Overview
Video interviews on the Sova platform are delivered through the candidate's own device and browser, using their local network connection. Because of this, the majority of technical difficulties candidates encounter during recording are related to their own hardware, software, or connectivity rather than the platform itself. Across web-based video recording platforms generally, it is typical for around 5–10% of candidates to experience some form of device or network issue – this is a normal rate for any browser-based recording tool.
Support
When a technical issue is reported, Sova customer support can:
- Confirm whether the platform is operational
- Investigate reports affecting multiple candidates
- Review platform-side logs and confirm submission status
- Share guidance on supported browsers and device requirements
Some things – such as a candidate's local network conditions, device settings, camera or microphone behaviour, or browser configuration – fall outside what we're able to access or diagnose remotely.
Retake decisions
If a candidate has experienced a technical difficulty and the Sova platform is confirmed as running normally, the decision on whether to offer a retake sits with the hiring organisation.
Common Candidate Technical Issues
The following are examples of technical issues that may be reported by candidates, along with their most likely causes. These are presented to help support teams and hiring managers understand what they may be seeing.
1. No Audio / Sound Cuts Out Mid-Recording
The candidate’s recording has no sound, or the audio stops part way through. Common causes include:
- The candidate accidentally muted their device using a keyboard shortcut (e.g. M key, Ctrl+D, Ctrl+Shift+M)
- The candidate tapped or pressed a button on wireless earbuds, which toggled the microphone mute — this is a very common accidental action and will produce an audible tap sound just before the audio cuts
- A laptop function key (e.g. Fn+F4) muted the microphone at operating system level, cutting audio to all applications simultaneously
- The spacebar was released during a push-to-talk mode in certain applications
- The microphone was physically disconnected or switched off on the headset
Tip for reviewers: Look at what the candidate is wearing. If they have earbuds or a headset, an accidental tap or press is one of the most likely explanations for audio cutting out. Listen carefully in the seconds before the audio drops — a tap or click sound is often audible.
2. No Video / Black or Blank Screen
The candidate’s video feed shows a black screen, a single solid colour, or a placeholder icon. Common causes include:
- The candidate has covered their camera lens — either with their hand, a physical privacy slider built into the laptop, or a clip-on camera cover
- The camera was disabled at operating system level
- Browser permissions for camera access were blocked or denied
- The camera was in use by another application and could not be shared
- The device does not have a functioning camera or it was not detected
Tip for reviewers: If you are seeing a completely black or blank screen with no image of the candidate at all, it is likely that the candidate has covered or disabled their camera. A placeholder icon (camera with a line through it) typically means the platform lost access to the camera feed entirely.
3. Thumbnail Present but No Video Available
The system shows a thumbnail image of the candidate but the video recording itself is missing or will not play. Common causes include:
- The candidate closed their browser or tab before the video finished uploading
- The internet connection dropped during the upload process after recording was complete
- A server-side processing or encoding error occurred after upload
- The recording was started but the upload did not complete due to insufficient bandwidth
Note: Thumbnails are typically captured at the very start of a recording as a lightweight preview, before the main video upload begins. It is therefore possible for a thumbnail to exist even when the video file itself is missing or incomplete.
4. Robotic or Automated Voice Heard on Recording
An automated, robotic-sounding voice is heard on the candidate’s recording — for example, reading out a word or short phrase. Common causes include:
- A screen reader or accessibility tool (such as Windows Narrator or macOS VoiceOver) was active and read aloud text that appeared on screen
- Third-party software running on the candidate’s device announced itself audibly — for example, a trial version of an application announcing its trial status
- A virtual camera or audio routing application played a startup or watermark announcement
- A voice assistant (Siri, Cortana, Alexa) was triggered in the background
5. Mobile Device Icon / Phone Feed Shown
A mobile phone icon appears, or the recording suggests a phone was being used as a camera source. Common causes include:
- The candidate was attempting to use their mobile phone as their primary recording device and it disconnected or locked mid-recording
- The candidate was using a phone-as-webcam application (such as DroidCam or EpocCam) to feed their phone camera into their computer, and this connection dropped
6. Third-Party Software Visible (e.g. OBS Studio)
The OBS Studio logo or another broadcasting/recording application logo appears in the video feed. OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) is a legitimate screen recording and streaming tool, however its presence in a video interview context is unusual and should be noted.
- OBS can be used to feed a virtual camera into a video interview, which may not behave identically to a standard webcam feed
- If OBS or similar software is visible alongside other anomalies (missing audio, missing thumbnails, trial software announcements), this may warrant further review by your assessment integrity team
7. Intermittent Freezing or Poor Video Quality
The video feed is pixelated, freezes, or drops frames. Common causes include:
- Insufficient internet bandwidth or an unstable connection
- The candidate was using a work or school network with firewall restrictions limiting media streaming
- The candidate’s device was running too many applications simultaneously, causing performance issues
- An outdated browser or operating system unable to handle the video encoding requirements
Advice for Candidates — Best Practice Before Completing a Video Interview
The following guidance should be shared with candidates ahead of their video interview to minimise the likelihood of technical issues.
Always Complete the Practice Question First
This is the single most important step. Before attempting any scored question, candidates must:
- Complete the practice question in full
- Watch the practice recording back immediately — do not skip this step
- Confirm that they can be clearly seen on camera throughout
- Confirm that their voice is clearly audible — they should speak during the practice question, not just nod or remain silent
- If anything looks or sounds wrong, resolve the issue before proceeding to the real questions
The practice question exists specifically to allow candidates to test their setup. If a candidate skips the practice question or does not watch it back, Sova and the hiring organisation cannot be responsible for technical issues that could have been identified and resolved at that stage.
Camera and Visibility
- Ensure your camera is switched on and unobstructed
- Do not cover your camera lens — you must be clearly visible throughout the recording
- Check your lighting — sit facing a light source rather than having it behind you
- Position the camera so your face is clearly framed in the centre of the screen
Audio and Microphone
- Speak clearly during the practice question and watch it back to confirm your audio is working
- If using wireless earbuds or a headset, be mindful of accidental button presses that may mute your microphone
- Ensure your microphone is not muted on your device before starting
- Reduce background noise where possible — find a quiet room
Device and Browser
- Use a personal device where possible — work or school devices may have firewalls or security policies that block video recording in the browser
- Use a personal network — work or school Wi-Fi may also have restrictions that affect the platform
- Make sure your browser is fully up to date before starting
- Clear your browser cookies and cache before beginning the interview
- Close all other tabs, windows, and applications before starting — other programs can compete for camera and microphone access and may cause conflicts
- Do not run screen recording, streaming, or virtual camera software (such as OBS) during the interview
- Ensure your operating system and device drivers are up to date
Internet Connection
- Use a strong, stable internet connection — a wired ethernet connection is preferable to Wi-Fi where possible
- If using Wi-Fi, sit as close to the router as possible
- Avoid completing the interview on a mobile data connection if possible
- Ask others in your household to avoid heavy internet use (streaming, large downloads) during your interview