![\"young-ethnic-woman-trying-to-work-at-home-with-active-4474040\"](\"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/young-ethnic-woman-trying-to-work-at-home-with-active-4474040.jpg\")
<\/a>One-way video interviews are a relatively new way to gain insight into a potential candidate’s fit for a role in an international school.\u00a0 At first glance they appear to be incredibly nerve-wracking. The candidate can’t see the interviewer so it can feel very daunting but with some familiarity and preparation, it can be learned. Let\u2019s face it, one way interviews are probably here to stay, especially with more movement towards online learning, it’s definitely worth learning the ropes. At Teacher Horizons we have had a few candidates and schools with experience with one-way video interviews. Read on for our preparatory tips and a very honest first hand account!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/h2>\nWhat is a one-way video interview?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\nA one-way video interview is where questions are presented to you from the interviewer via video or text. You then record your responses to the questions and the interviewer or HR manager reviews your answers at a different time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n![\"Wepow4\"](\"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/Wepow4.png\")
<\/a>Image from WePow which our school group in China use to recruit international teachers<\/p><\/div>\n
Why do international schools offer one-way video interviews as part of their
\nrecruitment?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\nAccording to an experienced international teacher of ours they shared the following: “They\u2019re a useful way to get an initial impression of a candidate that goes beyond what is shared on a CV. Video interviews are an appropriate way to winnow a large field of candidates down to an initial long list for closer consideration.”\u00a0<\/em> Which isn\u2019t surprising right now as schools are reducing the amount of candidates flying out for face to face interviews. \u00a0It\u2019s a good way to avoid wasting time for both parties while gaining that all important first impression!<\/a><\/span><\/p>\nHonest feedback from international teachers regarding one-way video interviews.<\/span><\/h2>\nWe value transparency at Teacher Horizons so we want to share with you experiences across the spectrum from positive to negative. \u00a0Perhaps the most daunting parts of one way interviews are the fact that you are unable to see the interviewer and you have a strict time limit to answer. One of our advisers, who has had her own experience being interviewed stated: “It was actually not as bad as I thought it was going to be! I don’t remember the questions offhand, but they were pretty predictable and the timed component\u00a0forces you to be concise and succinct. It was probably easier than facing their panel in real time further down the line.”\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\nTeacher Horizons works closely with school group YCEF in Hong Kong & mainland China. Our adviser went through the process of the interview platform they use, so they were able to pass on the experiences to the candidates. \u00a0\u00a0<\/span>The school group uses the WePow platform and they have an extensive list of advice on “rocking your interview”\u00a0on their site.<\/p>\nAn adviser of ours shared that the school doesn’t expect the interviewee to be perfectly rehearsed: they just want to gauge the candidates passion and suitability for the role.\u00a0It’s not all positive feedback though and one candidate shared:\u00a0\u201cFrom my perspective, they run counter to the intention of an interview, which is to get to know the individual. There\u2019s just so much that can be learned from the interaction between school leaders and candidates that doesn\u2019t show up in a video interview. Body language, pauses, spontaneous moments of \u2018connection\u2019 that only happen when you\u2019re having a conversation in real time \u2013 all those are lost in video interviews.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n![\"happy-ethnic-woman-sitting-at-table-with-laptop-3769021\"](\"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/happy-ethnic-woman-sitting-at-table-with-laptop-3769021.jpg\")
<\/a>Top tips from international teachers on one-way video interviews.<\/span><\/h2>\nWhile they may feel awkward, with preparation you can ace your one way interview! <\/a>Thank you to one of our teachers for giving us a wonderfully detailed account packed with advice for preparing for the one-way video interview:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nCheck your environment.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\nFirst I\u2019ll set up my interview space. I place the laptop so that it\u2019s filming me at eye level. I make sure I\u2019m in good light, with a window or lamp either behind or to the side of the laptop (never have a window behind you \u2013 backlighting is bad). I angle my chair so that I\u2019ve got my back to a blank wall, and I might have some houseplants in the background. This last point may seem common sense, but it bears repeating: I make sure the view doesn\u2019t show details of my home life \u2013 dirty dishes or laundry, unmade beds, etc.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nAnticipate the questions and topics.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\nIn preparation for video interviews, I try to anticipate the questions and topics I would expect to come up, depending on the position, just as I would for in-person interviews. I\u2019ll write a few key points on post-it notes or in a notebook to have close at hand. These usually match up with points I\u2019ve made in my application letter, or they\u2019ll reference educational thought leaders who shape what I do in schools.<\/span><\/p>\nUse a process and repeat it.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\nOnce the video portal reveals a question and the countdown begins, I jot a couple of key words to help me remember the question later, and I make a quick bullet-point outline for my response. I repeat this process for every question in the interview.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n![\"notes-on-board-3782226\"](\"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/wp-content\/uploads\/notes-on-board-3782226.jpg\")
<\/a>Use post-it notes.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\nI\u2019ll put those post-it notes around my screen so that I can refer to them throughout the interview while maintaining \u2018eye contact\u2019 with the camera. For example, the post might mention Marzano\u2019s instructional strategies, or describing how Hattie or Rosenshine influence my teaching \u2013 I\u00a0 can then reference them to cover as broad a spectrum as possible of the things that define my own educational practice.<\/span><\/p>\nRecord the process for next time.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\nAfter the interview, I type every question into a document so that I have a record of questions asked, with reference to the school and positions associated with them. I\u2019ll also include my responses so that I can refine them in preparation for future interviews. Then I take off my coat and tie, breathe deeply, and try to relax.<\/span><\/p>\nWhat kind of questions should international teachers expect in a one-way video interview?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\nSome of our candidates kindly shared the questions they were asked. This is not an exhaustive list nor does it mean you will get these exact questions, instead please use it as a general guide for preparation and support.<\/p>\n
Tell us about yourself.<\/em><\/p>\nWhat\u00a0aspects of your subject do you find particularly\u00a0interesting and how do you incorporate this into your lessons?<\/em><\/p>\nCan you describe a lesson that you might teach?<\/em><\/p>\nDo you think that all students can learn a language and why?<\/em><\/p>\nHow do you make a positive learning environment?\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\nWhat inspired you to apply for the current role?<\/em><\/p>\nWhat is your vision as *insert role ?<\/em><\/p>\nWhat is your long term plan?\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\nLogistics & timing.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\nA couple of \u00a0teachers shared that after the interview\u00a0questions they were asked to provide two minutes of additional information:\u00a0“with each question we were provided three minutes’ worth of time to reply with one minute prep time in between”. <\/em>Another candidate shared: “There might be an awkward part at the end where it asks you to leave additional comments too!” \u00a0<\/em>The time might differ depending on the interviewing system used and the school’s preference. \u00a0One candidate got the\u00a0opportunity to check their audio\/video and undergo some practice questions first, but it’s uncertain if this is true across the board.<\/p>\nTo wrap up: try taking some\u00a0deep breaths & remember what makes you passionate about teaching\u2014 and if you can’t remember glance at those post-it notes! Big thanks to our teachers and advisers for sharing their experiences with such clarity and detail!<\/p>\n
What’s your experience with one-way video interviews? \u00a0Reach out to us at editor@teacherhorizons.com with your stories. While you’re at it you can join the Teacher Horizons community today and be one step closer to your next international teaching job!\u00a0<\/a><\/h2>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
One-way video interviews are a relatively new way to gain insight into a potential candidate’s fit for a role in an international school.\u00a0 At first glance they appear to be incredibly nerve-wracking. The candidate can’t see the interviewer so it can feel very daunting but with some familiarity and preparation, it can be learned…. Read more »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":162,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":""},"categories":[857],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5Krhd-268","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8068"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/162"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8068"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8068\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15304,"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8068\/revisions\/15304"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8068"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8068"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8068"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
A one-way video interview is where questions are presented to you from the interviewer via video or text. You then record your responses to the questions and the interviewer or HR manager reviews your answers at a different time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Image from WePow which our school group in China use to recruit international teachers<\/p><\/div>\n According to an experienced international teacher of ours they shared the following: “They\u2019re a useful way to get an initial impression of a candidate that goes beyond what is shared on a CV. Video interviews are an appropriate way to winnow a large field of candidates down to an initial long list for closer consideration.”\u00a0<\/em> Which isn\u2019t surprising right now as schools are reducing the amount of candidates flying out for face to face interviews. \u00a0It\u2019s a good way to avoid wasting time for both parties while gaining that all important first impression!<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n We value transparency at Teacher Horizons so we want to share with you experiences across the spectrum from positive to negative. \u00a0Perhaps the most daunting parts of one way interviews are the fact that you are unable to see the interviewer and you have a strict time limit to answer. One of our advisers, who has had her own experience being interviewed stated: “It was actually not as bad as I thought it was going to be! I don’t remember the questions offhand, but they were pretty predictable and the timed component\u00a0forces you to be concise and succinct. It was probably easier than facing their panel in real time further down the line.”\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Teacher Horizons works closely with school group YCEF in Hong Kong & mainland China. Our adviser went through the process of the interview platform they use, so they were able to pass on the experiences to the candidates. \u00a0\u00a0<\/span>The school group uses the WePow platform and they have an extensive list of advice on “rocking your interview”\u00a0on their site.<\/p>\n An adviser of ours shared that the school doesn’t expect the interviewee to be perfectly rehearsed: they just want to gauge the candidates passion and suitability for the role.\u00a0It’s not all positive feedback though and one candidate shared:\u00a0\u201cFrom my perspective, they run counter to the intention of an interview, which is to get to know the individual. There\u2019s just so much that can be learned from the interaction between school leaders and candidates that doesn\u2019t show up in a video interview. Body language, pauses, spontaneous moments of \u2018connection\u2019 that only happen when you\u2019re having a conversation in real time \u2013 all those are lost in video interviews.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n While they may feel awkward, with preparation you can ace your one way interview! <\/a>Thank you to one of our teachers for giving us a wonderfully detailed account packed with advice for preparing for the one-way video interview:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n First I\u2019ll set up my interview space. I place the laptop so that it\u2019s filming me at eye level. I make sure I\u2019m in good light, with a window or lamp either behind or to the side of the laptop (never have a window behind you \u2013 backlighting is bad). I angle my chair so that I\u2019ve got my back to a blank wall, and I might have some houseplants in the background. This last point may seem common sense, but it bears repeating: I make sure the view doesn\u2019t show details of my home life \u2013 dirty dishes or laundry, unmade beds, etc.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In preparation for video interviews, I try to anticipate the questions and topics I would expect to come up, depending on the position, just as I would for in-person interviews. I\u2019ll write a few key points on post-it notes or in a notebook to have close at hand. These usually match up with points I\u2019ve made in my application letter, or they\u2019ll reference educational thought leaders who shape what I do in schools.<\/span><\/p>\n Once the video portal reveals a question and the countdown begins, I jot a couple of key words to help me remember the question later, and I make a quick bullet-point outline for my response. I repeat this process for every question in the interview.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I\u2019ll put those post-it notes around my screen so that I can refer to them throughout the interview while maintaining \u2018eye contact\u2019 with the camera. For example, the post might mention Marzano\u2019s instructional strategies, or describing how Hattie or Rosenshine influence my teaching \u2013 I\u00a0 can then reference them to cover as broad a spectrum as possible of the things that define my own educational practice.<\/span><\/p>\n After the interview, I type every question into a document so that I have a record of questions asked, with reference to the school and positions associated with them. I\u2019ll also include my responses so that I can refine them in preparation for future interviews. Then I take off my coat and tie, breathe deeply, and try to relax.<\/span><\/p>\n Some of our candidates kindly shared the questions they were asked. This is not an exhaustive list nor does it mean you will get these exact questions, instead please use it as a general guide for preparation and support.<\/p>\n Tell us about yourself.<\/em><\/p>\n What\u00a0aspects of your subject do you find particularly\u00a0interesting and how do you incorporate this into your lessons?<\/em><\/p>\n Can you describe a lesson that you might teach?<\/em><\/p>\n Do you think that all students can learn a language and why?<\/em><\/p>\n How do you make a positive learning environment?\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n What inspired you to apply for the current role?<\/em><\/p>\n What is your vision as *insert role ?<\/em><\/p>\n What is your long term plan?\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n A couple of \u00a0teachers shared that after the interview\u00a0questions they were asked to provide two minutes of additional information:\u00a0“with each question we were provided three minutes’ worth of time to reply with one minute prep time in between”. <\/em>Another candidate shared: “There might be an awkward part at the end where it asks you to leave additional comments too!” \u00a0<\/em>The time might differ depending on the interviewing system used and the school’s preference. \u00a0One candidate got the\u00a0opportunity to check their audio\/video and undergo some practice questions first, but it’s uncertain if this is true across the board.<\/p>\n To wrap up: try taking some\u00a0deep breaths & remember what makes you passionate about teaching\u2014 and if you can’t remember glance at those post-it notes! Big thanks to our teachers and advisers for sharing their experiences with such clarity and detail!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" One-way video interviews are a relatively new way to gain insight into a potential candidate’s fit for a role in an international school.\u00a0 At first glance they appear to be incredibly nerve-wracking. The candidate can’t see the interviewer so it can feel very daunting but with some familiarity and preparation, it can be learned…. Read more »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":162,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":""},"categories":[857],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5Krhd-268","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8068"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/162"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8068"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8068\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15304,"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8068\/revisions\/15304"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8068"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8068"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.teacherhorizons.com\/advice\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8068"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/a>Why do international schools offer one-way video interviews as part of their
\nrecruitment?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\nHonest feedback from international teachers regarding one-way video interviews.<\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/a>Top tips from international teachers on one-way video interviews.<\/span><\/h2>\nCheck your environment.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
Anticipate the questions and topics.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
Use a process and repeat it.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a>Use post-it notes.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\nRecord the process for next time.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
What kind of questions should international teachers expect in a one-way video interview?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
Logistics & timing.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
What’s your experience with one-way video interviews? \u00a0Reach out to us at editor@teacherhorizons.com with your stories. While you’re at it you can join the Teacher Horizons community today and be one step closer to your next international teaching job!\u00a0<\/a><\/h2>\n