An online interview gives an assessor a smaller signal than an in-person meeting: a rectangle of video, some audio, and whatever you say. That makes preparation disproportionately valuable, because a large share of what goes wrong is avoidable. This checklist applies to remote job panels, scholarship interviews and graduate assessment centres alike.
Two days before
- Confirm the platform, the exact time and the timezone in writing.
- Install and update the app; do not rely on the browser version.
- Test camera, microphone and screen sharing with a friend, not alone.
- Run a speed test; arrange a mobile hotspot as backup.
- Re-read the job ad or award criteria and highlight the five stated requirements.
- Write six STAR stories mapped to those requirements.
- Research the interviewers by name and role.
- Prepare four questions to ask them — specific, not “what’s the culture like?”.
The day before
- Raise the camera to eye level on a stack of books.
- Put your light source in front of you; never sit with a window behind.
- Clear the background and close the door.
- Charge the laptop and headset; keep the charger plugged in anyway.
- Print your CV, the job ad and your essay or portfolio notes.
- Silence notifications on every device and quit background apps.
- Lay out clothing in a solid mid-tone colour.
- Tell housemates the time window.
One hour before
- Restart the computer.
- Rejoin the test call to confirm audio input is the right device.
- Drink water; keep a glass in reach and out of frame.
- Read your six stories once, out loud.
- Write the interviewers’ names on a sticky note by the camera.
- Open only the documents you need.
- Join the call five minutes early.
During the interview
- Look at the camera when speaking, at the screen when listening.
- Pause a beat after each question — latency makes interruptions common.
- Answer in STAR order and finish with the measurable result.
- Keep answers to about 90 seconds, then check if they want more detail.
- Quantify wherever possible; numbers survive note-taking.
- If you do not know something, say so and describe how you would find out.
- Take brief notes — visible note-taking reads as engagement.
- Ask your prepared questions before the call closes.
- Ask about the process and timeline for next steps.
Handling salary and funding questions
Do not name the first number if you can avoid it. Ask for the budgeted range for the role. If pushed, give a researched band with a reason: “Based on comparable roles at this level in this market, I’m looking at X to Y.” For scholarship panels, the equivalent question is about your financial plan — answer with specifics: what the award covers, what you have secured elsewhere and what the gap is.
After the call
- Write down every question you were asked, within ten minutes.
- Send a short thank-you email within 24 hours referencing one concrete point from the conversation.
- Send anything you promised — a portfolio link, a reference, a transcript.
- Diarise a follow-up for the date they gave you, plus two working days.
- If rejected, ask once, politely, for feedback. Roughly a quarter of employers give it.
Frequently asked questions
Is a virtual background acceptable?
A plain real wall is better. Virtual backgrounds glitch around your head and distract assessors on lower-bandwidth connections.
What if the connection drops?
Rejoin immediately and continue without apologising at length. Have the interviewer’s phone number in advance for exactly this case.
Should I read from notes?
Bullet prompts are fine. Reading full sentences is obvious on camera and flattens your delivery.
Next steps
Pair this with a tailored CV — see the career tips category — and if you are interviewing for funded study, the scholarship application guide covers what panels score. For platform-specific setup, Google Meet’s audio and video guidance is worth a five-minute read before the call.