Mock interview? Civil service posts? General interview tips & advice?

• Situate the camera so that your entire face and upper body is clearly visible to the interviewer.  Your facial expression and body language are crucial elements in an interview and if all the interviewers can see is your face covering their screens, it can come across as almost intimidating and will not allow you to express yourself as you are talking.
• Use a computer or laptop rather than a mobile phone.  Turn off your mobile and also turn off all other websites, apps, videos, etc that are running on the device that you will be using.  You don’t want any distractions!
• Use a brightly lit room and keep your background clear of clutter.  A plain background is ideal, although this may not always be possible.  Remember – you are trying to create a good impression so this attention to detail is important.
• Dress appropriately and in the same way as you would have if you were meeting your interviewers face-to-face.  Subconsciously, when you dress up you will be getting in to interview-mode and it will concentrate your mind.

This next one is important.  While most employers are trying to be as accommodating as possible to enable people to work from home, it may be their first impression of you and you want no surprises.  Practice all of these tips, even for a mock interview.

• Avoid possible distractions!  You may be at home but, if possible, have someone available to answer any phone calls or callers to your home, or to prevent any unwanted guests coming in to the room.  We have all seen examples of people being interviewed on the news or elsewhere on TV where a young child appears on screen at the most inappropriate time.  It makes for great TV but in an interview context, it will break your concentration and can unsettle you.  Your interviewer may not have a great sense of humour and may take a dim view that you did not take the necessary precautions to ensure that you would be left alone for the duration of the interview.
• Familiarise yourself with the technology being used for the interview.  Zoom and Skype are the most commonly used – get familiar with the layout of the screen and the various formats that may be used.
• Talk to your family or friends using the relevant software so that you get used to a video-style conversation.  It is different from a face-to-face conversation, particularly if there is a slight delay in the connection.