Criteria, the assessment company behind the CCAT aptitude test, also runs one-way video interviews on the Alcami platform it bought in 2021. The employer sets prep time, answer time and attempts per question, and since May 2025 employers can have answers scored by AI from the transcript alone. This page explains what Criteria is, what the interview is like, what it scores, the rules and practicalities, and how to prepare. We researched Criteria's own candidate pages and independent reports in November 2026; employers configure these tools differently, so your invitation has the final word.
What Criteria is
Criteria was founded in 2006 in Los Angeles, is based in West Hollywood and has an office in Brisbane. It acquired Alcami Interactive of Sydney in March 2021 and folded Alcami and Revelian into the Criteria brand in January 2022. Its Interview Intelligence scoring launched in May 2025. If the same employer sends you a cognitive test too, see our guide to the CCAT test.
What the interview is like
| What to expect | |
|---|---|
| Format | Recorded video answers; some questions take written answers or a document upload |
| Flow | Open the link, choose a language if offered (you cannot change it later), verify your details, then complete tasks in a fixed order |
| Before video | A monitoring setup step if the employer uses proctoring (an optional second camera), then a systems check and a practice question |
| Timing | Prep time, answer time and attempts are set per question; you can skip prep with I'm Ready Now |
| Attempts | The default is one; written questions always allow one |
Who reviews it and what they look for
- Each question is scored by people, by Criteria's AI Interview Intelligence, or by both, as the employer chooses.
- Criteria says the AI scores solely from your transcript, not the audio or video, against a behaviorally anchored rating scale.
- Results go only to the employer; Criteria's support team cannot see them. Criteria offers its bias audit on request.
Rules and practicalities
- Deadlines are set by the employer, and Criteria support says it cannot grant extensions.
- Accommodations can increase prep time, answer time and attempts, but only if arranged before you open the link; after that, Criteria support handles changes.
- Any device with a camera and microphone works if it is up to date with cookies and JavaScript on; some assessments will not run on phones and say so beforehand.
- VPNs and workplace networks can block video, so use a home connection without a VPN.
- If you see a message that you cannot restart the event, contact support by chat; a redo after technical problems needs a new invitation from the employer.
How to prepare
- Do the practice question: it is the way to catch a blocked camera, a muted microphone or a bad background.
- Turn off any VPN and avoid office Wi-Fi.
- Do not click I'm Ready Now by accident; use the prep time to choose your example.
- Ask the employer for any accommodation before you open the link.
- Because AI scoring reads only the transcript, say the substance plainly: the situation, what you did and the result.
Answering well on a one-way recording
- Use the prep time to pick one example and its result, not to write a script.
- Aim to finish a little before the answer timer runs out; a clipped ending reads worse than a short answer.
- Look at the camera lens, not at your own preview, and keep your face and shoulders in frame.
- Reviewers watch many recordings in a row, so lead with your point and then give the evidence.
For a free practice routine, see how to practice for an AI interview for free. Other platforms work differently, so compare what a one-way video interview is, time limits in one-way video interviews and the Willo interview.
Your rights and what happens next
After a Criteria interview, a recruiter usually reviews the scores, transcript or recording, often within days, and decides whether to move you forward; most vendors say a human makes the decision. If you hear nothing in a week or two, a short, polite follow-up to the recruiter is reasonable.
Depending on where you live, the law may give you rights over automated interviews. Illinois requires employers to explain and get consent before using AI to analyze video interviews, New York City requires bias audits and advance notice for automated hiring tools, and the EU AI Act treats AI used in recruitment as high risk. You can ask the employer how your recording is stored and who reviews it, and request an alternative if you need an accommodation.
Where CoPilot Interview fits
One-way recorded interviews are rounds you take on your own, and they almost always forbid outside help; some log tab switches, pasted text or a second voice. So the useful preparation is practice. CoPilot Interview is an AI interview assistant; its free AI mock interview builds questions from your résumé and the job description, reads them aloud and scores each spoken answer out of ten, which is close to how many automated interviews work. The free plan gives 15 minutes a day of live help in sessions of up to 15 minutes, with AI mock interviews included. On the day, follow your employer's rules and the instructions in your invitation.
Disclosure: CoPilot Interview is our product, so weigh what we say about it accordingly.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Criteria video interview?
A one-way recorded interview on Criteria's platform, formerly Alcami, with prep time, answer time and attempts set by the employer for each question.
How many attempts do I get?
The default is one per question, and written questions always allow one, unless the employer allows more.
Does Criteria use AI to score my video?
Only if the employer chooses it. Criteria says its AI scores from your transcript alone, not the audio or video.
Can Criteria extend my deadline?
No. Deadlines are set by the employer, and Criteria support says it cannot grant extensions.
Can I use an AI assistant during my Criteria interview?
No. One-way recorded interviews are meant to be answered on your own, and reviewers watch the recording. Practice beforehand instead, and follow your employer's rules.
Practice this interview before the real one
The AI mock interview builds questions from your resume and the job description, reads them aloud and scores each spoken answer out of 10. Included on the free plan.
Start a mock interview