Online screening interviews are becoming more and more commonly used by employers and recruiters alike.
The purpose of this type of assessment is to make the screening process easier on the person hiring. You can imagine how many hundreds of job applications a hiring manager could receive for any given job vacancy, no matter what level is set.
If you have been asked to complete an online screening interview questionnaire, may I suggest that you consider the following strategies:
1. Think clearly about an example you can use that most accurately demonstrates your ability to meet that criteria.
This is particularly important for behavioural questions. The example in itself is not the biggest thing that the employer is assessing you on. No, rather they want to know what you did. They want to know what actions you took and what the result was.
2. Take your time. Don't rush your answers. But, don't take too long either.
If there is no time limit set for you to respond to each question, then make sure you take the time to compile your answer, perhaps if you can in a Microsoft Word document so you can read and re-read what you have written before submitting your final answer. You'll also be able to see how many words you are writing too, particularly if there is a word limit set.
3. Follow the SAR method.
When giving an example, explain first the situation, then mention what you did and what the outcome was.
In explaining the situation, be clear about your role, the employer and what exactly happened. But don't make this too long that it takes up most of your answer.
When explaining your actions, make sure that you are concise as to exactly what you did and perhaps if you can, say why you did what you did.
And finally, when you mention the result, be positive. If it wasn't the best outcome you had hoped for, then explain what you learnt from it all.