Video interviews

Public sector video interviews come in two kinds. A live interview is a normal panel interview held on Microsoft Teams, Zoom or a similar platform. A recorded (asynchronous) interview shows you questions on screen and records your answers for assessors to score later. Both are scored in the same way as face-to-face interviews, so the content of your answers matters far more than your camera, but a poor setup can cost you time and composure.

Which kind you are facing

The invitation should tell you. Live video interviews are now routine for first-round NHS, Civil Service and council interviews, and for some school posts, though schools still tend to want to see you in person for a teaching interview. Recorded interviews are more common for high-volume recruitment such as graduate schemes, apprenticeships and some Civil Service campaigns.

If the invitation names a platform you have not used, look for a test link or instructions, and ask the recruitment contact if there is none.

Technical setup

Use a laptop or desktop if you can. A phone works, but it is harder to keep steady and screen sharing is fiddly.

Check these a day before, not ten minutes before:

• the platform opens and you can join a test call
• camera and microphone work, and the right ones are selected
• your internet is stable; sit near the router or use a cable
• updates are installed and the device is charged and plugged in
• notifications, email and other apps are closed

Earphones with a built-in microphone usually give clearer sound than laptop speakers and stop echo. Put the camera at eye level by raising the laptop on books. Face a window or lamp so light falls on your face, not behind you.

Have a phone number for the recruiter in case the connection fails. If it drops, rejoin straight away and, if you cannot, ring or email. Panels are used to this and will usually pause or rearrange.

The room

Pick a quiet room with a plain background, and tell anyone at home when you will be on a call. Blurred or plain virtual backgrounds are acceptable; avoid novelty ones. Keep a glass of water and a pen and paper within reach.

Notes are allowed in some interviews and not in others. If you keep a few prompts nearby, do not read from them, as the panel can tell. Never use any tool to generate answers during the interview. Some employers specifically ban this and treat it as misconduct in recruitment.

Live video interviews

Treat it as a normal panel interview. Join a few minutes early. You may wait in a lobby until the chair admits you.

Look at the camera when you speak and at the screen when you listen. Pause slightly before answering, because the audio lag can make you talk over people. If you did not hear a question clearly, ask for it to be repeated.

If you need to present, check how screen sharing works on the platform and have the file open and ready. Share only the presentation window, not your whole desktop.

Recorded interviews

In a recorded interview, a question appears, you get a short time to think, then the recording starts. The time limits vary by employer and are shown before each question. Some systems allow a retake; many do not. Do any practice question offered.

Your answers are watched later by assessors who score them against set criteria, usually the same behaviours or strengths used elsewhere in the process. In the Civil Service, these are drawn from Success Profiles. Recorded interviews are often used for strengths-based questions, which look for what you enjoy and do naturally well, and they are harder to rehearse.

Structure each answer quickly: a one-line answer to the question, then your example, then the result. If you run out of time mid-sentence, the recording simply stops, so watch the timer and aim to finish early.

Recorded systems can feel strange because no one reacts to you. Speak as if to a person, at a normal pace.

Adjustments and access

If you are disabled or have a condition that makes video harder, such as hearing loss, a speech difference or anxiety, you can ask for adjustments: captions, extra time on recorded questions, a live interview in place of a recorded one, or an in-person interview. Employers have a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments for disabled applicants. The guide on asking for reasonable adjustments in recruitment explains how to ask.

If you do not have a suitable device or internet at home, tell the employer. Many can offer a room on site or a phone interview. A library computer may not be private enough, so ask before relying on one.

After the call

Close the call properly and check you have left the meeting before saying anything. You will usually hear the outcome in the same way as after an in-person interview. If you are unsuccessful, ask for feedback, which for recorded interviews may include the score per question.