HireVue Interview Guide

A digital interviewing technology company that allows recruiters and human resource managers to conduct interviews through the internet

Author: Yihan (Kyra) Du
Yihan (Kyra) Du
Yihan (Kyra) Du
I'm Yihan (Kyra) Du, a student at the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor's degree in finance. My professional journey has been marked by my roles at Morgan Stanley in the IPO and Bank of America in the wealth management teams. I bring a supportive and detail-oriented approach to my work, backed by a strong business aptitude. My expertise spans across financial planning and analysis, financial modeling, IPO processes, reconciliation, and risk analysis, showcasing a well-rounded skill set in the finance sector.
Reviewed By: Himanshu Singh
Himanshu Singh
Himanshu Singh
Investment Banking | Private Equity

Prior to joining UBS as an Investment Banker, Himanshu worked as an Investment Associate for Exin Capital Partners Limited, participating in all aspects of the investment process, including identifying new investment opportunities, detailed due diligence, financial modeling & LBO valuation and presenting investment recommendations internally.

Himanshu holds an MBA in Finance from the Indian Institute of Management and a Bachelor of Engineering from Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology.

Last Updated:September 29, 2023

What Is A HireVue Interview?

HireVue is a digital interviewing technology company that allows recruiters and human resource managers to conduct interviews through the internet.

Big banks like JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley and accounting firms such as Deloitte often rely on HireVue to screen candidates in the first-round interview, as the hiring platform is designed to automate workflows and simplify hiring. 

It helps recruiters determine which candidates are best suited for a specific job by using proprietary machine learning algorithms that collect and analyze data points in video recordings and predict candidates' future job performance. 

Developed with some top-notch industrial-organizational psychologists, Hirevue's AI-first analyzes candidates' videos to narrow down the candidate pool. Then the company's recruiter can further review candidates' answers and compare their traits. 

A qualified candidate is selected by their gestures, tone, facial expression, eye and body movements, clothing details, and the whole context of a response.

To conduct such an interview, candidates need to click the hiring company's link, then log in to the HireVue interface. Candidates then record their answers to pre-set questions and click submit to upload their answers.

It normally allows candidates to take a few practice questions before participating in the official interview.

It is worth noting that once the official interview starts, there is no way to restart it. Candidates are given 30 seconds to prepare the interview question before answering it. Answers are also time-limited.

Key Takeaways

  • HireVue is a digital interviewing platform used by big banks and accounting firms to automate and streamline the hiring process.
  • Video interviews provide flexibility for candidates and allow them to showcase their qualities beyond their resumes.
  • HireVue's AI analyzes candidates' videos, helping recruiters predict future job performance based on job requirements.
  • Preparation is key for a successful HireVue interview, including practicing answers, maintaining natural delivery, and researching the company.
  • Common interview questions for HireVue include behavioral and technical questions, offering candidates an opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.

Benefits of HireVue Interview

Some of the benefits of HireVue Interviews are:

1. Flexibility for candidates

Video interviews provide candidates with the flexibility to participate in an interview wherever they are located and whenever works for them. 

In addition, video interviews also allow candidates to present and express themselves in a way that phone interviews cannot translate. Video interviews allow candidates to show characteristics and qualities, not on their resumes.

2. Automate the hiring process

As mentioned above, It uses its specific AI technologies to help recruiters assess candidates and predict their future work performance based on the job requirements.  

It provides comprehensive insights for recruiters to further select potential candidates and save time in the hiring process.

3. Making scaling hiring easy

With HireVue, candidates can take their interviews through smartphones, laptops, or other devices with cameras. 

Compared to an in-person interview, this saves candidates and recruiters time as it streamlines the early interview process and eliminates the coordination efforts of scheduling first-round interviews. 

HireVue Interview Preparation Tips

As mentioned above, top investment banks usually use this technology for the first-round interview. Therefore, if the candidate passes the first round, they will be contacted by HR for upcoming interviews. 

The interview typically contains 3 to 5 questions. For each question, you have 20 to 30 seconds to prepare and 90 seconds to record your answer. Most questions are primarily behavioral, with an occasional technical problem.

Some companies allow you to re-record your answers if unsatisfied, but others do not. The entire interview session usually lasts 10-15 minutes.

Once you have finished the sample questions, you can review your answers and watch how you performed. The sample questions prepare you for the actual interview. Make sure you take as much time as you need to get ready.

Practice makes perfect. To do well for the interview, you must practice as many questions as possible before the actual interview.

Below are some best practices:

  • DO NOT memorize or read your answers. Instead, maintain eye contact in front of your camera. HireVue can filter out whether you are reading from your “cheat sheet” or not. 

  • Maintain your speed. Make sure you practice your answers until you can recite them without breaks or long pauses. When delivering your solutions, focus on your pace and speed.

  • Keep your answers natural. Record your answers as if you’re speaking to an actual person. 

  • Be careful with your facial expression and voice inflection, as HireVue scores your performance using data collected from verbal and nonverbal cues.

  • The dress code is important. For example, if you are interviewing for a corporate role, you must wear formal or business casual.

  • Research the company, job descriptions, and position functions before the interview. In addition, you should familiarize yourself with the company’s services, culture, history, and recent news.

  • Try networking with people who work at the company that you’re interviewing for. First, ask them questions about the specifics of the company. Then integrate their answers in your response when asked questions like “Why do you want to work here?”

  • Your interview environment is crucial. Although the HireVue interview does not require the interviewee to be at a specific location, it is essential to ensure the environment is quiet and the background is relatively plain.

Common HireVue Interview Questions to Practice

HireVue interview is quite different from the traditional, face-to-face interview because it requires candidates to record a video themselves. 

According to past candidates' experiences, below are the top 10 most common interview questions for all positions:

  1. First, tell me a little about yourself.

  2. What are your long-term career plans?

  3. What made you leave your previous job?

  4. Tell me about your strengths and weaknesses.

  5. Why do you want to work here? / Why are you interested in pursuing a career at XXX company?

  6. What is a time you faced an ethical dilemma?

  7. What is something about yourself you would like to share that is NOT on your resume?

  8. What makes you unique?

  9. What was a time you disagreed with your team, why was that, and how did you work through it with your team?

  10. What do you think [the role] does?

Technical Questions for IB

  1. Tell me about a recent event happening in the world. What is its impact on the financial market?

  2. What division of Markets are you most interested in, and why?

  3. What is beta, and provide an example of a high/low beta company?

  4. How do you invest a million dollars?

  5. Pitch me a stock.

  6. What is your understanding of the IBD division and the analyst role?

  7. Why would a liquidation model be relevant right now?

  8. How are the three financial statements linked?

Investment Banking HireVue Sample Questions

Some of the samples are:

A) Goldman Sachs

Walk me through your resume.

You are asked to lead a team of employees from multiple divisions in different countries. 

  • What steps can you take to encourage a positive working environment for everyone on the assignment? 

  • How would you build camaraderie? 

  • What would be your thought process for determining what to do?

You discovered that your coworker has been falsifying information in their reports to make them look more productive. 

  • Would you report this, even though it could hurt your relationship with them? 

  • What factors would you consider? 

  • How do ethics and integrity impact what you would report?

Describe a recent IB transaction you followed in the news. What are some exciting aspects?

What characteristics make an investment banker successful, and provide examples of how you embody those characteristics.

B) Bank of America

  1. Explain why your background and experience would be a good fit for this job. Can you tell me about yourself and why you are interested in working with us?

  2. Which key accomplishments best illustrate your initiative and willingness to push beyond what is required?

  3. What is one major current event happening in the world, and how might it impact the markets and the role you have applied for?

  4. Describe a situation where you were required to learn a new process to perform effectively and quickly.

  5. Describe a time when you had to react quickly or immediately decide to solve a complex problem. What approach did you take in this situation?

If you would like to learn more about the interview process, be sure to check out our IB Interview Course:

Researched and Authored by Yihan Du | LinkedIn

Reviewed and Edited by Hongmo Liu | LinkedIn

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