Asynchronous interview

An asynchronous interview is a job interview in which the candidate answers predetermined questions at one time, and the employer reviews those responses later, rather than speaking with the candidate live.

In hiring, the most common format is an asynchronous video interview, also called a one-way video interview, where candidates record answers to a set of questions through an online interviewing platform.

But asynchronous interviewing is broader than video.

Candidate responses can also be:

• audio recordings;
• written responses;
• job-related exercises;
• recorded presentations;
• technical responses.

What makes the interview asynchronous is not the media format.

It is the timing.

Candidate responds now → hiring team reviews later

This removes the requirement for the candidate and interviewer to be available at the same time.

For employers, asynchronous interviews work best when they solve a defined screening problem and use standardized, job-related questions and scoring criteria.

Asynchronous Interview at a Glance

Question	Answer
What is an asynchronous interview?	An interview in which candidates respond to predetermined questions without a live interviewer, and employers review the responses later.
What is an async interview?	A shorter name for an asynchronous interview.
Is it the same as a one-way interview?	Usually when referring to recorded video interviewing, although asynchronous interviewing can also use audio, text, or other response formats.
Is it a live interview?	No. Candidate and interviewer do not participate at the same time.
When is it usually used?	Most commonly during early screening before live interviews.
Can candidates ask follow-up questions?	Not during the recorded response itself, which is one of the format’s limitations.
Should every role use one?	No. It works best when the employer can evaluate specific job-related criteria without requiring real-time interaction.
Can it be structured?	Yes. Asynchronous interviews are particularly suited to structured questions and standardized scoring.

How Does an Asynchronous Interview Work?

A typical asynchronous job interview follows this sequence:

Employer defines criteria → creates questions → sends interview invitation → candidate records responses → employer reviews responses → responses are scored → selected candidates advance

The process usually works as follows.

1. The Employer Defines What It Needs to Evaluate

Start with the job rather than the technology.

Determine which competencies or qualifications the asynchronous stage should measure.

For example, a customer support role might require evidence of:

• communication;
• problem-solving;
• customer judgment;
• written or spoken English;
• prioritization.

A marketing operations role may require:

• technical knowledge;
• process thinking;
• CRM experience;
• analytical reasoning.

Do not create an asynchronous interview simply because the recruiting platform includes one.

Give the stage a specific purpose.

2. The Employer Creates Predetermined Questions

Candidates usually receive the same core questions.

That makes asynchronous interviewing naturally compatible with a structured interview model.

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management recommends basing structured interview questions on competencies identified through job analysis and using clear, concise, open-ended, job-related questions.

For example:

Weak:

Tell us about yourself.

Stronger:

Tell us about a time you had to prioritize several urgent requests at once. What did you do, and what was the result?

The second question collects evidence about an actual capability.

3. The Employer Configures the Interview

The interview platform may allow the hiring team to define:

• response format;
• preparation time;
• maximum response length;
• number of recording attempts;
• question order;
• submission deadline;
• practice questions;
• candidate instructions.

These settings matter.

They shape both what candidates can demonstrate and how candidates experience the process.

4. The Candidate Receives the Invitation

A strong invitation explains:

• why the company uses the interview;
• how many questions it includes;
• approximate completion time;
• response format;
• preparation time;
• response limits;
• whether retakes are available;
• deadline and time zone;
• technical requirements;
• accommodation process;
• what happens afterward.

Do not make candidates discover the rules after clicking “Start.”

5. The Candidate Responds on Their Own Time

The candidate opens the interview within the allowed completion window.

In a video interview, a common sequence is:

Question displayed → preparation period → recording starts → candidate answers → response saved → next question

The platform may or may not allow candidates to review or rerecord the response.

The employer determines those settings.

6. The Hiring Team Reviews the Responses

Recruiters or hiring managers review the submitted responses later.

They should evaluate candidates against predefined job-related criteria rather than general impressions.

For example:

Competency	Question	Evidence to look for
Prioritization	Tell us about competing urgent requests	Reasoning, tradeoffs, communication
Client communication	Describe a difficult client conversation	Clarity, listening, resolution
Problem-solving	Tell us about a problem you identified	Diagnosis, action, result
Remote execution	Explain how you manage multi-day work independently	Planning, documentation, updates

7. Qualified Candidates Advance

The asynchronous interview normally does not need to make the complete hiring decision.

Candidates who demonstrate sufficient evidence can advance to:

Live interview → assessment where needed → final selection

This is one of the most useful ways to think about async interviewing:

It should answer whether a candidate deserves deeper evaluation, not necessarily whether the company should hire them.

Asynchronous Interview vs. Synchronous Interview

A synchronous interview happens in real time.

An asynchronous interview does not.

Asynchronous interview	Synchronous interview
Candidate and interviewer participate at different times	Candidate and interviewer participate at the same time
Questions are usually predetermined	Questions can be predetermined or conversational
No immediate follow-up questions	Interviewer can ask follow-ups immediately
No scheduling coordination for the conversation itself	Requires overlapping availability
Responses can be reviewed by multiple people later	Evaluation often happens during or immediately after conversation
Easy to standardize administration	Standardization requires interviewer discipline
Lower social interaction	Higher social interaction
Often useful for early screening	Often stronger for deeper evaluation

Neither format is universally better.

The appropriate format depends on what the employer needs to learn.

Asynchronous Interview vs. Live Remote Interview

Both can happen remotely.

The difference is timing.

A live remote interview happens through Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, phone, or another real-time communication channel.

An asynchronous interview happens without live interaction.

Wow Remote Teams’ Remote Interview guide covers the broader process for interviewing candidates from different locations.

A hiring process can use both:

Resume review → asynchronous screen → live remote interview → final decision

The asynchronous stage gathers standardized early evidence.

The live stage allows deeper discussion and follow-up.

Asynchronous Interview vs. One-Way Video Interview

These terms often overlap, but they are not technically identical.

Asynchronous interview describes the timing.

One-way video interview describes one way of delivering it.

Consider these examples:

Recorded video responses

Asynchronous: Yes

Video: Yes

Written responses submitted through a platform

Asynchronous: Yes

Video: No

Recorded audio responses

Asynchronous: Yes

Video: No

Live Zoom interview

Asynchronous: No

Video: Yes

This distinction matters because employers should choose the response format based on what the job requires.

If written communication matters more than spoken presentation, a text-based response may provide better evidence than forcing every candidate to record video.

Asynchronous Interview vs. Pre-Recorded Video Interview

A pre-recorded video interview is a specific type of asynchronous interview.

The employer provides questions in advance through an interview platform.

Candidates record video responses.

The hiring team reviews the recordings later.

Wow Remote Teams maintains a separate glossary entry for Pre-Recorded Video Interview, so that page should own the mechanics and candidate setup of that particular video format.

This page should own the broader asynchronous interview method.

What Types of Asynchronous Interviews Can Employers Use?

Asynchronous Video Interview

Candidates record spoken video responses to predetermined questions.

This is the format most commonly associated with asynchronous job interviewing.

Asynchronous Audio Interview

Candidates record audio responses without video.

This can be useful when visual presentation provides no job-relevant evidence.

Text-Based Asynchronous Interview

Candidates answer predetermined questions in writing.

This can be particularly useful when the job requires:

• written customer support;
• professional email communication;
• documentation;
• copywriting;
• asynchronous team communication.

Be careful not to confuse an interview with a writing test.

If writing capability is the actual competency, define that explicitly.

Recorded Presentation

The candidate prepares or records a presentation for later review.

This can make sense for roles involving:

• client presentations;
• sales;
• training;
• communication;
• strategic recommendations.

Asynchronous Technical Response

Candidates complete a technical question, case, or recorded problem-solving exercise without the assessor participating live.

This should be distinguished from a dedicated work sample or technical test when the task primarily evaluates performance rather than interview responses.

Where Should an Asynchronous Interview Sit in the Hiring Process?

For many employers, the strongest position is after basic qualification and before the first substantial live interview.

A practical sequence is:

Application

↓

Resume / eligibility screen

↓

Asynchronous interview

↓

Hiring manager interview

↓

Role-specific assessment if needed

↓

Final selection

The asynchronous stage should eliminate a specific information gap.

For example, the resume may tell you that a candidate has customer service experience.

The async screen can show how they explain a customer problem.

The live interview can then explore complex situations, ask follow-ups, and allow the candidate to evaluate the company.

Each stage should add new evidence.

When Should Employers Use an Asynchronous Interview?

The format works particularly well in several situations.

High Applicant Volume

Suppose 120 applicants meet basic screening requirements.

Scheduling 120 twenty-minute phone screens means 40 hours of live conversation before considering scheduling overhead or recruiter notes.

An asynchronous screen can collect standardized responses without requiring 120 calendar appointments.

That does not mean every applicant should receive one.

Apply reasonable qualification criteria first.

Hiring Across Time Zones

Asynchronous interviewing removes one scheduling constraint when candidates and recruiters work in different locations.

This can be especially useful in international recruiting.

A U.S. hiring team does not need to find an immediate overlapping time window for every first-round candidate.

Distributed Hiring Teams

Different decision-makers can review the same responses without coordinating one joint meeting.

For example:

Recruiter reviews qualification

Hiring manager reviews role examples

Functional leader reviews one specific response

The organization should still define who owns the final score.

Repeated High-Volume Roles

The format works well when companies repeatedly evaluate candidates for similar positions.

Examples might include:

• customer support;
• sales development;
• administrative support;
• graduate programs;
• retail;
• recurring operational roles.

Questions and scoring standards can be calibrated over time.

Roles Where Spoken Communication Matters

Video or audio responses can provide relevant evidence when verbal communication is part of the job.

Examples include:

• sales;
• customer success;
• recruiting;
• executive assistance;
• client service.

Evaluate communication against the actual standard required for the job.

Do not convert camera performance into a separate competency unless being on camera is itself relevant.

When Should You Not Use an Asynchronous Interview?

A strong guide also needs to identify where the method adds little value.

When You Need Significant Follow-Up

Some answers create better questions.

If the role requires nuanced investigation into:

• strategic judgment;
• leadership decisions;
• highly technical reasoning;
• unusual career experience;

a live conversation may provide substantially better evidence.

When Candidate Selling Matters

Senior and highly sought-after candidates are evaluating the employer as much as the employer is evaluating them.

A one-way process gives the candidate little opportunity to ask questions or build a relationship.

For difficult-to-recruit positions, inserting an impersonal asynchronous stage can create unnecessary friction.

When The Format Does Not Match the Competency

Do not use video simply because the platform supports it.

If you need to assess spreadsheet ability, use a relevant work sample.

If you need to assess written support communication, use a written exercise.

If you need to explore leadership judgment interactively, use a live structured interview.

Match the assessment to the competency.

When Applicant Volume Is Already Low

If only four qualified people enter the process, scheduling four live conversations may be simpler and provide richer information.

Automation is most useful when it solves a real constraint.

Advantages of Asynchronous Interviews

Scheduling Flexibility

Candidates and reviewers do not need to be available simultaneously.

This helps with:

• employed candidates;
• international hiring;
• different time zones;
• distributed recruiting teams.

Standardized Questions

Every candidate can receive the same core questions and conditions.

Structured interviews generally improve consistency when candidates receive predetermined job-related questions and responses are scored using defined criteria.

Reviewer Flexibility

Hiring managers can review responses when their schedules permit.

More than one reviewer can also examine the same evidence.

Reduced Live Screening Time

Recruiters can use recorded responses to determine which candidates justify a longer live conversation.

Reviewable Evidence

A live phone screen disappears after the call unless detailed notes are recorded.

An asynchronous response can be reviewed again when appropriate and permitted by company policy and applicable law.

Consistent Candidate Instructions

The company can provide the same:

• questions;
• time limits;
• preparation periods;
• instructions;
• completion window.

That reduces some forms of interviewer variation.

Limitations of Asynchronous Interviews

No Real-Time Follow-Up

The biggest assessment limitation is simple.

The interviewer cannot say:

“You mentioned a difficult client. What specifically did you do when they rejected your first solution?”

That reduces the employer’s ability to clarify incomplete responses.

Lower Social Interaction

Candidates cannot engage naturally with an interviewer.

Research on asynchronous video interviewing has repeatedly found that applicants can react less favorably to asynchronous interviews than to synchronous formats.

Limited Candidate Discovery

Candidates cannot easily ask spontaneous questions about:

• the role;
• manager;
• company;
• expectations;
• team;
• hiring process.

The company must create other opportunities for that interaction.

Camera Performance Can Become a False Signal

Some candidates are more comfortable recording themselves than others.

That difference does not necessarily predict job performance.

Unless on-camera presentation matters for the position, evaluate the substance of the answer rather than production quality or comfort performing to a lens.

Technology Creates Access Barriers

Candidates can experience:

• weak internet;
• older devices;
• inaccessible interfaces;
• microphone problems;
• camera problems;
• disability-related barriers.

Employers need a process for handling legitimate access or accommodation issues.

How to Design an Asynchronous Interview

The strongest asynchronous interview is designed like an assessment, not like a collection of random questions.

Step 1: Define the Decision

Start by completing this sentence:

“After this asynchronous interview, we should know whether the candidate ______.”

Examples:

can communicate clearly with customers.

can describe relevant account-management experience.

demonstrates baseline problem-solving ability.

understands fundamental accounting workflows.

If the team cannot complete that sentence, the stage has no clear purpose.

Step 2: Select the Competencies

Limit the interview to competencies that this format can actually measure.

For example, an asynchronous screen for a remote executive assistant might measure:

1. prioritization;
2. communication;
3. judgment;
4. organization.

Avoid trying to assess 12 competencies in one first-round screen.

Step 3: Write Job-Related Questions

Strong questions create evidence.

Use questions tied directly to the work.

OPM recommends structured questions that reflect the job, connect to competencies identified through job analysis, remain open-ended, and use clear language.

Step 4: Create the Scoring Rubric Before Candidates Answer

Do not watch the first five videos and then decide what good looks like.

Define the standard first.

For each question, document:

• competency;
• strong evidence;
• acceptable evidence;
• weak evidence;
• red flags related specifically to job requirements.

For example:

Competency: Prioritization

Question:

Tell us about a time you received several urgent requests simultaneously. How did you decide what to handle first?

Strong evidence:

Candidate identifies urgency and impact, clarifies priorities, communicates conflicts, creates an execution sequence, and follows through.

Weak evidence:

Candidate handles requests in arrival order without evaluating importance or cannot explain the reasoning.

Step 5: Decide How Much Preparation Time Candidates Receive

The objective should be to collect useful evidence, not surprise candidates.

Recent research involving 27,809 actual job applicants found that more preparation time was associated with more favorable applicant reactions to asynchronous video interviews.

That does not mean unlimited preparation is always appropriate.

It means employers should decide intentionally.

If immediate thinking is not a job requirement, an artificially short countdown may measure comfort under an interview timer more than the competency you actually need.

Step 6: Decide Whether Candidates Can Rerecord Answers

There is no universal correct setting.

Consider what the role requires.

Allowing rerecording can:

• reduce anxiety;
• help candidates recover from technical issues;
• produce clearer answers;
• improve perceptions of the process.

The same large-scale 2024 study found that opportunities to rerecord responses were associated with more favorable candidate reactions.

Restricting rerecording can:

• preserve a more immediate response;
• reduce excessive rehearsal;
• be useful when spontaneous response is genuinely job relevant.

Ask whether spontaneity matters.

If not, limiting attempts may introduce difficulty without increasing job-relevant evidence.

Step 7: Keep the Number of Questions Proportional

More questions do not automatically produce a better screen.

The same 2024 applicant study found that larger question counts were associated with less favorable candidate reactions.

For an early screen, ask only what you need to decide whether the candidate advances.

A five-question interview that measures five clear criteria can outperform a fifteen-question interview that repeats itself.

Step 8: Explain Why You Are Using the Format

Do not send:

“Complete this video interview by Friday.”

Provide context.

For example:

“We use this short recorded interview so every candidate can answer the same role-related questions without coordinating another calendar appointment. Your responses will be reviewed by our recruiting team against the same criteria used for other candidates.”

Clear explanation matters because asynchronous interviewing can feel impersonal.

Research published in 2025 continues to find applicant concerns around asynchronous and automated evaluation, reinforcing the value of transparency about how the process works.

Step 9: Provide Practice and Technical Instructions

Candidates should know how the technology works before their actual responses count.

Where the platform supports it, provide:

• equipment test;
• sample question;
• microphone test;
• camera test;
• clear submission instructions.

The practice question should not be scored.

Its purpose is to let candidates understand the interface.

Step 10: Provide an Accommodation Path

The invitation should include a clear way to request help or an alternative format when needed.

The EEOC states that digital interviewing itself is not inherently incompatible with the ADA, but employers must provide reasonable accommodation where required so applicants with disabilities can participate effectively, or offer an appropriate alternative method absent undue hardship.

Accessibility belongs in the interview design.

It should not become an emergency process created after a candidate encounters a barrier.

Asynchronous Interview Question Examples

The best asynchronous interview questions depend on the job.

These examples show how to connect questions to evidence.

General Behavioral Question

Question:

Tell us about a time you had to solve a problem without having all the information you wanted.

Evaluates:

• judgment;
• problem-solving;
• initiative;
• communication.

Prioritization

Question:

Describe a time when several important tasks competed for your attention. How did you decide what to do first?

Evaluates:

• prioritization;
• judgment;
• organization.

Customer Service

Question:

Tell us about a difficult customer interaction. What was the problem, what did you do, and what happened?

Evaluates:

• communication;
• customer judgment;
• conflict resolution.

Remote Work

Question:

Give us an example of a multi-day project you completed with limited day-to-day supervision. How did you organize the work and keep other people informed?

Evaluates:

• independent execution;
• organization;
• proactive communication;
• documentation.

Sales

Question:

Describe a situation where a prospect initially rejected your recommendation. How did you respond?

Evaluates:

• objection handling;
• listening;
• sales judgment;
• communication.

Executive Assistant

Question:

Your manager has an urgent customer issue, an investor requesting a meeting, and a calendar conflict involving two executives. Explain how you would approach the situation.

Evaluates:

• prioritization;
• judgment;
• stakeholder communication.

Marketing

Question:

Tell us about a campaign that underperformed. How did you determine what was wrong and what did you change?

Evaluates:

• analysis;
• marketing judgment;
• problem-solving.

Accounting

Question:

Tell us about a time you found a discrepancy in financial information. How did you investigate it?

Evaluates:

• attention to detail;
• accounting reasoning;
• investigation;
• communication.

Software Development

Question:

Describe a production issue you investigated. What information did you gather, how did you isolate the cause, and what did you do next?

Evaluates:

• technical reasoning;
• diagnosis;
• ownership.

The question should match the role.

A generic interview template should not replace job analysis.

Asynchronous Interview Scoring Example

Suppose a company is hiring a remote customer success specialist.

One asynchronous question is:

“Tell us about a time a customer was unhappy with a result or decision. What did you do?”

The employer is evaluating customer problem-solving.

A scoring rubric could look like this:

Score	Evidence
1	No relevant example, unclear personal contribution, or no meaningful response to the customer problem
2	Recognizes the problem but provides limited diagnosis, ownership, or resolution
3	Understands the issue, communicates appropriately, takes reasonable action, and reaches an acceptable result
4	Diagnoses the issue well, takes ownership, communicates clearly, resolves the situation, and explains the reasoning
5	Handles a complex situation effectively, coordinates stakeholders, resolves the immediate issue, and improves the underlying process

The scoring rubric does not ask:

• Was the candidate charismatic?
• Did they have an expensive camera?
• Did I like their speaking style?
• Did their home look professional?
• Did they remind me of someone on our team?

It asks:

What job-related evidence did the answer provide?

How Many Asynchronous Interview Questions Should You Ask?

There is no universal number.

The correct number is the smallest set that gives the employer enough evidence for the next decision.

For an early-stage screen, a practical interview might use three to six focused questions, depending on complexity.

For example:

1. relevant experience;
2. core competency;
3. problem-solving;
4. communication;
5. role-specific scenario.

Do not add questions simply because the platform makes them easy to create.

Every additional question increases:

• candidate time;
• reviewer time;
• potential dropout;
• assessment complexity.

The 2024 large-sample research on AVI design found more questions were associated with less favorable applicant reactions.

How Long Should an Asynchronous Interview Be?

Design the total experience, not just the recording time.

Consider:

Instructions + technology setup + practice + preparation + recorded responses + submission

A five-question interview with two-minute answers might appear to be ten minutes long.

But if each question includes preparation time and the candidate needs to test equipment, the real commitment is longer.

Tell candidates the approximate total time before they begin.

That allows them to choose an appropriate moment to complete it.

Should Candidates See the Questions in Advance?

There are several models.

Full advance access

Candidates receive the questions before opening the interview.

This prioritizes prepared, thoughtful responses.

Short preparation period

Candidates see each question and receive a defined amount of time before recording.

This balances preparation with standardization.

Immediate response

Candidates receive little or no preparation time.

Use this only when rapid response itself has a defensible relationship to the job.

For most professional roles, surprise is not automatically useful evidence.

A candidate who performs their actual job with access to notes, preparation, colleagues, or documentation should not necessarily be evaluated as though instant recall were essential.

Should Candidates Be Allowed to Rerecord?

Ask what you are trying to measure.

If perfect first-take performance is irrelevant to the job, allowing a limited retry may create a better candidate experience without materially weakening the assessment.

Current research suggests rerecording opportunities can improve candidate reactions.

A transparent approach might provide:

One initial response + one optional rerecord

Whatever rule the employer chooses, apply it consistently and tell candidates before they start.

Candidate Experience in Asynchronous Interviews

This is where many implementations fail.

Employers see:

No scheduling! Faster screening! More candidates!

Candidates can experience:

No human interaction. No questions. Recording into a camera. Unknown evaluator. Unknown next step.

Both perspectives matter.

Research consistently indicates that asynchronous video interviews can produce less favorable reactions than more interactive interview formats.

That means efficiency should not be the only design criterion.

Explain the reason

Tell candidates why the company uses the format.

Keep it short

Do not turn a first-round screen into a 45-minute unpaid production exercise.

Explain who reviews it

Candidates should know whether responses are reviewed by:

• recruiters;
• hiring managers;
• multiple reviewers;
• automated tools.

Explain what happens afterward

Tell candidates:

“Candidates who advance will have a live conversation with the hiring manager.”

This reassures candidates that the entire hiring process is not one-way.

Make questions relevant

Candidates are more likely to view the process as legitimate when they can understand how the questions connect to the job.

Communicate after submission

Send confirmation immediately.

Then communicate the decision or expected timing.

A good asynchronous interview does not end with a silent upload screen.

Asynchronous Interviews and Hiring Bias

Asynchronous interviewing can reduce some sources of variation while introducing others.

What standardization can improve

Candidates can receive:

• the same questions;
• the same preparation time;
• the same response limits;
• the same instructions;
• the same scoring criteria.

OPM’s research summary notes that increasing interview structure is associated with stronger reliability, rater agreement, and validity.

What it does not eliminate

Reviewers can still react to:

• appearance;
• accent;
• age;
• race;
• gender;
• disability;
• background;
• recording environment;
• communication style;
• other visible or audible characteristics.

Standardization does not automatically remove human bias.

Keep scoring job-related

OPM advises interview evaluators to document job-related responses rather than personal appearance or unrelated candidate characteristics.

That principle matters even more when reviewers can pause and replay a candidate’s video.

Evaluate the response.

Do not create informal scores for:

• room quality;
• clothing style beyond legitimate job requirements;
• attractiveness;
• camera comfort;
• accent.

Asynchronous Interviews and Accessibility

Digital interviews must still allow qualified candidates with disabilities to participate in the hiring process.

Under the ADA, applicants can request reasonable accommodation during the hiring process. Employers should provide an effective accommodation when required unless doing so would impose undue hardship.

Depending on the circumstances, accommodations can include:

• additional time;
• captions;
• accessible instructions;
• keyboard-accessible interfaces;
• alternative response formats;
• a live interview instead of recorded video;
• another accessible interview method.

The correct accommodation depends on the applicant and the barrier.

Tell candidates how to request accommodation

Do not make candidates hunt through the company website.

Include a clear contact or process in the invitation.

For example:

“If you need an accommodation or another interview format to participate in this process, contact our recruiting team.”

Asynchronous Interviews and AI Evaluation

Do not confuse these two concepts:

Asynchronous interview = when the interview occurs

AI evaluation = how the response may be analyzed

An asynchronous interview can be reviewed entirely by humans.

Some platforms can also provide:

• transcription;
• response summaries;
• candidate matching;
• automated scoring;
• language analysis;
• other algorithmic recommendations.

These features create additional questions.

Before using automated evaluation, employers should understand:

• what the system analyzes;
• what data it uses;
• what score it produces;
• whether appearance, voice, speech patterns, or other signals affect results;
• how job relevance was established;
• whether reviewers can override the output;
• how candidates receive notice;
• what accommodation alternatives exist;
• which jurisdiction-specific laws apply.

Research also suggests applicants tend to react less favorably when they know algorithms rather than recruiters are evaluating asynchronous video responses.

Technology should therefore not be treated as automatically objective simply because a vendor calls it AI.

Illinois AI Video Interview Requirements

Employers using AI to analyze recorded video interviews should pay particular attention to location-specific laws.

Illinois has an Artificial Intelligence Video Interview Act.

For positions based in Illinois, an employer using AI analysis of applicant-submitted video interviews must, before the interview:

• notify the applicant that AI may be used;
• explain how the AI works and the general types of characteristics it evaluates;
• obtain the applicant’s consent.

The law also limits sharing of applicant videos and requires deletion within 30 days after receiving a qualifying applicant request.

That is a good example of why employers should distinguish:

recording interviews

from

automatically analyzing recorded interviews.

They can trigger different risks and requirements.

What Happens After an Asynchronous Interview?

The hiring team should define the next step before launching the interview.

A practical workflow is:

1. Responses submitted

The candidate receives confirmation.

2. Assigned reviewers score responses

Reviewers use the predefined rubric.

3. Scores and evidence are recorded

The employer documents relevant evidence in its ATS or hiring system.

4. Borderline responses receive appropriate review

Do not automatically discard a candidate because one reviewer had a weak overall impression.

Return to the evidence.

5. Qualified candidates advance

The next stage may be:

• live remote interview;
• technical assessment;
• hiring manager interview;
• panel interview.

6. Other candidates receive communication

Do not let asynchronous interviewing become asynchronous rejection with no closure.

Communicate the decision.

Wow Remote Teams’ Applicant Tracking System guide explains how candidate stages, feedback, interviews, and dispositions can be documented in a recruiting workflow.

Example: Asynchronous Interview for a Remote Executive Assistant

Consider a U.S. business hiring an executive assistant in Latin America.

The recruiter has already confirmed:

• relevant experience;
• English level;
• working-hour overlap;
• compensation alignment;
• location.

The asynchronous interview should not repeat those checks.

Instead, it can evaluate deeper competencies.

Question 1: Prioritization

Your executive has an urgent customer issue, a board member requests a meeting today, and two existing meetings overlap. How would you approach the situation?

Evaluate:

• prioritization;
• judgment;
• communication.

Question 2: Proactive Communication

Tell us about a time you identified a problem before your manager noticed it. What did you do?

Evaluate:

• initiative;
• judgment;
• communication.

Question 3: Organization

Describe a system you have used to manage recurring tasks, deadlines, or executive requests.

Evaluate:

• process design;
• organization;
• tool usage.

Question 4: Remote Work

Give us an example of work you managed independently across several days. How did you keep the people involved updated?

Evaluate:

• remote execution;
• documentation;
• communication.

Interview configuration

Questions: 4

Preparation: 60 seconds per question

Answer limit: 2 minutes

Retakes: One optional rerecord

Completion window: 3 to 5 business days

Evaluation: Human review against a 1–5 competency rubric

This creates an asynchronous interview with a clear purpose.

Candidates who demonstrate sufficient evidence move to a live conversation.

Example: Async Interview for a Sales Development Representative

Question 1

A prospect tells you, “We’re happy with our current provider.” How would you respond?

Evaluates: objection handling.

Question 2

Tell us about a time you had to maintain consistent activity even when results were slow.

Evaluates: persistence and self-management.

Question 3

You have 50 prospects to contact today. How would you decide where to begin?

Evaluates: prioritization.

Question 4

Give us a short explanation of a product or service you previously sold.

Evaluates: communication and sales clarity.

Again, the questions connect directly to the work.

Async Interview vs. Phone Screen

Employers often use both for the same stage.

Async interview	Phone screen
No scheduling required	Requires candidate and recruiter simultaneously
Same predetermined questions easily standardized	Standardization depends on recruiter
No immediate probing	Immediate follow-up possible
Candidate cannot easily ask questions	Candidate can ask questions
Responses can be reviewed later	Depends primarily on notes
Efficient across larger candidate groups	Stronger human interaction
Can feel impersonal	Usually more relational

Use an asynchronous interview when scheduling and screening scale are meaningful constraints.

Use a phone screen when a short two-way conversation will provide materially better information.

Async Interview vs. Asynchronous Assessment

These terms should not automatically be treated as synonyms.

An asynchronous interview asks candidates to answer interview questions.

An asynchronous assessment asks candidates to complete a test, task, simulation, or exercise independently.

For example:

Interview:
“Tell us how you previously diagnosed a reporting discrepancy.”

Assessment:
“Here is a spreadsheet containing reporting discrepancies. Identify the errors and explain your corrections.”

The first collects self-reported evidence.

The second observes performance.

A hiring process can use either or both depending on what the role requires.

How to Evaluate Asynchronous Interview Software

If a business plans to use this format repeatedly, platform selection matters.

Evaluate the candidate experience and recruiter workflow.

Candidate-side functionality

Check for:

• mobile compatibility;
• no unnecessary downloads;
• microphone/camera testing;
• clear instructions;
• practice mode;
• preparation timer;
• response timer;
• rerecord settings;
• accessibility;
• completion confirmation.

Employer-side functionality

Check for:

• reusable question templates;
• role-specific interviews;
• scorecards;
• multiple reviewers;
• structured rating scales;
• candidate notes;
• sharing controls;
• ATS integration;
• candidate status;
• reporting;
• retention settings.

Administration

Ask:

• Who controls recordings?
• Can candidate videos be downloaded?
• How long are they retained?
• Can candidates request deletion?
• What permissions control access?
• Which subprocessors handle data?
• Which countries store the information?
• What AI features are active?
• Can AI features be disabled?
• Can the company export interview records?

Choose software based on the hiring workflow and governance requirements, not the most impressive demo.

How to Measure Whether Async Interviews Are Working

Do not assume the process works because recruiters save calendar time.

Measure both efficiency and candidate progression.

Completion Rate

Completed interviews ÷ invited candidates × 100

A low completion rate can indicate:

• technical friction;
• unclear instructions;
• excessive length;
• poor candidate interest;
• accessibility problems.

Async-to-Live Conversion

Candidates advancing to live interview ÷ completed async interviews × 100

This shows whether the stage is producing useful differentiation.

Completion Time

How long does the interview actually take candidates?

Compare actual experience with what the invitation promises.

Reviewer Time

Measure how much recruiter or manager time is required to review each submission.

A 20-minute recording that takes 20 minutes to review may simply move the scheduling problem.

Candidate Withdrawal

Track whether candidates leave the process after receiving the async invitation.

Candidate Feedback

Ask whether:

• instructions were clear;
• technology worked;
• questions felt job related;
• the time requirement was reasonable.

Quality of Advance Decisions

Review whether candidates who score highly in the asynchronous stage also provide strong evidence in later hiring stages.

The objective is not to prove that the async interview predicted everything.

It is to determine whether it improves the decision that the stage is supposed to make.

Common Asynchronous Interview Mistakes

Using Generic Questions

“Tell us about yourself” and “Why do you want this role?” usually provide limited evidence by themselves.

Use job-related questions.

Making the Interview Too Long

An early screen should not feel like a final assessment center.

Collect enough evidence for the next decision.

Hiding the Rules

Tell candidates about timers, retakes, format, and deadlines before they begin.

Giving No Preparation Time Without a Reason

Do not measure surprise response unless that capability matters.

Scoring Presentation Instead of Content

Camera comfort and polished delivery are not automatically job competencies.

Replacing Every Human Interview

Candidates need an opportunity to evaluate the employer too.

Asynchronous interviewing works best as part of a broader process.

Using AI Without Understanding It

Know exactly what automated systems evaluate and which decisions they influence.

Ignoring Accessibility

Provide an accommodation process and an effective alternative where required.

Never Closing the Loop

Tell candidates what happens after they submit their responses.

How Asynchronous Interviews Support Remote Hiring

Asynchronous interviewing has obvious applications when employers recruit across countries and time zones.

It allows a candidate in Colombia, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, or another LATAM country to complete an early interview without coordinating a specific U.S. meeting time.

But international hiring also makes several design decisions more important.

Use an explicit deadline and time zone

Write:

Submit by Friday, 5:00 PM Pacific Time.

Not:

Submit by Friday afternoon.

Evaluate English according to the job

If English matters, define what level of communication the employee actually needs.

Do not use accent as a proxy for professional communication.

Avoid culture-specific questions

Questions that rely heavily on U.S. expressions, sports, schools, or cultural references can introduce irrelevant difficulty.

Explain the hiring model

Tell the candidate whether the role is:

• staffing;
• staff-to-hire;
• direct hire;
• another model.

Use the async stage to add evidence

Do not repeat screening already completed by the recruiter.

The employer’s time should go toward learning something new.

How Wow Remote Teams Can Use Asynchronous Interviews

Wow Remote Teams’ recruiting model is already built around reducing the amount of unqualified candidate screening that reaches the client.

For most roles, Wow delivers 3 fully vetted candidates within 3 to 5 business days after the role requirements are confirmed. Highly complex roles can take up to 5 business days.

That means an asynchronous interview should not become an additional generic screening obstacle.

If Wow or a client uses one, it should answer a role-specific question that has not already been resolved during vetting.

For example:

For an executive assistant:

prioritization + proactive communication

For an SDR:

objection handling + sales communication

For a customer support representative:

customer judgment + problem resolution

For a marketing professional:

analysis + role-specific decision-making

Qualified candidates can then move into a live remote interview where the client can probe responses, answer candidate questions, and make the final hiring decision.

The objective is:

Vetting removes obvious mismatches → asynchronous assessment adds standardized evidence where useful → live interview supports deeper evaluation and mutual decision-making

Not:

screen → screen again → screen again → finally let the candidate talk to a person.

Frequently Asked Questions About Asynchronous Interviews

What is an asynchronous interview?

An asynchronous interview is a job interview in which candidates answer predetermined questions without speaking to an interviewer in real time. Candidates complete their responses first, and recruiters or hiring managers review and evaluate them later.

What does asynchronous interview mean?

Asynchronous interview means the candidate and interviewer participate at different times rather than meeting simultaneously. The employer provides questions, the candidate submits responses within a defined window, and the hiring team reviews those responses afterward.

What is an async interview?

An async interview is another name for an asynchronous interview. In employment, the term commonly refers to one-way video interviews where candidates record answers to predetermined questions for recruiters to review later.

What is an asynchronous job interview?

An asynchronous job interview is an employment interview completed without a live interviewer. The employer provides job-related questions, candidates record or submit their responses independently, and the hiring team reviews the responses later as part of the selection process.

What is an asynchronous video interview?

An asynchronous video interview is a one-way interview where candidates record video responses to predetermined questions and employers watch and evaluate those responses later. It is one specific type of asynchronous interviewing.

Is an asynchronous interview the same as a one-way interview?

The terms are commonly used interchangeably when referring to video hiring. Technically, one-way video is one form of asynchronous interview because asynchronous responses could also be audio, text, or another non-live format.

Is an asynchronous interview the same as a pre-recorded interview?

A pre-recorded video interview is usually an asynchronous interview because candidates record answers for later review. Asynchronous interviewing is the broader category because the responses do not have to be video.

Is an asynchronous interview a real interview?

An asynchronous interview is a legitimate interview format when employers use the responses to evaluate candidates for employment. What makes it different from a traditional interview is the lack of real-time interaction.

What are common asynchronous interview questions?

Strong asynchronous interview questions are job-related and collect evidence about specific competencies. Examples include behavioral questions about previous work, situational questions about realistic job problems, and role-specific questions about how candidates approach relevant tasks or decisions.

How many questions should an asynchronous interview include?

The interview should include only enough questions to support the decision at that hiring stage. For many early-stage screens, three to six focused questions can provide sufficient evidence, although role complexity and the purpose of the interview should determine the final number.

Should candidates get preparation time?

Preparation time can help candidates organize more thoughtful responses, and recent research has associated greater preparation time with more favorable reactions to asynchronous video interviews. Employers should choose preparation limits according to what the job actually requires.

Should candidates be allowed to rerecord their answers?

Rerecording can improve candidate comfort and help recover from mistakes or technical problems. Research has associated rerecording opportunities with more favorable candidate reactions. Employers should decide whether immediate first-take responses provide any genuinely job-related value before restricting attempts.

Is an asynchronous interview better than a phone screen?

Neither format is universally better. Asynchronous interviews reduce scheduling and make standardized review easier, while phone screens allow follow-up questions and real-time candidate interaction. The better method depends on the information the employer needs and the number of candidates being evaluated.

What happens after a one-way video interview?

The hiring team typically reviews and scores the recorded responses, compares the candidate against predetermined criteria, and decides whether the person should advance. Qualified candidates commonly move into a live interview, assessment, or another hiring stage.

Are asynchronous interviews fair?

Asynchronous interviews can standardize questions, timing, and scoring conditions, but standardization alone does not guarantee fairness. Employers still need job-related criteria, consistent scoring, accessible technology, appropriate accommodations, and controls against irrelevant or discriminatory evaluation.

Can AI score asynchronous video interviews?

Some interview platforms offer automated analysis or scoring, but AI is not required for asynchronous interviewing. Employers using automated evaluation should understand what the technology analyzes, assess applicable legal obligations, provide appropriate notice and accommodation processes, and maintain accountability for employment decisions.

Do asynchronous interviews work for remote hiring?

Asynchronous interviews can be useful for remote and international hiring because candidates and interviewers do not need to coordinate a live meeting across time zones. They work best as one defined part of a broader hiring process rather than replacing all live interaction.

An Asynchronous Interview Should Remove Scheduling, Not Human Judgment

The strongest reason to use an asynchronous interview is simple:

The information you need does not require the candidate and interviewer to be present at the same time.

That can create a more scalable first-round process.

But removing the calendar meeting should not remove the discipline behind interviewing.

Define what you need to measure.

Ask questions connected to the job.

Give candidates enough information to participate effectively.

Use consistent scoring.

Provide accommodations where needed.

Review responses based on evidence.

Then bring the strongest candidates into a live conversation when deeper interaction will improve the decision.

That is where asynchronous interviewing creates value.

It removes unnecessary synchronization without turning hiring into an impersonal recording exercise.