Video Interview Calls

Most interview processes consist in part, or entirely of, video calls which offer benefits to both employers and candidates in scheduling, accessibility and time efficiency. 

Tips in preparing for Video Call Interviews:

• Choose a good location: Find a quiet place with a neutral background, good lighting, and a reliable internet connection. Avoid communal spaces like coffee shops.
• Set up your camera: Position your camera so that the upper third of your body is visible and you're looking into the camera, not at the screen.
• Be professional: Dress professionally, sit up straight, and have good body language.
• It’s ideal to have an uncluttered, unblurred background. However, it’s acceptable to blur the background. This is preferable to using a virtual background which may be distracting. 
• Log on ahead of time, to ensure your device has had time to load and complete any unexpected software updates.
• Make eye contact: Look into the camera to make eye contact with the interviewer

Onsite Interviews

Onsite interviews are becoming more prevalent now that more roles are onsite or hybrid. 

Tips in preparing for onsite Interviews:

• Be organised! Plan your travel in advance, build in time for travel delays. Know where you’ll park. Even do a trial run! Contact your interviewer or recruiter if you do run late.
• Dress code Try to match your dress style to that of the company you’re meeting. You should be able to get a good idea of the company’s typical dress code through its website and social media, especially any content about its working culture, and your recruiter can advise you too. If in doubt, err on the smart side.
• Arrive 10 minutes early. Give yourself time for a comfort break and make sure you’re hydrated. Make conversation with the receptionist, switch off your phone and take in your surroundings – you might notice something that will make a useful small-talk topic later

Preparation 

Do your Homework!

‍Review the job description, have a good read of the company website and social media. Read the LinkedIn Profiles of your interviewer(s). Search for any recent news items about the company.

The knowledge you gain will help you answer questions and ask questions of your own. Researching beforehand will also increase your confidence for the interview, this will lead to a better performance. 

It’s common for the interviewer to ask you what you know about the company and the role. If the interview gets the impression you haven’t prepared, they’ll be left with the impression that you aren’t interested in working for the company. 

Rehearse a brief answer to what you know about the company 

Know your CV / Resume

Review your CV / Resume ahead of the interview so that you can talk about it confidently. Expect to discuss previous roles, and if you’re interviewing for a technical position, to discuss the technologies you used in previous positions. Don’t forget to describe how your accomplishments relate to the role you are applying for.

Familiarize yourself with the dates on your CV and LinkedIn profile. Some interviewers may ask you to explain any gaps in employment.

Rehearse giving a brief (1 – 2 minute) run through of your career.

Prepare some questions

At the end of the interview your interviewer is likely to ask if you have any questions. An interview is a two-way street, asking questions will help illustrate your interest and motivation to succeed in the role and company and get you noticed and separate you from other candidates. It will also determine if this really is the opportunity or business you want to join.

Examples:

What does the role look like in the first 6-12 months?

Which technical projects will I be working on initially?

What tools, technologies, and methodologies does the team currently use?

What are the potential career paths for someone in this role?

How would you describe the company culture, especially within the tech department?

During the interview

Typical Interview format

Interview formats will vary depending on the employer and the interview stage. An initial “screening call” will be briefer than a final onsite interview.  A typical structure might be introductions, a conversation about the company and role, a run through your CV / resume which may include questions on your education, job roles and responsibilities, Role-Specific/Technical Questions, an opportunity for you to ask questions.

“Competency based” questions 

Whilst many interviews will take the form of an informal discussion, some interviewers may use Competency Based questions designed to assess skills and experiences in relation to specific competencies required for a role. These questions are often structured to evaluate how you have demonstrated particular competencies in the past, under the assumption that past behaviour is a good predictor of future performance.

The STAR Technique

The STAR method is a widely used framework for answering competency-based questions effectively. Here's how it works:

Example: "Give an example of where you’ve turned around a failing project."

S – Situation

Describe the context or background of the situation you were in. Be specific about what was happening and why it was important.

"In my previous role, we had a client-facing project that was falling behind schedule due to resource constraints."

T – Task

Explain your specific responsibility or goal in that situation.

"As the project manager, it was my responsibility to realign the team and ensure the project was delivered on time."

A – Action

Describe the steps you took to address the situation or complete the task. Focus on your contributions and the actions you directly undertook. Use active language to highlight your role.

"I held a meeting with the team to identify bottlenecks, reallocated tasks to underutilised team members, and secured additional resources from another department."

R – Result

Summarize the outcomes of your actions. If possible, use quantifiable results to demonstrate your impact.

"As a result, we completed the project two weeks ahead of the revised schedule, improving client satisfaction scores by 15%."

Another example: "Describe a time when you fixed a critical bug."

Using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result):‍

"There was a production bug affecting users (Situation). I identified the root cause (Task) and applied a hotfix (Action), which restored functionality within 2 hours (Result)."

General advice

Communicate Clearly

‍Listen carefully to questions and take a moment to think before answering. Avoid rambling. Stay concise and relevant.

Admit Knowledge Gaps‍

If you don’t know the answer to a technical question, explain how you’d approach finding a solution:

"I haven’t worked with this exact technology, but I’d start by reviewing the documentation and testing in a sandbox environment."

Stay Positive

‍Avoid speaking negatively about previous employers or colleagues.

Highlight Your Strengths‍

Link your skills and experience directly to the role.

Common interview questions:

• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• Can you describe a challenging project you worked on?
• Tell me about a time when you went above and beyond in your role.
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• How does your previous experience prepare you for this role?
• Describe a time when you had to meet a tight deadline.
• Tell me about a successful team project and your role in it.
• What experience do you have with (specific skill or software)?
• Where do you see yourself in five years?
• What are your long-term career goals?
• What type of work environment do you thrive in?
• What do you like to do outside of work?

At the end of the interview

Express Gratitude

"Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today. I really appreciate learning more about the team and this role."

Check to see if they have any concerns

"I’m really excited about this opportunity, and I want to ensure I’ve addressed everything you’re looking for. Is there anything you’d like me to go over?

Reiterate Your Interest

"After learning more today, I’m even more excited about the opportunity to contribute to your team and help with (specific project etc.) Thank you again. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!"

By ending with enthusiasm, professionalism, and confidence, you'll leave a lasting, positive impression!

Call your contact at Langham Recruitment

Please give us a call straight after the interview whilst its fresh in your mind. Gathering a candidate’s post interview feedback and providing it promptly to our client is part of our Service Level Agreement to our clients. It demonstrates your enthusiasm and allows next steps to be booked in. 

If there were any moments of confusion during the interview (e.g. unclear questions or technical issues), or you’ve realised there’s a better example you could have used in answering a question, your recruiter can help clarify them with the employer on your behalf.