What to Expect with HireVue Interviews

Last Updated: October 31, 2025

The most sought-after summer analyst and full-time analyst positions in finance attract thousands of applicants. In order to more efficiently identify the best candidates, many firms now use HireVue, an AI-enabled video-interview platform, to conduct screening interviews.

Invitations to conduct these preliminary interviews via HireVue are often sent within minutes of submitting your application and typically have a very short window for you to conduct the interview. Before applying to a position, it is important that you understand what to expect during a HireVue interview and learn how to maximize your chances of moving further into the recruiting process.

Here’s what you need to know, and how you can prepare:

The Fast-Lane Timeline

In the past, screening interviews took place later in a candidate’s journey. Now, students have to be ready 18 months before their internships even begin. The introduction of AI tools has further compressed that timeline. In some cases, first-round interviews are held in January of sophomore year, meaning freshmen must begin preparation very early.
What this means: You cannot wait until junior year to get serious. Start building your narrative, professional presence, and technical skills as early as your freshman year to keep pace.

AI-Screening Overview

When you receive a HireVue invitation, you’re often asked to submit video responses to preset questions. Some key elements:

• The interview may begin within minutes or hours of you submitting your application.

• The platform often gives you only a short window (24–48 hours) to complete the interview.

• Questions can range from “Why do you want to join this firm?” to role-specific questions, situational prompts, technical queries, even current events or macro-oriented issues.

• Once you record your answers, the AI software analyzes thousands of data points—voice pace, tone, facial engagement, eye-contact, phrasing and more—comparing you to high-performing benchmark candidates.

• This algorithmic scoring allows banks to screen large applicant pools quickly while reducing human bias.

The HireVue Process

As a candidate, your primary interaction with HireVue will be an asynchronous video interview. Before applications open, firms set questions in HireVue. When you apply, you’ll be asked to record video answers to these questions.

Before the interview begins, HireVue will provide instructions and information about how the interview will be conducted. Additionally, some firms will provide videos to give candidates an overview of the company.

When it is time to conduct the interview, the question will appear on screen either as text or a video of the firm’s employee asking the question. You will be given a certain amount of unrecorded time to prepare your answer, which could be anywhere from thirty seconds to two minutes. If you are ready to get started before your allotted time is up, you can begin recording before the time has elapsed.

Once the allotted time is up, the video will start to automatically record your answer whether you’re ready or not. Some firms allow you to submit another attempt to prepare and record if you did not feel confident on your first try.

Common HireVue Interview Questions

For internship and entry-level roles, HireVue interviews typically have two to four questions. The full interview typically lasts about 15-20 minutes.

A common line of questioning is focused on the candidate’s reasons for wanting to join the firm. The first one you’ll often hear is “Tell me about yourself.” Learn how to handle it effectively in our related blog: How to Answer ‘Tell Me About Yourself’ in Finance Interviews. Other lines of questioning include assessing the depth of the candidate’s knowledge through situational questions, macro-related topics, technical concepts, elaborating on current events, or even brainteasers.

There is typically a role-related question that assesses your understanding of the role for which you are interviewing and the reasons why you feel you are a good fit. This question may ask you to tie in your prior experiences and how it will prepare you for the role. Or it may directly ask your motivation for this work. This question checks your understanding of the role and your intent to follow it, backed up by specific experiences and endeavors to prove your interest.

Best Practices (What You Can Control)

Act as though an interviewer is present, since preparation and presence are key.

1. Technical set-up matters
   Wear business-professional attire, ensure good lighting and a clean background, elevate your webcam to eye-level, and center yourself in frame. Make your mistakes in a safe space by practicing until the setup becomes second-nature.

2.  Practice deliberately and authentically
   Utilise tools that simulate the HireVue environment (e.g., sample questions, timer, webcam recording). But equally important: Be authentic. Whether you’re an introvert or an extrovert, be authentic to yourself. The AI will pick up on inauthenticity.

3. Structure your responses
   Even though you’re speaking to a screen, structure matters:

   • Briefly set the context (“When I was…”)

   • Describe your action (“I did…”)

   • Summarise the outcome (“Because of this…”).
     Also tie your answer back to the firm’s values and your long-term interest in finance / investment banking.

4. Control what you can control
   Focus on being prepared, confident, and professional at every step.

Why This Matters More than Ever

With recruiting timelines accelerating and screening driven by AI, the margin for error has shrunk. What once was a friendly conversation in an early round has become a computer-mediated assessment with real implications. If you’re aiming for roles in investment banking, or any high-stakes finance opportunity, this new reality means you must be prepared earlier, more deliberately, and more consistently than ever.

Final Thoughts

HireVue and other AI-enabled platforms require greater preparation: understand the process, refine your set-up, practice authentically, and start early. These steps ensure you are well-positioned in today's recruiting landscape.

Remember: the path to a successful finance career requires more than technical mastery. Show up professionally, prepare early, and present yourself purposefully for every interview; these are the most important ways to set yourself apart.

Resources

• Explore the FMC® Program and how it helps build your technical and presentation readiness.

• Visit our Learning Center for more guides, resources, and recruiting tips.