meet a deadline that was at risk.”
Use STAR: a brief situation and task, most of your time on what you personally did, and a result you can state plainly. Say "I", not "we".
Strengths questions
“What kind of work gives you energy, and how often do you get to do it?”
Answer honestly and specifically. Strengths questions look for genuine enjoyment, how often you use a strength and how well you do it, not a rehearsed story.
Scenario or case questions
“You have read a short brief about a falling product line. Record a message to your manager recommending what to do next.”
Use the material you were given, state your recommendation first, then give two reasons and one risk. Immersive assessments put the video answer after documents for exactly this reason.
STAR, on a clock
How do you structure an answer in under three minutes?
Start with the answer. Careers writers who coach for HireVue report that reviewers form a view in the first 15 to 30 seconds, so your first sentence should say what the example shows.20 Then use STAR, which the Civil Service describes as setting the scene, showing what you did and how, and giving the overall outcome.17
Keep the situation to a couple of sentences and spend most of the time on your own actions. Finish with the result and one thing you learned; the Bank of England asks for exactly this, calling it STARR, with reflection added.12 The rail at the top of this page shows one way to split three minutes. For a fuller walk through, read our STAR method guide for UK competency interviews.
Strengths questions are different. The Civil Service assesses a strength on how well you do it, whether it energises you and how often you use it, and says there are no right or wrong answers: it wants your initial response, not a rehearsed one.18 Practise thinking out loud, not reciting.
Your set-up
Camera, lighting and eye contact: how to set up
- Light your face from the front
- Face a window or lamp. A window behind you turns you into a silhouette.21
- Look at the lens, not at yourself
- Your self-view pulls your eyes down. Put the camera at eye height and talk to the lens as if it were the interviewer.22,24
- Pick a quiet room with reliable wifi
- Close other tabs and apps, and tell housemates you are recording.21,23
- Charge or plug in your device
- HSBC warns that a flat battery can lose answers before they save, and recommends Chrome or the new Edge.22
- Keep short notes, not a script
- HireVue says notes are fine. A few keywords help; reading a script sounds flat and pulls your eyes away. Check the employer’s own rules first.16
- Dress as you would in person
- HSBC tells candidates to dress as for a face-to-face interview. Plain clothes and a tidy background keep attention on what you say.22
Avoid these
What are the most common video interview mistakes?
- 1
Running out of time mid-answer
The recording stops at zero whether you have finished or not. Practise until you finish with a few seconds spare.4
- 2
Freezing when recording starts
With no restart, a blank first ten seconds is captured. Have your opening sentence ready before the thinking timer ends.6
- 3
Assuming you can retake
Many interviews give one take. Where retakes exist, finish every attempt, then submit the best. Submit is final.5
- 4
Burying the answer
Careers writers report reviewers forming a view in the first 15 to 30 seconds. Say your point first, then prove it.20
- 5
A generic "why us"
An answer that would work for any employer scores like one. Mention what is specific to this programme.20
- 6
Behind the screen
How do employers assess recorded answers?
Often a person watches them. KPMG UK says a member of its student recruitment team scores each interview, Unilever says it does not use AI as a screening tool, and UBS says its recorded interviews are reviewed by people.9,10,13 HireVue's chief executive has said only about 1 in 5 HireVue interviews use an algorithm at all.16
Where AI scoring is used, HireVue's 2025 explainability statement says its models score the transcript of what you say against competencies, using ratings from trained human assessors, and do not analyse facial expressions, body language, background or tone of voice. It also says the employer, not the platform, makes the decision.14 HireVue stopped using facial analysis in 2020.15
Human assessors in the public sector use published scales. One Civil Service employer sets out a 1 to 7 scale from “not demonstrated” to “outstanding”, based on how much positive evidence you give.19 Either way, the practical answer is the same: what you say carries the score, so specific, relevant evidence matters more than polish.
Know which one
What is the difference between a live and a one-way video interview?
| Aspect | One-way (recorded) | Live (two-way) |
|---|---|---|
| Who is there | Nobody. You talk to a camera | An interviewer or panel, in real time |
| When | Any time before the deadline | A booked slot |
| Follow-up questions | None. Each answer has to stand alone | Yes, they probe your answers |
| Timing | Strict timers on every answer | Conversational, with an overall slot |
| Where it sits | Early screening, after online tests | Later rounds and final interviews |
Many processes use both: a recorded screen first, then live interviews later. GoRizzume lets you practise each, and the interview coach covers competency questions by text or voice.
The rules
Is it OK to use AI to prepare for a video interview?
To practise, yes. Civil Service guidance published in October 2025 says using AI to generate mock interview questions and practise is acceptable, while inventing experience or using AI to create answers during a live or recorded interview is not.26 The Bank of England bans AI tools in its video interview outright.12
Employers are watching for it. In the Institute of Student Employers' 2025 survey, the share of employers seeing frequent cheating rose from 7% to 15%, and the most common form, at 61%, was candidates using AI during interviews without permission.25 Practise with whatever helps; answer on the day on your own.
Your options
What is the best way to practise for a video interview?
Whatever you choose, practise out loud, on camera and under a timer. The format is what catches people out, not the questions. Many university careers services offer free mock video interviews, so check yours.24 Here is how the options compare.
| What you get | On your own | With a friend | Coach or careers adviser | GoRizzume AI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Timers that start the recording for you | If you set them up | If they keep time | Sometimes | Yes |
| Questions you have not seen | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Follow-up questions | No | Yes | Yes | Yes, in live mode |
| Feedback that quotes your own words | Self-review only | Varies | Yes | Timestamped quotes |
| Judgement from an experienced person | No | Depends on the friend | Yes | No, AI feedback |
| A specific employer’s published format | No | No | Sometimes | 171+ formats |
| Available at midnight before a deadline | Yes | Depends | Needs booking | Yes |
| Cost | Free | Free | Paid, or free via many careers services | From £5.99 |
The tool
How to practise a video interview with GoRizzume
GoRizzume runs one-way interviews timed like the real platforms and live interviews with an AI interviewer that follows up, then shows you why you scored what you did.
- 1
Pick a format
Choose a one-way format modelled on a specific employer's published process (171+ of them), a typical one-way format, or a live interview with an AI interviewer.
- 2
Allow camera and microphone
It runs in your browser with nothing to install. Pick one of four AI interviewers, each clearly labelled AI-generated.
- 3
Answer on camera under real timers
An AI-generated interviewer asks each question, the thinking timer counts down, then your timed answer records. In live mode the interviewer listens and asks follow-up questions for up to 15 minutes.
- 4
Read your report
Get a 0-100 practice score with the timestamped quotes it is based on, your pace, filler words and speaking time, one priority fix, and an upgraded answer built only from what you said.
- 5
Run it again
Repeat the format, or switch employer, until you finish every answer inside the time with your point made in the first sentence.
“Tell me about a time you had to work to a tight deadline.”
Thinking time0:30
Recording1:12 / 3:00
One take, like the real thing
Pace
142 wpm
Fillers
4
Speaking time
1:48
Based on
Every capability, in detail: AI video interview practice features. Recordings are kept privately for 30 days for replay, or deleted as soon as your feedback is ready if you choose that at setup.
By employer
Practise a specific employer's video interview format
115 employers in our graduate scheme data list a recorded video interview, across 171 programmes. Each GoRizzume format uses only the numbers the employer publishes, such as question count, thinking time and retakes, and fills any gaps with the standard format. Here are some of the best known; each links to the full application process.
- EY UK
Online assessments: recorded video response
- J.P. Morgan
On-demand/recorded video interview
- BlackRock
Pre-interview assessment, HireVue
- 3 minutes to prepare
- up to 90 seconds per answer
- no retakes
- about 10 minutes
- Deutsche Bank
Recorded video interview
- Standard Chartered
Workplace Scenarios
- 4 questions
- 1 minute to prepare
- up to 2 minutes per answer
- 1 retake
- about 20 minutes
- NatWest
Video recording (‘more about you’ stage)
- 6 questions
- about 20 minutes
- recorded colleague plus text on screen
- Unilever
Step 3: Digital Interview
- BT
Online Assessment (text interview and video question)
- 6 questions
- up to 90 seconds per answer
- about 35 minutes
- Sapia text-based interview plus one recorded video question
- Dyson
Digital Assessment: video interview, HireVue
- Clifford Chance
Pre-recorded video interview
- Shell
On-Demand Interview
GoRizzume is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any employer or assessment provider named here. Names identify each employer's published process; practice questions are original and are not the employer's own. Browse every graduate scheme.
Pay as you go
What does GoRizzume video interview practice cost?
No plan needed, on any account, and separate from Pro, Premium and Elite. Packs are one-off payments that never renew. Credits last 3 months and prices include VAT.
One-way interviews
- 3 interviews£5.99
- 10 interviews£14.99
- 25 interviews£29.99
Live interviews
- 1 interview£7.99
- 3 interviews£19.99
- 5 interviews£29.99
- 10 interviews£54.99
For interview season
Interview Season Pass
£39.99/ 3 months
4 live and 15 one-way interviews every 3 months. Renews until you cancel; cancel any time.
You will be asked to sign in or create a free account first. Practice feedback, not a prediction of any employer's decision.
Questions
Video interview FAQs
What is a one-way video interview?
A one-way video interview, also called an asynchronous, recorded or on-demand video interview, is one where you record answers to questions on screen with no interviewer present. The employer watches the recordings later. Platforms include HireVue, Sonru, Willo and Spark Hire.
How long is a one-way video interview?
HireVue says most of its assessments have 5 to 8 questions and take under 20 to 30 minutes, and advises setting aside 45 minutes. Each answer usually has about 30 seconds of thinking time and up to 2 to 3 minutes of recording, but every employer sets its own limits.
Can you retake answers in a HireVue interview?
It depends on the employer, who sets the number of retakes. Some allow none, some a fixed number and some unlimited. Where retakes exist you can usually review and re-record, but once you submit an answer you cannot go back. Plan for one take.
Is my video interview marked by AI?
Often not. KPMG UK, Unilever and UBS all say a person reviews the recordings, and HireVue’s chief executive has said only about 1 in 5 HireVue interviews use an algorithm. Where HireVue’s AI scoring is used, HireVue says it scores only what you say, not your face, background or tone of voice, and that the employer makes the decision.
Can I use notes in a video interview?
HireVue says notes are fine, but check the employer’s own instructions, and some employers ban AI tools outright. Keep notes to a few keywords. Reading a script sounds flat and pulls your eyes away from the camera.
How long should each video interview answer be?
Use most of the time you are given and finish a few seconds before the limit, because the recording stops at zero even mid-sentence. Very short answers give the reviewer little evidence to score. Make your main point in the first sentence.
What happens if my internet drops during a video interview?
On HireVue, reopening the original link resumes the interview. Answers already submitted are saved, and an answer interrupted mid-recording has most likely been submitted. Finish the interview, then contact the employer, who can offer a retake at its discretion.
Is it OK to use AI to prepare for a video interview?
Practising with AI is generally fine. Civil Service guidance from October 2025 says using AI to generate mock questions and practise is acceptable, while using AI to create answers during a live or recorded interview is not. Never invent or exaggerate experience.
What happens to my GoRizzume practice recordings?
You choose at setup. With "Delete my recording as soon as my feedback is ready" turned on, the video and audio are kept only while they are transcribed and scored, usually a minute or two, then permanently deleted. Otherwise recordings are kept privately for 30 days so you can replay them, then deleted automatically. Either way, the transcript and feedback stay in your account until you delete them.
Is GoRizzume affiliated with HireVue, Sonru or any employer?
No. GoRizzume is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any interview platform or employer. Employer formats are modelled on processes the employers publish, and every practice question is original.
How much does GoRizzume video interview practice cost?
It is pay as you go on any account, with no plan needed. One-way packs start at £5.99 for 3 interviews and live packs at £7.99 for 1. The Interview Season Pass is £39.99 every 3 months for 4 live and 15 one-way interviews. Credits last 3 months and prices include VAT.
Does the GoRizzume practice score predict whether I will pass?
No. The 0-100 score is practice feedback on your answer and delivery, with the quotes it is based on. It is not a prediction of any employer’s decision.
Before the one that counts
Answer under the timer once before you have to.
Three one-way interviews cost £5.99. You will know how 30 seconds feels, where your answers run long and what to fix first.
References
Sources
Platform behaviour and employer formats change between recruitment cycles. We cite the source for each fact; always check the instructions in your own invitation and the employer's careers site. Employer counts come from GoRizzume's graduate scheme data, researched from employers' own careers pages.
- 1.HireVue, Candidate FAQ
- 2.HireVue blog, How to take a HireVue interview
- 3.HireVue support, Practice your interview: FAQ
- 4.WikiJob, Sonru video interview tips (updated 5 June 2024)
- 5.University careers service, via uConnect, HireVue tip sheet (2023)
- 6.Spark Hire candidate help, Answering one-way video interview questions
- 7.Willo help centre, Change the number of retakes
- 8.HireVue support, Disconnected during the interview
- 9.KPMG UK, Graduate application process
- 10.Unilever, UK and Ireland Unilever Future Leaders Programme 2026
- 11.Deutsche Bank, Students and graduates: your application FAQ
- 12.Bank of England, How to apply
- 13.UBS, Early careers
- 14.HireVue, 2025 AI Explainability Statement
- 15.SHRM, HireVue discontinues facial analysis screening
- 16.HireVue blog, Candidate questions answered: live Q&A with HireVue CEO Kevin Parker
- 17.GOV.UK, Success Profiles: candidate overview
- 18.GOV.UK, Success Profiles: strengths
- 19.Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, How your application is assessed: Success Profiles
- 20.Trackr, The HireVue interview guide
- 21.HireVue, Interview tips
- 22.HSBC, On-demand video interviewing: hints and tips for candidates
- 23.Deloitte UK, Early careers assessment
- 24.University of Strathclyde Careers Service, Video interviews
- 25.Institute of Student Employers, Student Recruitment Survey 2025
- 26.PublicTechnology, What new Civil Service guidance on AI for job applicants tells us (31 October 2025)