Remote and hybrid work have permanently changed how companies hire. In-person interviews are no longer the default, and for many roles, candidates may never step into an office before receiving an offer.
As a result, video assessments have become one of the most important tools for modern recruiting teams.
When done well, video assessments let recruiters scale their processes, evaluate candidates fairly, and keep hiring fast without losing quality. But when handled poorly, they can feel inconsistent, unfair, or impersonal to candidates.
The difference lies in having the right approach, and the right video assessment tools.
In this guide, we’ll break down what video assessments are, why they matter, how to run them effectively, and which tools can help you deliver the best results.
What are video assessments?
A video assessment is a structured way to evaluate candidates using video interviews or recorded responses. Instead of relying solely on resumes or phone screens, video assessments give recruiters and hiring managers a more complete view of a candidate’s skills, communication style, and problem-solving ability.
There are two main types of video assessments:
- Live video interviews: Real-time conversations between candidates and interviewers, conducted via platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams. These are closest to a traditional interview, but happen virtually.
- Asynchronous video assessments: Pre-recorded responses where candidates answer a set of structured questions on their own time. Recruiters then review the recordings later, often with the help of AI tools to structure or analyze responses.
Both formats have become popular. Recruiters gain richer insights into candidates than a resume can provide, while candidates enjoy the flexibility of participating from anywhere.
Why use video assessments?
For recruiters under pressure to fill roles quickly while maintaining high standards, video assessments solve many of the bottlenecks that slow hiring down. Beyond simple convenience, they offer strategic advantages that make them an essential modern recruiting tool. These include:
- Scalability: With video assessments, recruiters can screen and evaluate far more candidates in less time. Asynchronous formats, in particular, let hundreds of applicants submit responses without needing an interviewer present for each one. This makes high-volume hiring both faster and more manageable.
- Consistency and fairness: By asking every candidate the same structured questions on video, hiring teams can compare responses side by side. This reduces the bias that creeps into unstructured interviews, and ensures candidates are judged against the same criteria.
- Richer insights: Video assessments provide more context and information than resumes and phone calls. They let recruiters and hiring managers observe communication style, body language, and problem-solving approaches.You get a fuller picture of a candidate’s skills, personality, and potential.
- Flexibility for candidates: Especially in asynchronous formats, candidates can complete assessments at a time that works best for them. This makes the process more inclusive, particularly for those in different time zones or with non-traditional schedules.
- Auditability and collaboration: Recorded video assessments can be revisited by hiring managers, shared with other stakeholders, or used for calibration across teams. This ensures decisions are evidence-based and transparent.
In short, video assessments make hiring not only faster but also fairer and more insightful. When supported by the right video assessment tools, they can transform how recruiters evaluate talent at scale.
How to conduct quality video assessments
Running effective video assessments requires more than simply setting up a Zoom link or sending candidates a list of questions to record. The best assessments are structured, consistent, and candidate-friendly, ensuring that recruiters capture meaningful insights while candidates feel respected and supported.
Here are the key steps to follow:
1. Define competencies upfront
Before launching a video assessment, clarify what skills, behaviors, and qualities you want to evaluate. For example, a customer support role might emphasize empathy and communication, while an engineering role might focus on problem-solving and technical knowledge.
Clear competencies ensure that every question and interview rubric is aligned to your hiring goals.
2. Use structured rubrics and questions
Consistency is critical in video assessments. Prepare a standardized set of questions that map directly to the competencies you’re measuring, and pair them with scoring rubrics that define what “excellent,” “average,” and “poor” responses look like.
The right interview scorecard makes candidate evaluations more objective and easier to compare between one another.
3. Keep the process candidate-friendly
Provide clear instructions about the technology, time limits, and expectations. For asynchronous assessments, let candidates know how long they have to complete the assessment and how many attempts they’ll get.
You also need to inform candidates that you’re recording interviews, and give them a chance to opt out. (In our experience at Metaview, 95% of candidates opt in. So this isn’t something to worry about.)
A smooth, transparent process reduces candidate stress and improves the overall experience.
4. Get more from automation and AI
Tools like Metaview can automatically generate notes and summaries from live or recorded video assessments. So your interviewers don’t waste time writing down everything a candidate says.
AI also helps ensure that feedback is structured against your rubrics, reducing bias and improving consistency across large volumes of candidates.
5. Follow up quickly
After candidates invest time in a video assessment, nothing damages their impression faster than waiting weeks for a response. Set a clear SLA for providing feedback or next steps, and use automation to keep communication timely and consistent.
When these steps are in place, video assessments become a powerful way to evaluate candidates fairly and efficiently—while still creating a process that feels human and transparent.
Common mistakes recruiters make when using video assessments
Video assessments and interviews are a powerful tool for streamlining hiring, but they come with pitfalls. Even experienced recruiters can fall into these traps if they aren’t careful.
Here are the top mistakes to watch out for:
1. Getting stuck on first impressions
It’s easy to be influenced by how a candidate looks or comes across on camera. A tidy background, professional attire, or confident body language can create a strong first impression, even where the candidate’s skills don’t neatly match the role.
The same goes for candidates’ technical setups. A candidate with a weak webcam or occasional audio issues might appear less prepared or professional than they actually are.
Overvaluing surface-level cues can lead to biased decisions. You risk overlooking strong, but less camera-confident, candidates.
Recruiters should focus on measurable skills and answers rather than appearance or polished presentations. Using structured scoring rubrics helps counteract this bias.
2. Lacking structured evaluation criteria
Treating video interviews like casual conversations makes it difficult to fairly compare candidates. Without consistent questions or scoring rubrics, recruiters and hiring managers may evaluate the same candidates differently, leading to inconsistent hiring decisions.
Structured evaluations ensure that each candidate is assessed on the same criteria and that personal bias plays a smaller role.
Simply asking all candidates the same situational questions and scoring their responses based on clearly defined competencies provides a fairer, more objective process.
3. Overemphasis on personality
Charisma and verbal fluency are easy to notice on video, but they shouldn’t outweigh experience, skills, and cultural fit. A candidate who comes across as confident and charming may impress in a 10-minute video, yet struggle to perform in the actual role.
Relying too much on personality can result in hiring someone who looks good on video but underperforms on the job.
Subjective impressions should always be balanced with concrete assessments, such as skill-based exercises or structured behavioral questions.
4. Not preparing candidates
Candidates need clear instructions and guidance for video assessments, including time limits, the types of questions to expect, and technical requirements. Without this preparation, they may appear unprepared, nervous, or confused, which can negatively affect their performance.
For example, a candidate who isn’t used to recording themselves may stumble or provide incomplete answers. Providing clear instructions and even a short practice session ensures candidates showcase their abilities, rather than navigating the platform.
By being aware of these common mistakes, recruiters can make video assessments a fairer, more reliable, and insightful part of their hiring process.
4 video assessment tools for smarter hiring
1. Metaview: AI recruiting platform
Metaview is a suite of connected agents that save time and boost the candidate experience across your hiring processes. Best known for its automated interview notes and summaries, the platform also includes sourcing, intake and debrief notes, reporting, and an AI assistant that searches past interviews and answers key questions.
Teams can find and share video snippets from any important interview in seconds. So you always have video evidence at hand to support decisions.
Metaview integrates with your existing video conferencing tools to automatically capture and structure interview notes. Your recruiters can stop typing and focus their full attention on each candidate.
It enriches these notes with insights from your Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and other sources, highlighting key moments and candidate responses.
This AI-driven approach ensures consistent and unbiased documentation, facilitating better decision-making and collaboration among hiring teams.
Key features
- AI-generated interview notes: Automatically transcribe and summarize interviews across various platforms, including Zoom, Google Meet, Teams, WebEx, and phone calls.
- Customizable note structures: Tailor notes to your preferred format, with custom templates to ensure everyone follows the same structure and asks the right questions.
- Integration with ATS and CRM tools: Seamlessly connect with your existing systems for streamlined workflows.
- Real-time transcription: Receive instant transcriptions during interviews to capture every detail.
- Highlight key moments: Automatically identify and emphasize significant candidate responses.
- Compliant and secure: Ensure data privacy and compliance with the top industry standards.
Pricing: Get started for free. Pro plan is $50/month per user; talk to us for Custom plans.
2. Hireflix: Asynchronous video interviewing
Hireflix is a one-way video software used to screen candidates and perform video assessments. Candidates record and submit responses to pre-set questions at their convenience.
You only need to set up the interview experience (questions or tasks to complete) once, and then share with as many interviewees as you need.
This approach saves time for both recruiters and candidates, eliminates scheduling conflicts, and allows for consistent evaluation across applicants. It's particularly useful for high-volume hiring and initial screenings, and is a scalable solution for talent acquisition teams.
Key features
- No scheduling required: Eliminate the need for back-and-forth scheduling, allowing candidates to record interviews at their convenience.
- Customizable question sets: Create tailored question sets to assess specific skills and competencies.
- Time-limited responses: Set time limits for candidate responses to ensure concise and focused answers.
- ATS integration: Easily integrates with ATS systems like Ashby, Greenhouse, Lever, Manatal, and more.
- User-friendly interface: Provide a simple and intuitive platform for both candidates and recruiters.
- Analytics and reporting: Gain insights into candidate performance and interview trends.
Pricing: Small companies (<50 FTEs) pay $75/month; Medium-sized companies (50-250 FTEs) pay $150/month. Custom packages are available.
3. HireVue: Skill validation and structured interviews
HireVue is a skill validation software that uses virtual job tryouts, games, technical tests and language checks to assess whether candidates are a good fit for your role. These tools evaluate candidates' technical abilities, problem-solving skills, and behavioral traits to achieve these assessments.
The video platform supports both live and on-demand interviews, which are then easily clipped and shared among your team. The tool integrates with various ATS platforms to streamline the hiring process.
By providing data-driven insights, HireVue helps recruiters make informed decisions and reduce bias in the selection process.
Key features
- AI-powered assessments: Evaluate candidates' technical and soft skills using advanced AI algorithms.
- Structured interview guides: Provide standardized interview questions to ensure consistency and fairness.
- Live and on-demand interviews: Offer flexibility in interview formats to suit different hiring needs.
- Integration with ATS platforms: Seamlessly connect with your existing systems for efficient candidate management.
- Real-time feedback: Receive instant evaluations and insights into candidate performance.
- Bias mitigation tools: Use features designed to reduce unconscious bias in the hiring process.
Pricing: Pricing available via demo request.
4. Codility: Technical assessments with video proctoring
Codility specializes in assessing technical talent through live coding tests and pair programming sessions. Candidates can interact with interviewers using video chat, pair coding, and whiteboard features.
Its platform includes video proctoring to detect behavioral events that may indicate dishonest practices. Even for remote candidates, you ensure exam-like conditions and minimize cheating.
This tool is ideal for hiring developers and engineers, giving you a comprehensive view of a candidate's coding proficiency and problem-solving approach through dynamic video interviews.
Key features:
- Live coding tests: Assess candidates' coding abilities live, through interactive coding challenges.
- Pair programming sessions: Evaluate collaboration and problem-solving skills by simulating real-world coding scenarios.
- Video proctoring: Monitor candidates during assessments to ensure integrity and prevent cheating.
- Customizable coding tasks: Create tailored coding challenges to assess specific skills and competencies.
- Comprehensive candidate reports: Receive detailed insights into candidates' coding performance and problem-solving approaches.
Pricing: Starter plan from $1200/year; Scale plan from $600/month. Custom plans available.
Make the most of video assessments and interviews
Video assessments are transforming the way companies hire, making interviews more efficient, consistent, and data-driven. But to get the most value from this technology, recruiters need to avoid common mistakes like overemphasizing first impressions, ignoring technical bias, and failing to structure evaluations.
With the right tools, hiring teams can streamline the process, assess candidates more fairly, and make smart, evidence-based decisions.
Ready to see how AI-powered video assessments can improve your hiring process? Try Metaview for free and start capturing better interview insights today.
