Interview questions to avoid for video interviews

Avoid yes or no traps

Questions that can be answered with a single word kill momentum on video. If your interview question allows a yes or no, rephrase it to ask for a reason, an example, or a short explanation.

Even simple biographical questions can be opened up. Instead of asking if something was hard, ask what made it hard in practice.

Skip questions they have answered a hundred times

Research helps you avoid tired interview questions. If a guest has answered the same prompt in every other video, skip it or find a new angle that builds on it.

Tired answers rarely show the guest at their best, and viewers can often tell when a response is rehearsed.

Avoid leading or loaded phrasing

Phrasing that assumes a stance puts a guest on the defensive. Keep your interview questions neutral and let them share their view instead of guessing yours.

Test each question out loud. If it sounds like you are making a point rather than asking one, rewrite it.

Do not stack multiple questions

Asking two or three questions at once almost always fails on camera. The guest will answer one of them, forget the rest, and you will either repeat yourself or lose time.

Ask one clear question, wait for the answer, and follow up if needed.

Key takeaways

• Rephrase yes or no questions to invite explanation.
• Avoid prompts that have been repeated in many interviews.
• Keep questions neutral instead of leading.
• Ask one question at a time with room to expand.