1. Take advantage of being able to set your own time and place

Not having a face-to-face interview means you can complete the video interview when you’re at your sharpest.

"Some people may do their best thinking at 7am, but it's unlikely that they would ever have a 7am interview. They could, however, do their pre-recorded interview at that time.”

This also means that you don’t have to wait to be invited which helps to speed up the process. You have the added benefit of no traveling stress – zero worries about traffic or public transport. So, make the most of the opportunity by doing it where you are most comfortable and at a time that suits you. This means you can be very well-prepared with no surprises along the way.

 

2. Do your homework on the company and the program

Just like in a face-to-face interview, you will fare better if you do some research beforehand. Learn as much as you can about Shell and the role you are applying for so that you can be clear on your motivations when answering the questions. Our recruiters are interested in knowing why you want to work for Shell, how your skills and strengths can make the company better and how we can help you progress in your career.


3. Prepare for competency-based questions

When preparing for your video interview, look back on your achievements and experiences. Write down instances where you explored new opportunities, resolved difficult situations, and successfully worked with others.

“One tip is to draft ‘model answers’ to all the competency-based questions you can think of. You can then refine and update your answers whenever you have new experiences or engage in new activities.”

It is important not to confuse skill-based questions with competency-based questions. Competency-based questions focus on how you handle situations, such as handling conflict, addressing problems and achieving results for example.

Having a collection of real-life stories that demonstrate your role and contribution will be very helpful when responding.

 

4. Drive your CAR

Capacity, Achievement, and Relationships (CAR) is a framework we use to assess candidates whether they are online or face-to-face. Preparing examples of situations where you excelled in any of these three areas will really help you do well in your video interview. Read more about CAR.

 

5. Treat it like a video call

Interviews— whether in person or by video can be unnerving. Try treating it as though you are on a video call with a friend and you’d be surprised at how comfortable the experience can be!

“Almost everyone has used Facetime, Skype or some other platform for video calling. When you’re speaking to friends or family you can see your face on the screen, but this doesn’t necessarily distract you or impede your ability to communicate and get your ideas across. You probably don’t get especially nervous or awkward when speaking to friends or family. Just try to treat this the same way.”

 

6. Take advantage of your 30 seconds

You get 30 seconds to think and come up with your answer which is a big advantage that you don’t always allow yourself in a face-to-face interview. Use this time to craft your answers.

“During an On-Demand Video Interview you actually get that time to think of a high-quality answer. It is a real bonus.”

Practice at home using a timer and recording yourself using your own video recordings. The more you do it the better you will become and feel more comfortable with the process and the timings.

 

7. Answer using STAR

While presentation skills are important, our Shell recruiters value the context and quality of your answers over how comfortable (or uncomfortable) you may be on video. A good way to structure your answers is with the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, and Result.

“I think the STAR method is always a good one to use. Outline your situation briefly and provide some background. Clearly articulate what your task was or what you had to achieve. A is the action - what did you do as an individual, even if this was contributing to the success of a wider team. I'm very interested in what specific actions you, as an individual, took and the impact of those actions. And I want to know the result - whether it was a good result or a bad result I want to know what the outcome was. If there was a reflection or learning opportunity afterwards then that is even better.”

 

8. Focus on “me” versus “we”

While it’s good to show that you are a team player, don’t forget to highlight your achievements as an individual. Make sure to identify clearly what role YOU specifically played in any example you share.

Keep these tips in mind before heading into your ODVI and you could be well on your way to the next stages of the Shell application process!

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