Video interview tips and what to wear to an interview

6 minute read · Updated 2026-08-24

Two practical things decide the first thirty seconds of an interview: how you look and, increasingly, whether your connection works. Video interview tips and advice on what to wear to an interview are not glamorous, but candidates lose winnable jobs to a frozen screen or an outfit that signalled they had not understood the workplace. This guide covers both, for UK employers.

Video interview tips: set up the call the day before

Most UK employers use Microsoft Teams, with Zoom and Google Meet close behind, and some use one way recorded interviews where you record answers to set questions with no interviewer present. Check the invitation to see which. Then, the day before:

Install the app rather than relying on the browser version, and sign in once to clear any first run permission prompts for camera and microphone.
Test camera, microphone and speakers inside that app, not just in general. Headphones with a microphone beat a laptop's built in mic in almost every room.
Sit facing a window or a lamp so the light is on your face. A bright window behind you turns you into a silhouette.
Raise the laptop on a few books so the camera is at eye level, and sit far enough back that your head and shoulders fill the frame.
Choose a plain wall or a tidy corner. Blur is fine and better than a novelty background.
Have a wired or strong wifi connection, and keep your phone charged as a fallback so you can rejoin from mobile data if the broadband drops.

Send yourself a two minute test recording and watch it back once. It is uncomfortable and it is the fastest way to spot a dark room or a distracting fidget.

During the video interview

Look at the camera lens when you are making a point, not at the interviewer's face on screen, because that is what reads as eye contact at the other end. Slow down slightly, since audio delay makes fast speech hard to follow, and leave a beat after the interviewer stops talking so you do not talk over them.

Keep your CV, the advert and your notes to one side, off camera or in a small window, but do not read from them. Close your email and messaging apps so notifications do not appear if you share your screen or distract you if they pop up. Tell anyone else in the house, and put the dog in another room.

If the connection fails, do not panic. Say plainly that you will rejoin, hang up, and dial back in. If it fails twice, phone the contact number on the invitation and offer to continue by phone. Interviewers deal with this weekly and handling it calmly is a small positive.

For recorded one way interviews, you usually get a set thinking time and one or two attempts per question. Answer in structured form as you would in person, and treat the camera as a person rather than a machine, because a human watches it back.

What to wear to an interview, by sector

The safe rule is to dress one level smarter than the job's daily norm, and never so smart that you look like you have misread the workplace.

Professional and office roles (finance, law, HR, insurance, corporate head office): suit or smart jacket with tailored trousers or a skirt, plain shirt or blouse, clean formal shoes. Ties are increasingly optional, but wearing one is still never wrong.
Public sector, NHS non clinical, education, charity: smart trousers or a skirt with a shirt, blouse or jumper. A full suit can feel over formal in some teams, but nobody is rejected for it.
Retail, hospitality and customer service: smart casual that matches the brand. Look at what the staff wear and go slightly above it.
Warehouse, manufacturing and logistics: clean trousers and a polo shirt or shirt. Wear or bring safety boots, because a site tour is common and you will not be allowed on the floor without them.
Construction: smart casual for the office meeting, and bring boots, hard hat, hi vis and your CSCS card if the interview is at a site. Being turned away at the gate for missing PPE is a real risk.
Care and healthcare: smart, plain and practical, with hair tied back, minimal jewellery and short nails. It signals that you understand infection control before you say a word.

Whatever the sector, choose clothes that fit and are clean, avoid heavy fragrance, and cover slogans. Visible tattoos and piercings are widely accepted in most UK workplaces now, although some customer facing and clinical employers still have policies, and it is fair to ask about the dress code when you are offered the role.

The details people forget

On video, wear the same standard on your top half as you would in person, and put proper trousers on anyway in case you have to stand up. In person, bring photo identification, your right to work documents if asked, the originals of any tickets or certificates, and a printed CV. Confirm the format in advance: knowing whether it is a panel, a one to one, a practical test or an assessment centre changes how you prepare.

Next step: rehearse your answers on camera once, revisit the questions you will almost certainly be asked, and if anything about the process is unclear, get in touch or check our help pages.