Why Question Design Is the Critical Variable
In a live interview, a skilled interviewer can probe, redirect, and clarify. In a video interview, the question is the only tool available. If the question is vague, the response will be vague. If the question invites storytelling without a structure, you will get answers that are difficult to compare across candidates. The quality of the assessment depends almost entirely on the quality of what you ask.
A common mistake is to treat video interview questions as a direct transcript of what you would ask in a phone screen — casual, exploratory, open-ended. Video interview questions need to be more tightly designed precisely because you cannot follow up.
Question Types That Work Well
Behavioural questions — 'Tell me about a time when...' — are the most reliable format for video interviews. They prompt candidates to provide specific, verifiable examples rather than hypothetical answers, and the STAR structure (Situation, Task, Action, Result) gives you a predictable response shape to evaluate. A candidate who cannot recall a specific example for a core competency is providing useful signal.
Situational questions — 'Imagine you are in the following scenario...' — work well for roles where behavioural examples are thin (entry-level candidates, career changers) or where the specific scenario is highly predictable. Role-specific knowledge questions ('Walk me through how you would approach X') are appropriate for technical or specialist roles where domain knowledge is a hard requirement.
Defining Scoring Criteria Before You Write
The order matters. Before writing a question, define what a strong answer looks like, what an acceptable answer looks like, and what a weak answer looks like. This forces you to be precise about what you are actually assessing — and often reveals that a question you thought was clear is actually measuring several different things.
A scoring rubric written after reviewing responses is inevitably shaped by the responses you have already seen. Writing criteria in advance produces more consistent, defensible evaluation and reduces the risk of tailoring the standard to a preferred candidate.
Practical Guidelines
Limit to three to five questions per video interview. Longer processes see meaningful candidate drop-off, and diminishing returns on additional questions set in quickly — most competency coverage can be achieved with four well-chosen questions. Set realistic time limits: 90 seconds to three minutes per response is the typical range. Short limits are appropriate for focused factual or knowledge questions; longer limits for complex behavioural questions.
Give candidates a practice question before the real interview begins so they can test their audio and video setup. State clearly what each question is assessing — 'This question is about how you handle competing priorities' — so candidates understand the intent and can frame their response accordingly. This produces better answers and a fairer assessment.
How Palantrix structures video interview questions
In Palantrix, every question set is built around your Team DNA Profile — the trait and competency model derived from your existing high-performing team. Questions are mapped to specific traits, and each response is scored against those traits by the AI. This means your question design is anchored to what actually predicts success in your organisation, not to a generic competency library. Employers can review and adjust question sets, add time limits, and configure scoring rubrics before any candidate begins.
See how AI Video Interviews work →Frequently Asked Questions
How many questions should a video interview include?
Three to five questions is the practical optimum for most roles. Fewer than three risks insufficient coverage of key competencies. More than five significantly increases candidate drop-off and the marginal evidence gained from each additional question diminishes. For senior or highly specialised roles, five focused questions are almost always sufficient at the screening stage.
Should video interview questions be the same for every candidate?
Yes, for the same role at the same stage. Consistency is what makes comparative evaluation valid. If different candidates receive different questions, you are no longer comparing like with like. Questions can and should differ between roles, and can be updated between hiring cohorts.
What makes a video interview question difficult to score?
Questions that are too broad ('Tell me about yourself'), that invite hypothetical rather than evidence-based answers ('What would you do if...?' for experienced candidates), or that conflate multiple competencies in a single prompt. The scoring difficulty is usually a diagnostic signal that the question itself needs redesigning.
Should you tell candidates what the video interview questions will cover?
Briefing candidates on the broad topic areas — not the specific questions — is generally advisable. It reduces anxiety, produces better-structured responses, and does not meaningfully advantage candidates who prepare versus those who do not. For competency-based questions, a candidate who can recall a strong example when prompted is demonstrating the competency; preparation does not manufacture experience they do not have.
Can you use the same questions for every role?
Generic questions produce generic answers that are difficult to evaluate for specific roles. Role-specific questions tied to the competencies the role requires — communication style for a customer-facing role, analytical rigour for a research role, team coordination for a management role — produce far more usable evidence. A shared framework of question types is fine; the specific questions should be role-calibrated.