Interview · UK 2026
How to prepare for a video interview (UK)
Time
90 mins
Difficulty
Easy
Steps
7
UK video interviews dominate first-round screening in 2026. Most candidates underestimate the technical setup half of the prep and over-prepare the answers. The candidates who land follow-up rounds get both halves right. Here's the 90-minute prep that consistently works.
Step-by-step
- 1
Test your tech 24 hours before
Camera, microphone, internet, the platform (Teams, Zoom, Google Meet). Don't test on the day — bandwidth issues and audio glitches show up under stress. Have a backup: phone with the platform installed, hotspot data ready.
- 2
Set up the framing properly
Camera at eye level (use a stack of books if needed). Light source in front of you, not behind. Plain background or a tidy room. Wear what you'd wear to an in-person interview from waist up.
- 3
Close all other apps and notifications
Quit Slack, email, calendar, music, browser tabs. Turn phone to do not disturb. A notification ping mid-answer is the second-most-common video interview mistake (first is bad audio).
- 4
Have water, your CV, and 2-3 STAR stories visible
Print your CV. Have 2-3 prepared STAR stories on a separate sheet. Glass of water just out of frame. Don't reference notes obviously; use them for cues if you blank.
- 5
Practise the opening 60 seconds out loud
"Tell me about yourself" comes first in 95% of interviews. Practise the structured 60-90 second answer 3-5 times the day before. Time it. Out loud, not in your head.
- 6
Join 2-5 minutes early
Logging in 5 minutes early lets the interviewer see you're ready. Arriving on time or late starts the interview on a back foot. Don't arrive 10+ minutes early — looks desperate.
- 7
Look at the camera, not the screen
When speaking, look at the camera lens, not the interviewer's face on screen. This makes you look engaged. When the interviewer is speaking, look at the screen. Practise switching during your 60-second opening.
Common mistakes to avoid
- ✗Bad audio — single biggest reason candidates get rejected at video interview stage.
- ✗Camera below eye level — gives a chin-up unflattering angle.
- ✗Backlit setup with window behind you — silhouettes you.
- ✗Looking at your own image on screen instead of the camera.
- ✗No technical backup if the platform fails — looks unprepared.
Recruiter pro tip
Record a 60-second mock answer to "tell me about yourself" the day before and watch it back. You'll spot 3-5 things you didn't know you do (looking down, fidgeting, vocal patterns). The candidates who self-record consistently outperform the ones who only rehearse mentally.