UK Video Interview Statistics 2026

Video interviews have transitioned from innovation to standard practice in UK graduate recruitment. The scale is staggering: HireVue, a leading video interview platform, conducted nearly 20 million video interviews in Q1 2024 alone, with a total of 70+ million interviews and 200+ million assessments across its platform. These figures underscore that video-based assessment is no longer emerging—it's now the dominant mechanism through which large-scale graduate recruitment operates.

The penetration is particularly acute among major UK employers. 43% of companies now use AI to interview potential hires, according to Adecco research. This translates across all major graduate employers: all Big 4 accounting firms, most investment banks, the Civil Service, NHS graduate schemes, and major law firms have embedded video interview assessments into their selection pipelines. For candidates targeting premium sectors, video interview capability is no longer optional—it's an essential competency.

This shift reflects both opportunity and challenge. Video interviews remove geographic barriers, enabling employers to screen candidates at scale and manage candidate volumes exceeding 140 applications per role. Candidates gain flexibility: no travel required, assessments can be completed on their schedule. However, the format introduces new performance variables: technical setup, environmental factors, camera awareness, and AI assessment algorithms that candidates must navigate.

54% of employers expect to move toward skills-based recruitment, according to HireVue's Early Career Survey, representing a fundamental shift in assessment philosophy. Traditional graduate recruitment emphasised university prestige, academic grades, and employer fit; skills-based approaches focus on demonstrable capability regardless of background. Video interviews, combined with skills assessments, enable this transition by isolating competency demonstration from credential signals.

The practical implications are substantial. In a skills-based framework, graduates from non-target universities can compete effectively against those from Russell Group institutions—if their video interview demonstrates superior communication, problem-solving, and commercial reasoning. Simultaneously, the shift places heightened pressure on interview performance quality: without credential filtering, video assessment becomes the primary differentiator among candidates with similar academic profiles.

ISE data reveals employer reliance on multiple assessment layers: 33% of employers have redesigned selection due to generative AI, whilst 61% report candidates using AI during interviews without disclosure. This tension—between employers expecting authentic performance and candidates leveraging technology—is reshaping assessment strategy. Forward-thinking employers are explicitly accommodating AI use, focusing assessments on capabilities that validate genuine competency rather than moment-to-moment recall or technical knowledge readily accessible through AI tools.