Category: job interview

Virtual interviews are now a permanent fixture in the hiring landscape. Current research has highlighted how most people fear being interviewed online, even with the well-known advantage of having notes visible to the interviewee (not the interviewer) throughout the virtual job application process.

To succeed with a virtual job interview, candidates need to move beyond basic preparation and master the unique technical, environmental, and interpersonal dynamics of communicating effectively through a screen.

This guide provides the latest advice to ensure your next online interview is a success.

1. Master Your Technical Setup: The Pre-Interview Check

There is nothing worse than spending hours and hours planning, preparing, and practicing in preparation for a job interview, for it not to happen due to a broken camera, a weak internet signal, or a lack of the correct video platform.

ADVICE: Don’t let a technical glitch derail your interview. Test your entire setup at least 24 hours in advance.

• Platform Proficiency: Use the same video conferencing platform (Zoom, Teams, etc.) that the company intends to use. Familiarize yourself with all the features.
• Audio & Visual Check: Verify that your microphone, camera, and speakers are working correctly.
• Connectivity: A wired internet connection is more stable than Wi-Fi. Close any unnecessary applications to free up bandwidth.
• Backup Plan: Keep the interviewer’s phone number or email address handy in case of a connection issue. In the worst-case scenario, have a phone ready to use.
• Power Up: Ensure your device is fully charged or plugged in.

2. Curate Your Environment: Setting the Stage for Success

Your surroundings communicate professionalism.

• Privacy & Quiet: Choose a quiet, private space where you won’t be interrupted by people, pets, or background noises.

ADVICE: Put a ‘do not disturb’ notice on the door

• Optimal Lighting: Face natural light (like a window) or use a direct desk lamp. The goal is to illuminate your face, not create a silhouette. You need to test this prior to the interview.
• Professional Background: Opt for a neutral, uncluttered real-world background. Avoid using virtual backgrounds, as they can sometimes be distracting or glitchy.
• Clean your room: Not only does what you wear affect the interviewers first impression, so does the room you are in during a virtual interview – keep it clean, tidy, and professional looking

3. Refine Your On-Screen Presence: More Than Just Talking

Your non-verbal communication is amplified on camera. First, think about the position of the camera and how this frames you (head shot, full body shot, or chest to head shot, which is recommended)

• Eye Contact: Look directly into the camera lens when you speak. This simulates direct eye contact with the interviewer.

ADVICE: Place the camera so the lens is at head height

• Body Language: Maintain good posture, smile naturally, and nod to show engagement. Use natural hand gestures within the camera frame, but be mindful not to overdo it.

Sitting to close to the screen will limit the number of gestures you will naturally use.

• Dress Code: Dress as professionally as you would for an in-person interview. It puts you in the right mindset and shows you are taking the opportunity seriously.

4. Prepare for Modern Interview Styles: Strategy & Substance

Generic answers won’t cut it these days. Prepare for competency-based questions effectively. The recruitment panel scores each question against the job duties/required skills, and knowledge needed for the advertised role.

When answering each question, ensure the example states 2-3 job interview criteria.

• The STAR Method: Practice answering behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). This provides structured, quantifiable examples of your experience.
• Skills Assessments: Be prepared for potential skills-based tests or live problem-solving scenarios where you might need to share your screen. Some organizations use an online automated system to test skills, prior to a second human interview.
• Using Notes: Use bullet points on a physical notepad for quick reference, but avoid reading from a script, as it can sound robotic.

5. The Professional Follow-Up: The Final Touch

The interview isn’t over until the follow-up is sent.

• Timely Thank You: Send a personalised thank-you email to each person you interviewed with within 24 hours.
• Personalisation is Key: Reference specific points you discussed with each individual to make your message memorable and reinforce your interest in the role.

Remember the three rules for a successful job interview.

1. Identify the job duties, skills, qualities, and required knowledge (embed these into your interview answers)
2. Promote and sell yourself – give detailed answers, use lots of examples, and explain actions YOU took
3. Be confident with your communication. Vary volume, tonality, and pause at appropriate points. Smile, gestures, and use good diction.

In today’s job market, competition for vacancies is at an all-time high with, often hundreds of people applying for the same role.

Employers, in the main, use a structured job interview process when interviewing candidates. A structured job interview is where the interviewer uses a standardised set of questions, asked in a consistent order, and evaluates candidates using predefined scoring criteria of 1 = weak answer, and 4 = strong answer.

To choose the correct score for each answer, the interview panel cross-references the applicant’s answer against the criteria written under each interview question. As an example;

Question: “Tell me about a time you had to meet a tight deadline. What was the outcome?”

Scoring:

• 1 = No clear example
• 2 = Completed task with difficulty, vague outcome
• 3 = Clear example, proactive planning, positive measurable result
• 4 = Theory relating to subject, real life work example, proactive planning, explains options, pros, and cons. Reason for choosing action, data, outcome/impact, and lessons learnt.

The best job interview answers are strategic, specific, and tailored to the job and company.

1. Directly Answers the Question

• Stay on-topic.
• Avoid going off on tangents or giving generic answers.
• Use clear, concise language.

2. Uses the STAR Method for Behavioral Questions

Situation ? Task ? Action ? Result
This format helps structure your response clearly:

• Situation: What was the context?
• Task: What was your responsibility?
• Action: What did you do?
• Result: What was the outcome? Quantify it if possible.

3. Tailored to the Role and Company

• Use keywords from the job description.
• Align your skills and experiences with what they need.
• Show you understand their values, mission, and goals.

4. Showcases Impact and Results

• Focus on what you achieved, not just what you did.
• Use numbers, metrics, or brief anecdotes to prove your success.
  • “Increased sales by 25% in six months…”
  • “Reduced support ticket resolution time by 40%…”

5. Highlights Soft Skills and Cultural Fit

• Show emotional intelligence, teamwork, adaptability, leadership, etc.
• Employers want people who work well with others and fit the culture.

6. Authentic and Confident (but not arrogant)

• Be honest and self-aware.
• Own your accomplishments, but don’t exaggerate.
• Be enthusiastic about the role.

7. Practice, But Don’t Memorize

• Prepared answers sound polished.
• Over-rehearsed answers sound robotic or inauthentic.

A good interview answer isn’t good enough

As a general rule of thumb, is that all interviewees, and on average 8 applicants attend each face-to-face interview (to note many global brands now use an AI video interview to conduct an initial screening interview as they often receive 1000s of suitable applicants for a role). Each of the 8 career professionals will have a very similar background, qualifications, and experiences, which results in their interview answers being similar, therefore being scored the same.

This is why a ‘good’ interview answer (being scored a 3) isn’t good enough because most interviewees will receive the same grade.

Example: “Tell me about a time you handled a conflict at work.”

Grade 1 answer:
“I just try to stay calm and talk it out with the person.”

Grade 2 answer using the STAR method
“At my last job, a coworker and I disagreed about how to approach a client’s project (Situation). We were both passionate, but it was affecting team morale (Task). I scheduled a one-on-one with them to understand their point of view and shared mine calmly (Action). We found common ground and even improved the original proposal. Our manager appreciated the collaboration, and the client was very satisfied (Result).”

Grade 3 answer

“Disagreements between colleagues can easily get out of control, causing long-term damage to collaboration and teamwork unless they are handled professionally. As an example, in a previous position, a coworker and I had different viewpoints on how we should approach a client’s project. We were both passionate about our opinions and were both keen to have a positive outcome for the client, with this in mind, I knew we needed to work together to resolve how we could best work together.

I suggested we meet to review each other’s suggestions and to look at how they met the client’s brief and expectations. Even though I suggested and led the meeting I was mindful not to be forceful with my ideas and to listen to my colleagues’ reasons for his opinion. My cross-referencing the two ideas against the client’s brief, we were able to move forward by taking the best of both suggestions to create an improved project plan.

Once the plan was in place, the work moved forward quickly as the project team had a clear direction, instructions, and communication which resulted in the project being achieved on time, and on budget, and with the client being very satisfied.”

Grade 4 answer

“Conflicts between colleagues, if not managed professionally, can escalate and negatively impact collaboration and team dynamics. Generally speaking there are 5 approaches to conflict management as Thomas-Kilmann conflict management research found: they are competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding, and accommodating. Each situation requires a different approach, but in the main, with colleagues collaborating is a useful approach.

In a previous role, a colleague and I had differing views on how to approach a client’s project. We were both passionate about our ideas and committed to delivering the best outcome for the client. Recognising the importance of teamwork, I took the initiative to suggest a meeting where we could review each other’s proposals in detail and assess how well they aligned with the client’s brief and expectations. Commonly when two people have a conflict, they become defensive which rarely produces a positive result. With this in mind, I ensured I was respectful and open minded, I used active listening skills throughout, and focused the meeting on the shared goal of meeting the project brief.

During the meeting, I made a conscious effort to create a balanced and respectful environment—leading the discussion without dominating it, and actively listening to my colleague’s perspective. By cross-referencing both approaches against the client’s requirements, we identified complementary elements in each and merged them into a stronger, more refined project plan.

This collaborative solution gave the project team clear direction and improved communication, which helped us deliver the project on time, within budget, and to the client’s satisfaction. In fact I remember the client gave us additional business in the values of around £300,000 due to the quality and outcome of the project.

The experience reinforced for me how constructive dialogue and mutual respect can turn conflict into a catalyst for better outcomes.”

In summary, the more detail that is given in a job interview answer, as long as the detail is relevant to the advertised job role, and is delivered in a confident and engaging manner, will result in a higher-scoring interview answer. Employers score answers high if they include the theory of the subject, a real-life example, and any positive outcomes, especially when they relate to the employer’s business.

We all know that job interviews can be intimidating, but with the right preparation and mindset, they can be an opportunity to showcase your potential and stand out from the crowd.

Whether you’re new to the job market or a seasoned professional looking for your next opportunity, these ten detailed interview tips will help you leave a lasting impression and increase your chances of landing the job, gaining salary increases, and progressing your career.

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1. Do Your Homework: Research the Company Thoroughly

One of the biggest mistakes candidates make is walking into an interview without understanding the company.

Even though the interview question ‘what do you know about the organisation?’ is losing traction in the modern job interview, applicants need to understand the company, its values, mission, and working style.

Understanding the working of a business is also key in terms of a career professional deciding if they would accept a job offer.

Take the time to research:

• The company’s mission and values – Align your answers with what matters to them.
• Recent news, product launches, or initiatives – Referencing these can demonstrate genuine interest.
• Technology – understanding how technology is being/going to be used in the business (as an example, Amazon is looking to increase robots over human workers)
• Their culture and work environment – Use sites like Glassdoor or LinkedIn for insights.
• Key competitors – Understanding the industry landscape shows strategic thinking.

Doing your homework allows you to speak intelligently and tailor your answers to show you’re a great fit for their team.

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2. Understand the Role Inside and Out

Beyond just reading the job description, break it down and match it to your own skills and experience. Ask yourself:

• What are your main responsibilities?
• What problems is this role trying to solve?
• Which of your achievements directly connect to the role’s key requirements?

Anticipate what challenges the role may come with and be prepared to discuss how you can solve them. This will show initiative and depth of thought, at its best, highlighting your industry expertise.

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3. Practice Common Interview Questions

Interviews almost always include a mix of behavioral, situational, and classic questions.

Prepare answers to questions such as:

• “Tell me about yourself.”
• “Why do you want to work here?”
• “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”
• “Describe a time when you overcame a challenge at work.”

These questions may be asked in various ways (as an example, the question ‘what are your strengths? ‘ can be reworded as ‘ what can you bring to the team?’ or ‘tell me something you are most proud of in work?’, but the underlying question is always the same.

The STAR method to structure your interview answers is an easy-to-digest formula that will help you answer commonly asked interview questions.

• Situation – What was happening?
• Task – What was your role?
• Action – What did you do?
• Result – What was the outcome?

Practicing answering interview answers out loud helps you sound more confident and natural during the interview. Take this one step further and book a job interview coaching session.

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4. Prepare Smart, Insightful Questions

An interview is a two-way street. You’re evaluating them as much as they’re evaluating you. Remember, the job you choose, the organisation you decide to work for, is key in terms of your career success and work happiness.

For every job interview, prepare thoughtful questions to ask the hiring manager, such as:

• “Can you describe the team I’ll be working with?”
• “What does success look like in this role?”
• “How does the company support professional development?”
• “Why do you like working for the organisation?”
• “What are the biggest challenges currently facing the team?”
• “How will you go about achieving next year’s strategic goals?”

Avoid asking questions you could easily find online (as everyone will ask the same questions) — focus on what shows critical thinking and engagement.

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5. Dress for Success (and Appropriateness)

Your appearance sets the first impression, even before you speak. Much research shows how the first impression is linked to people’s unconscious biases. How you decide to dress should be influenced by the company’s job sector.

Match your attire to the company’s culture:

• Corporate/Finance/Legal: Business formal – suit and tie or equivalent.
• Startups/Creative roles: Business casual is usually safe.
• Remote interviews: Still dress professionally (at least from the waist up).

Always aim to look polished and intentional — being slightly overdressed is better than underdressed.

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6. Be Punctual and Technically Prepared

Showing up late is one of the easiest ways to lose credibility before the interview even starts. This is true even when the reason for lateness is beyond your control IE a traffic accident.

Aim to arrive:

• 10–15 minutes early for in-person interviews.
• At least 5–10 minutes early for video interviews, giving time to check your connection, camera, lighting, and background.
• Check before you leave. Google Maps will tell you about any traffic incidents, giving you a quicker alternative route
• Research car parking, as the walk from a car park to the interview can be long

Make sure your phone is silenced and you’re free from distractions.

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7. Show Confidence and Positive Body Language

First impressions go beyond words. Here’s how to project confidence:

• Maintain good posture — sit upright but relaxed.
• Make eye contact (or camera contact for virtual interviews).
• Smile when appropriate and show enthusiasm.
• Avoid filler words like “um,” “like,” or “you know.”

Confidence without arrogance shows that you believe in your abilities while staying grounded and approachable.

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8. Focus on Achievements, Not Just Responsibilities

Give detailed job interview answers. Much online advice says to give ‘short interview answers.’ This is incorrect; in a structured job interview, details matter.

Anyone can list what their job was — what sets you apart is what you accomplished. Instead of saying:

“I was responsible for managing social media accounts,”

Say:

“I grew our Instagram following by 50% in six months and increased engagement by creating targeted campaigns.”

Use numbers, percentages, or examples to demonstrate your value. Metrics make your impact tangible.

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9. Follow Up With a Professional Thank-You

After the interview, send a thank-you email within 24 hours. A good thank-you message should:

• Thank the interviewer for their time.
• Reaffirm your interest in the role and the company.
• Briefly mention one or two points you enjoyed discussing.
• Include any follow-up materials (e.g., work samples, references).

It’s a small gesture that reinforces professionalism and keeps you top of mind.

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10. Be Authentic – Be Yourself

It’s easy to fall into the trap of trying to give the “perfect” answer. But interviews are as much about chemistry as they are about credentials.

• Be honest about your experiences — even the messy or imperfect ones.
• Share what excites you about the work.
• Let your personality shine through. People hire people, not resumes.

Authenticity builds trust, and trust can often be the deciding factor between two qualified candidates.

If you feel stressed, nervous or anxious about an upcoming job interview, book a virtual job interview coaching session to improve your interview confidence.

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Job Interview

Interviews don’t have to be stressful if you come prepared. Think of them as a conversation — a chance to explore a mutual fit.

With research, preparation, and a little self-confidence, you can turn any interview into an opportunity to showcase your value and make a memorable impression.

Winning job interviews comes from showing confidence (positive body language, fewer filler words, eye contact, smiles) and industry expertise (longer interview answers, detailed descriptions, real examples, use of data)