Prepare for an online job interview

When you apply for a job, you may have an online interview.

Prepare for your online interview

Make sure you know the:

You can ask for the interview to be carried out in Welsh or English.

You will need to tell us before the interview if you require any reasonable adjustments, such as:

To prepare for an online job interview you should:

research the job role and get an understanding of our culture and values
prepare some answers to common interview questions. Practice reading your answers out loud. This will help you feel more confident and prepared
go through your CV or application form and prepare examples to show you have the skills and experience to do the job
use the STAR method to help you structure your answers. This will help you demonstrate your skills and experience in a structured way
have some questions of your own to ask at the end of the interview
join the meeting five minutes before it is due to start

You should:

test your microphone, volume and camera before the interview
charge your equipment
make sure that you have a good internet connection
log-in ahead of time and settle yourself
minimise electronic distractions, turn off Outlook or Teams notifications
turn off your mobile phone
do a test interview with a friend or colleague and ask them for feedback on how you presented on screen
if you can, use a computer or laptop rather than a tablet or mobile phone. Position the device so the camera is at eye level
use headphones to improve your sound quality
close down any other windows on your computer
use the ‘background blur’ function on Microsoft Teams to ensure you are the main focus

If you have any technical problems during the interview, you should:

try leaving and rejoining the meeting through the original link
wait for the interview panel to rejoin the meeting if they have connection problems
contact the chair by phone to discuss other meeting options if the problem continues

You should:

find a quiet space with no interruptions
make sure there is nothing distracting in the background
make sure you have good natural light or use a lamp so that the interviewer can see you well
have some water, paper and a pen for notetaking, and your notes nearby
keep a copy of your application form or CV near you, in case you need to reference dates, job titles, or qualifications

There may be up to three people on the interview panel.

The Chair will introduce you to the panel and talk you through the interview process.
If you need to take a few moments to think about your answer, tell the Chair; and don’t be afraid to ask them to repeat a question if is not clear.
Take some deep breaths and try to stay calm.

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