Indeed one-way interview: What it is and how to replace it

If you've been using Indeed's built-in one-way interview to screen high-volume applicants, you may have noticed it's gone. This guide covers what a one-way interview actually is, what happened with Indeed's version, and how to replace it with external software without slowing your funnel.

What is a one-way video interview?

A one-way (asynchronous) video interview is a pre-recorded screen where candidates answer the same structured questions on their own time. You review later — with transcripts, summaries, and scores instead of live calls.

You'll also see it called a self-paced video interview or async interview. Same thing: you send questions, candidates record, you review on your schedule.

How it works for candidates: They receive a link (email, text, or job board), review instructions, record short answers question by question, and submit. Most complete in 10–20 minutes from any phone — no app, no account creation.

How it works for employers: You build a question set (typically 3–6 questions, 1–3 minutes per answer, one retake allowed), distribute one link across your channels, and review responses with transcripts and scoring. Everyone answers the same prompts, so comparisons are consistent.

Where it fits: High-volume roles where phone screens are the bottleneck — retail, hospitality, restaurants, customer service, hourly, seasonal. If you're sorting a large applicant pool into a handful of people worth a live conversation, this is the step that saves you the most time.

Did Indeed discontinue its one-way interview feature?

As of early 2026, many employers report the one-way interview option is no longer visible in their accounts. There's no official announcement from Indeed, and availability may vary by account type, region, and product tier.

What to do: Check your Employer Dashboard and Indeed's help resources (support.indeed.com/hc/en-us). If the feature is gone for your account, don't go back to phone-screening everyone. Move the interview step to external video interview software and keep applications flowing the same day.

How to replace Indeed one-way interviews with external software

The goal: keep the same structured, async screening workflow you had — but on a platform you control, so you're not dependent on a single job board's feature set.

Step 1: Pick a screening goal

Before you build anything, decide what you're screening for. Common first-round goals for high-volume roles: eligibility (availability, location, work authorization, start date), job-fit signals (communication, pace, reliability), or a specific skill check (POS experience, de-escalation, upselling).

One goal keeps the interview short and the rubric simple.

Step 2: Build your question set

Stick to 3–6 questions, 10–20 minutes total, 1–3 minutes per answer, one retake per question. This is the format that balances signal with completion — go longer and candidates drop off; go shorter and you don't learn enough.

Example for retail or customer service: availability and schedule flexibility, most recent customer-facing experience, how they'd handle an upset customer, how they manage a rush, and why this role right now.

Attach a simple rubric to each question (pass/fail plus a 1–5 scale on the criteria that matter) so reviewers apply the same standard across every candidate.

Step 3: Protect completion rates

High-volume hiring is a mobile funnel. If the experience is clunky, candidates bounce before they record anything.

Requirements: mobile-first (works on any phone browser), link-based access (no account creation, no app download), clear expectations before they start (how many questions, how long it takes, whether retakes are allowed), and a completion confirmation so they know it went through.

Define your minimum bar upfront — weekend availability, start within two weeks, whatever the non-negotiables are — so you're not reviewing candidates who were never going to work out.

Step 4: Connect to Indeed

Two paths, depending on your posting type:

Sponsored jobs (Indeed Apply URL): Enable "Apply with URL" via Indeed's employer settings. Paste your external interview link as the apply destination. When candidates click Apply, they land directly on your interview. Confirm tracking and candidate confirmations work end-to-end.

Free postings (job description link): Keep the standard Indeed apply flow, then direct candidates to your interview link in the job description. Place it near the top with clear instructions:

To be considered for this role, complete our 10–15 minute video interview after you apply: [your link]. 4–6 questions, about 1–2 minutes each, one retake per question. Mobile-friendly, no login or downloads required. Please complete within 48 hours — we review in order.

Repeat the link near the bottom and in your auto-reply email.

Step 5: Test before you launch

Open the link on an iPhone and an Android. Verify: Branding (logo, job title, intro message), instructions (time estimate, retakes, deadline), recording and playback, and completion confirmation. If it takes more than a minute to figure out how to start recording, fix it before candidates see it.

Step 6: Review with structure, not just gut

The point of replacing Indeed's one-way interview is to review faster — not to add admin.

Use transcripts and summaries to triage quickly. Watch full videos only for candidates who look promising on paper. Score with a consistent rubric so you're comparing apples to apples, not vibes to vibes.

If your tool provides AI-generated summaries or match scores, treat them as decision support: helpful for prioritization, but you're still making every advancement call yourself.

Step 7: Close the loop

Set a review cadence ("we review within 48 hours") and stick to it. Batch-share candidate profiles with your team using a consistent scorecard. Advance your top candidates to a live call or on-site quickly — speed matters in high-volume hiring because good candidates disappear fast. Send closure messages promptly to everyone else.

Track completion rate weekly. If it drops, shorten the interview or clarify the instructions before blaming candidate quality.

When to use one-way video interviews (and when not to)

Use it for: High-volume early screening where phone scheduling is the bottleneck. Hourly, retail, hospitality, customer service, seasonal, entry-level. Also useful when candidates are in multiple time zones, when you need several people to review the same responses, or when you want consistent data across locations.

Skip it for: Final-round conversations (offer negotiation, culture and expectation-setting, closing), real-time problem-solving assessments (pair programming, whiteboarding, live role plays), and any interview that needs genuine back-and-forth to evaluate depth.

The hybrid that works: Async to narrow the field, live to go deep. Screen with structured video, review transcripts and scores, then run live interviews only with candidates who've earned a real conversation.

What to look for in replacement software

If you relied on Indeed's built-in one-way interview, here's what to prioritize in an external tool:

• Candidate experience that protects completion. Mobile-first, browser-based, no app or account required. Clear instructions and time estimates before recording starts. If candidates can't start within a minute of clicking the link, your completion rate will suffer.
• Structured evaluation, not just a video folder. Consistent questions, built-in rubrics, and transcripts so you're comparing candidates on the same criteria — not just watching videos and going with your gut.
• AI that helps you review, not decides for you. Summaries, match scores with reasoning, and highlight reels that speed triage. Every score should be explainable so you can evaluate the AI's work yourself.
• One link you control. Distribute the same link across Indeed, your ATS, email, SMS, and your careers page. If the tool requires a different setup per channel, it's going to slow you down.
• ATS integration. Auto-send the link when a candidate hits a specific stage, write results back to the candidate record, and sync disposition status. Confirm the full loop works for your specific ATS before committing.
• Setup speed. You should be live with real candidates in under 15 minutes. If the tool requires an implementation project, it's built for a different buyer.

Truffle checks all of these — $99/month, one link, AI-generated interviews from your job description, transcripts, summaries, match scores with reasoning, and Candidate Shorts highlight reels. But whatever you choose, the above criteria are what matter.

FAQ on Indeed one-way video interviews

Yes. Same concept — asynchronous, pre-recorded screening. Indeed's was a built-in feature tied to their platform. External tools like Truffle, Spark Hire, Willo, or Hireflix offer the same workflow with a link you control.

Two paths: use the Indeed Apply URL (sponsored jobs — candidates land directly on your interview when they click Apply) or add the link in your job description with clear instructions (free postings). Both are covered in Step 4 above.

3–6 questions, 10–20 minutes total. Keep answers to 1–3 minutes. Include at least one deal-breaker question (availability, location, start date) so you can triage quickly.

Going over time, not answering the actual question, poor audio or lighting, reading from a script, and skipping basics like availability or transportation. Clear instructions and prep time before recording reduce most of these.

Pre-recorded wins for first-round screening — no scheduling, consistent questions, easy to compare, and scalable. Save live interviews for finalists who've already shown they're worth your time.

Test camera, mic, and Wi-Fi before starting. Be specific — use examples with numbers, tools, and scenarios rather than generalities. Keep answers concise and focused on what the question actually asks. Use the retake if you need it.