Career Advice

How to Nail a Remote Interview With a UK Business

20 October 2026 · Danelle van der Merwe (Head of Talent & Growth)

Video interviews aren't going anywhere. In an Indeed survey of US employers, 93% expected to keep using virtual interviews after the pandemic. For a remote role, that call is more than a convenience. It's your first day of remote work, on trial.

The interviewer is listening to your answers and watching how you show up: whether you join on time, whether your connection holds and whether you can explain your work clearly through a screen. In an office interview, nobody marks you on the building. In a remote one, a frozen screen or a barking dog tells them something about working with you. So does a calm, clear, on-time call. The good news is that half the test is preparation, and preparation is entirely in your hands.

Before the call: tech, setting and time zones

Check your tech the day before

Connection. Run a speed test at the same time of day as the interview. Have a backup ready, like a hotspot on a different network.
Power. Check your area's outage schedule for the interview slot. Charge your laptop and phone, and make sure your router is on backup power.
Camera. At eye level, not up your nose. A stack of books does the job.
Sound. Use a headset or earphones with a microphone. Test it on a call with a friend.
The platform. Install it, update it, log in. Don't install it two minutes before the call.
A fallback. Have the interviewer's email or phone number to hand, so if you drop, you can let them know straight away.

Get the setting and appearance right

Choose a quiet room with a plain background and light in front of you. Tell the household you're on a call: lock the dogs out, pause the washing machine and ask everyone to leave the doorbell to someone else. Dress as you would for the role in person, top and bottom. You never know when you'll need to stand up.

Confirm the time in both time zones

London is one hour behind South Africa in UK summer time and two hours behind in UK winter. A 10am interview in London is 11am or 12pm for you. UK clocks change twice a year, in late March and late October, and those weeks catch people out.

When you confirm, write both times: "Thursday 10:00 UK time / 12:00 South African time." It's a small thing that shows you think about working across time zones. Then check your calendar invite shows the right local time, and join two minutes early.

During the call: prove you're remote-ready

Answer with real examples

Most interviews ask you to describe something you've done. The best answers follow a simple shape:

The situation. Briefly, what was going on.
What you did. Your actions, specifically. Say "I", not "we".
The result. What changed because of you, with a number if you have one you can stand behind.

For example: "Month-end was taking our finance team eight days because invoices came in late. I set up a weekly supplier reminder and a shared tracker. Within three months, we closed in five days." Short, specific and believable.

Prepare five or six of these stories before the interview, covering a problem you solved, a mistake you fixed, a time you worked under pressure and a time you improved a process. Most questions will fit one of them.

Show you can work without someone next to you

The interviewer is wondering whether you'll work well remotely. Answer it before they ask: how you plan your day, how you keep your team updated without being chased, what your setup is (backup internet and power included), how you've worked with people you don't see in person and how you start and stop your day on purpose. Remote work is flexible, not easy, and saying so shows you understand the job.

Ask them good questions

"No questions" is a missed opportunity. Try:

"What would a great first 90 days look like in this role?"
"Who would I work with most, and how does the team communicate?"
"Which hours overlap most with the team?"
"What's the biggest challenge facing the team right now?"

These show you're already thinking about doing the job, not just getting it.

After the call, and what to expect from us

Follow up the same day

A Robert Half survey of US HR managers found 80% factor thank-you notes into hiring decisions, yet only 24% of candidates sent one. That's an easy edge. Send a short email within a few hours: thank them for their time, mention one thing from the conversation that stood out and confirm you're keen. It's also one more sample of your writing, so check it twice.

How our selection works

If you apply through Outsourcery, every application is reviewed personally by a real person. Next comes a structured interview, then role-specific skills assessments. Most roles include a culture and fit interview, followed by background and reference checks, and then onboarding. Everything in this post applies at every stage.

Your interview-day checklist

Interview time confirmed in UK and South African time
Connection tested, backup hotspot ready
Outage schedule checked, devices charged
Camera at eye level, headset tested
Platform installed and logged in
Quiet room, plain background, household warned
Five or six real examples prepared
Three questions ready for them
Thank-you email drafted

Ready when you are

Before you book the call, make sure your home office survives load-shedding. Then put all this to work: see open roles with UK businesses looking for experienced South African professionals, flexible or full-time. Not the right fit yet? Join our talent network and we'll get in touch when a role matches your skills. Everything you need to know about joining us is on our Careers page.

Quick answers

How do I prepare for a remote interview with a UK company from South Africa?

Confirm the interview time in both UK and South African time, test your connection and backup power the day before, and prepare real examples of your work. Treat the call as a sample of how you'll show up remotely every day.

What time difference should I plan for when interviewing with a UK company?

London is one hour behind South Africa in UK summer time and two hours behind in UK winter. A 10am interview in London is 11am or 12pm in South Africa, depending on the time of year.

What should I do if my internet drops during a video interview?

Switch to your backup connection, such as a mobile hotspot, and email or call the interviewer straight away to let them know you're reconnecting. Having their contact details ready before the call turns a technical problem into proof that you plan ahead.

Should I send a thank-you email after a remote interview?

Yes, send a short thank-you email within a few hours of the interview. Thank them for their time, mention one point from the conversation and confirm your interest in the role.

What happens in the Outsourcery selection process?

Every application is personally reviewed by a real person, followed by a structured interview and role-specific skills assessments. Most roles also include a culture and fit interview, followed by background and reference checks and then onboarding.