A good thing takes time: The role of preparation time in asynchronous video interviews

Asynchronous video interviews (AVIs) are increasingly used to preselect applicants. Previous research found that interviewees in AVIs receive better interview ratings compared to other forms of interviews. It has been suggested that this difference could be due to the preparation time given for each AVI question. A pilot study confirmed that preparation time in AVIs is indeed beneficial for interview performance. Furthermore, our main study replicated the significant effect of preparation time on interview performance and revealed that it was mediated by active response preparation, whereas no mediation effects were found for strain and for the use of impression management. Finally, preparation time had no direct effect on fairness perceptions but a positive indirect effect via honest impression management.
Practitioner points It was previously suggested that applicants receive better interview ratings in asynchronous video interviews (AVIs) than in synchronous interviews because of the preparation time that is provided for each question in an AVI. Our results confirmed that preparation time in AVIs indeed leads to better interview performance ratings. The positive effects of preparation time were due to active response preparation (i.e., interviewees made notes and structured their answers). Longer preparation time did not affect dishonest impression management or fairness perceptions but might affect the validity of AVIs.
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