CMS video interview

[SK16]

Hi everyone!

I received the CMS VI invite a few days ago, and I'm getting ready to do the interview. My last video interview went horribly, and I'd want to avoid repeating the same mistakes (where I completely waffled my answers).

If anyone has any tips on what to expect from the VI, I would really appreciate it!

 

[George Maxwell]

Hi @SK16,

Welcome to the forum! It's great to have you join the community.

Congratulations too on being progressed to VI with CMS! That's fantastic news 🥳

Would you be interested in some general VI advice, or are you only interested in CMS-specific information?

Very happy to provide some general advice if that would be helpful!

 

[SK16]

Hi @SK16,

Welcome to the forum! It's great to have you join the community.

Congratulations too on being progressed to VI with CMS! That's fantastic news 🥳

Would you be interested in some general VI advice, or are you only interested in CMS-specific information?

Very happy to provide some general advice if that would be helpful!

Thank you! 🥳

Honestly I'm looking for both, so if you have any general words of wisdom on how to prepare for a video interviews that would be really helpful!

 

[OB]

Thank you! 🥳

Honestly I'm looking for both, so if you have any general words of wisdom on how to prepare for a video interviews that would be really helpful!

I think prepping possible answers as bullet points instead of scripted answers is a good method. That way you're not stumbling because you can't remember the exact wording you've drafted but you have key points to ensure you say everything you want and sounds more natural!

Also practicing recording yourself in the time limits to gauge how much you can comfortably fit into the time is a key method I used last year!

 

[Idlewild]

Congratulations on making it to VI stage!

I think this post provides some helpful insight into what to expect: https://www.thecorporatelawacademy.com/forum/threads/cms-application-2020.2167/post-24586

I agree with OB re. the bullet points and recording yourself practicing. Also, look up using the STAR method for answering competency based questions.

 

[SK16]

Thank you both for the tips @OB and @Idlewild, very much appreciated!

Also practicing recording yourself in the time limits to gauge how much you can comfortably fit into the time is a key method I used last year!

I have no idea what the time limit will be to respond to the questions, will this usually be around 2 minutes?

 

[OB]

Thank you both for the tips @OB and @Idlewild, very much appreciated!



I have no idea what the time limit will be to respond to the questions, will this usually be around 2 minutes?

Feels like ages since I did it but I think it’s 60 seconds to prep and 60 seconds to answer this year (last year they let you have 90 seconds)

 

[George Maxwell]

Thank you! 🥳

Honestly I'm looking for both, so if you have any general words of wisdom on how to prepare for a video interviews that would be really helpful!

Hi @SK16,

@Idlewild and @OB have provided some great tips on here.

I particularly like OB's suggestion of having key points in mind ahead of starting, rather than attempting to memorise an answer. I always found when I tried to memorise an answer I would express myself less naturally (and would forget what I wanted to say during the recording!). Often too I would get distracted by the time I had left etc. so definitely try to implement what they said if you can.

Similarly I would try to avoid writing lots of sticky notes around your computer/desk just in case you forget what you are saying etc. I found that if I had something to look at I would be tempted to just rely on it, which resulted in me answering less well.

Looking back, often the best video interviews that I submitted were not necessarily those with substantively the best answers. Instead, they were the ones where I presented myself in an authentic and natural way.

I think many people reply in a very similar way to the questions asked on during VI (and a normal interview). A key differentiator is how your answers are expressed and how that makes your interviewer/reviewer feel about you as a candidate.

For a compilation of more general tips, check out this post which I hope might be helpful. @Alice G's tips (included in that post) are gold dust.

All the best for it and let me know how it goes 🚀

 

[SK16]

Hi @SK16,

@Idlewild and @OB have provided some great tips on here.

I particularly like OB's suggestion of having key points in mind ahead of starting, rather than attempting to memorise an answer. I always found when I tried to memorise an answer I would express myself less naturally (and would forget what I wanted to say during the recording!). Often too I would get distracted by the time I had left etc. so definitely try to implement what they said if you can.

Similarly I would try to avoid writing lots of sticky notes around your computer/desk just in case you forget what you are saying etc. I found that if I had something to look at I would be tempted to just rely on it, which resulted in me answering less well.

Looking back, often the best video interviews that I submitted were not necessarily those with substantively the best answers. Instead, they were the ones where I presented myself in an authentic and natural way.

I think many people reply in a very similar way to the questions asked on during VI (and a normal interview). A key differentiator is how your answers are expressed and how that makes your interviewer/reviewer feel about you as a candidate.

For a compilation of more general tips, check out this post which I hope might be helpful. @Alice G's tips (included in that post) are gold dust.

All the best for it and let me know how it goes 🚀

Thank you so much for all the advice, I really appreciate it! I'll definitely forget the sticky notes, I can see how I might rely too much on them and completely miss actually answering the question. 😅 This is definitely helpful in relieving some stress I had about the VI, as last time I think I focused on saying what the firm wanted to hear rather than going about expressing it in a genuine way.

 

[hopefulfutureapprentice]

Thank you so much for all the advice, I really appreciate it! I'll definitely forget the sticky notes, I can see how I might rely too much on them and completely miss actually answering the question. 😅 This is definitely helpful in relieving some stress I had about the VI, as last time I think I focused on saying what the firm wanted to hear rather than going about expressing it in a genuine way.

How did you get on with your video interview?!

 

[SK16]

How did you get on with your video interview?!

From what I can remember I think it went okay although I was SO nervous - I think afterwards I felt that I was able to give structured answers rather than going on a tangent, which is what I did in my first ever video interview. I ended up getting the VS offer

 

[hopefulfutureapprentice]

From what I can remember I think it went okay although I was SO nervous - I think afterwards I felt that I was able to give structured answers rather than going on a tangent, which is what I did in my first ever video interview. I ended up getting the VS offer

Congratulations! That is amazing. Good luck on the VS!
I done a video interview for the apprenticeship in Feb, just waiting to hear back. It has been reviewed! Although, not expecting a good outcome!

 

[emnlawyer]

From what I can remember I think it went okay although I was SO nervous - I think afterwards I felt that I was able to give structured answers rather than going on a tangent, which is what I did in my first ever video interview. I ended up getting the VS offer

Hi! I have a VI coming up for CMS and was wondering if you remembered what questions were asked? Thanks!

 

[OB]

Hi! I have a VI coming up for CMS and was wondering if you remembered what questions were asked? Thanks!

Hi sorry it’s against TCLA rules to share the exact questions asked but when I did it there was 1 why cms question, 2 competency and 1 scenario question. Please double check on anything people have said more recently in case they’ve changed their VI format since I did it!