Make hiring more human with Typeform video questions and answers

Use Typeform video questions and answers to make your recruitment process faster, friendlier, and more human.

Hiring is more than just matching skills to roles. It’s about connecting with people who’ll thrive in your team and helping them see that your company could be the right fit for them too. But with tight deadlines, heavy workloads, and multiple roles to fill, it’s not always easy to keep things personal. The process can quickly get bogged down in long email threads, attachments, and text-heavy forms.

That’s where Typeform video questions and answers can help. They bring a face and voice into every stage of recruitment—from candidate outreach and first applications to onboarding and feedback. Using video (from both you and your candidates) helps you get a fuller picture of each person, faster. You’ll pick up on soft skills, like communication style, confidence, and enthusiasm, long before the interview stage. And because responses are asynchronous, candidates can record when it suits them, so there’s no need to juggle schedules or calls.

Below are some ideas for using video in your typeforms to create a more personal, engaging recruitment process from start to finish.

Looking for a step-by-step guide on how to build a job application typeform? Check out this guide.

🎬 1. Start with a friendly video introduction

First impressions set the tone for the entire candidate experience. Opening your job application typeform with a short intro video is a simple way to make applicants feel welcomed and at ease. It establishes an immediate connection with candidates by letting them put a face to your name and also helps them understand what to expect from your process.

We recommend using the Statement question type with a video question for your introduction. You can also customize the button text that appears alongside the video with a clear call-to-action, like "Apply now!", or, "Let’s get started!"

Keep your intro video short (ideally no more than 30-45 seconds) and friendly. Here are some ideas on what to include:

• A warm greeting including your name and role
• A quick mention of your company and the role the candidate applied for.
• What the form is for, e.g. “a few quick questions to help us get to know you better.”
• A heads-up about video responses - if you’d like candidates to reply with videos, let them know early so they’re camera-ready in a quiet, well-lit space.
• An idea of how long it’ll take to complete the form taking into consideration time for watching your videos and recording video answers.
• What happens next, e.g. “We’ll review your answers and get back to you within a few days.”

🗣️ Example script:

“Hi there, I’m Rachel from Zo Digital. Thanks for your interest in the Marketing Coordinator role! This quick form will help us learn a bit more about your skills and experience. It should only take around 5-10 minutes to complete. You’ll also see a few questions that ask you to record short video answers—just find a quiet space with good light before you start, and don’t stress about the camera. We’re not looking for perfection. Once you’re done, we’ll review your answers in the next couple of days and be in touch about next steps.”

🎥 2. Ask candidates to reply with video answers

Written answers are useful. There’s always a place for short text answers when you need practical information like a candidate’s contact details, LinkedIn URL, or education history  (check out our full list of question types here). But longer written responses don’t always capture someone’s personality, confidence, or communication style.

Adding video answers gives candidates space to express themselves naturally and show who they are beyond their CV.

How to use them:

• Ask open-ended questions that encourage storytelling rather than yes/no answers.
• Let candidates know there’s a two-minute limit for each video response (or encourage them to give even shorter answers if you prefer).
• Use these videos to replace or complement early screening calls—they save time and give you a good first impression of candidates.

Example questions:

• “Tell us about a project you’re really proud of.”
• “What motivates you most in your work?”
• “What kind of team brings out your best work?”
• "Why are you excited about this opportunity?”

Decide whether you want to give candidates the option to respond with audio or text if they’re not comfortable on camera. Toggle on the Audio and/or Allow text answer switches to let people record audio without video, or write a response instead. These settings are off by default, so candidates can only reply with video unless you enable them.

Reassure candidates they don’t need to be perfect on camera—you just want to hear their story in their own words. And if you’re asking candidates to show up on video, make sure you’re doing the same, it helps set the tone and builds trust.

If you’d like candidates to share additional materials—like a CV, portfolio, or cover letter—add a File upload question to your typeform.

🌟 3. Showcase your company’s personality

Your recruitment process should give candidates a sense of what it’s really like to work at your company. With Typeform video questions and answers, it’s easy to show your culture and team in a way that feels real.

A few ideas to try:

• Record a short message from future teammates talking about what they enjoy about their role.
• Include a quick clip from your office, a remote team call, or a team day.
• Add a short video from your CEO or team lead sharing your company’s mission or values.
• Use video to highlight what makes your workplace unique—flexibility, collaboration, growth opportunities, or even bring-your-dog-to-work days.

Don’t worry about having a studio setup or perfect lighting. Authenticity goes further than polish. Simple, unscripted clips filmed on phones often feel more genuine and help candidates picture themselves on your team.

🌍 4. Personalize the candidate journey

Every candidate’s experience is different. Use Logic in your typeform to tailor what people see based on their responses.

During applications

Use Logic Jumps to adapt your questions and videos based on what candidates tell you. For example:

• Ask “Which type of work environment do you prefer?” with multiple-choice options for remote, in-office, or hybrid. Then show a short video from an employee that matches their choice.
• Ask “Which team are you most interested in?” and branch to a short clip from that department’s manager or team members.
• Ask “What stage of your career are you in?” and share a video about mentorship for early-career applicants or leadership opportunities for senior roles.

This makes your hiring process more relevant and helps candidates picture where they’d fit in.

During onboarding

Using logic also works well once someone’s joined your team. You can build a self-guided onboarding typeform that lets new hires explore what matters most to them, at their own pace.

Try asking:

• “What would you like to learn about first?”
  • Our company story
  • The team you’ll be joining
  • Our values and culture
  • Tools and ways of working

Use Logic to branch to short videos or sections that match their choice—for example, a welcome message from leadership, a team introduction, or a quick demo of your tools—then loop back to the main menu so they can keep exploring.

📽️ 5. Use video at every stage of hiring

You can use Typeform video questions and answers throughout your recruitment process:

• Pre-screening: Replace early phone calls with a short typeform that includes video questions and answers. It’s an easy way to learn more about candidates asynchronously, review their responses, and share them with your team when it suits you.
• Interview preparation: Create a quick typeform that includes a short video explaining what candidates can expect, who they’ll meet, and how to prepare.
• Post-interview: Send a follow-up typeform with a short thank-you video and a few questions for feedback about their experience.
• Onboarding: Build a “Welcome” typeform with intro videos from managers or teammates, plus links to useful resources for new starters.

Use Automations in Typeform to handle what happens after someone submits your form.

You can set up time delays and schedule emails to be sent out automatically to reduce the need for manual follow-ups.

For example:

• When a candidate completes a pre-screening form and becomes a contact, send a thank-you email one day later.
• Three days after that, send another email asking for some feedback.

Alternatively, check out how to use follow-up email messages.

Check out the difference between automations and follow-up email messages here.

You can also use our native integrations with tools like Slack, or connect to your preferred tools through Zapier or Make.

🎯 6. Tips for great video engagement

Small details can make a big difference in how your videos look and feel for you and your candidates.

Keep in mind:

• Keep it short and focused. Aim for 30-45 seconds for both your question videos and candidates’ answers. Shorter videos are easier to record, upload, and review.
• Be natural. Speak as you would in a conversation, and don’t worry about making your videos look perfect. A genuine tone helps candidates feel more relaxed when they record their own videos.
• Use good light and framing. Sit near a window or a soft light source, and keep the camera at eye level. This helps your video feel clear and approachable.
• Add captions and make sure they’re accurate. Captions make your videos more accessible and easier to follow.
• Test your form. Preview your typeform to check how it flows, and make sure your videos look and sound good on both desktop and mobile before sharing.

Once responses start coming in, use Smart Insights to get quick AI analysis of responses. It helps you identify common themes and key points from responses, so you can review insights efficiently and focus on next steps.

And that’s it—a few small changes that can make a big difference to your hiring process. Adding video questions and answers to your typeforms helps you make the process more personal and human, while still saving time and staying organized. It’s a simple way to help both you and your candidates feel more connected throughout the process.

Want to learn more about using Typeform to craft engaging employee experiences? Check out our Typeform Talent plan.