Although RICS has moved all APC final assessment interviews online in response to the ongoing pandemic, they will still be conducted to the same standards as they were when held face to face.
As a candidate, therefore, the first thing you should do is ensure you have a device such as a laptop, tablet or phone on which you can use Microsoft Teams; this can be run through a browser without the need for installation. Test out the system with a friend, family member or colleague beforehand. Don’t leave it until the day of your interview to do this – as a trainer, I have found this is the most common reason for disruption and delay during mock interviews held online.
Good-quality internet or network reception is essential, so plan ahead and make sure that you have sufficient connectivity for your interview. If you live with others, perhaps ask them to refrain from being online during your interview to avoid taking up bandwidth.
You may need an external microphone or webcam if these are not integrated into your device, or if you are concerned about getting your set-up right. Should cost be an issue, first test the quality of your existing devices with a friend, family member or colleague. If they are not sufficient we recommend looking at a webcam initially, as these often come with in-built microphones.
"Test out the system with a friend, family member or colleague beforehand"
Setting up your interview space
It pays to put the camera a little further back if possible so that the panel can see you clearly – much as if you were across the table from a client or colleague in a meeting. Try to keep the camera level and pointing directly at you or at a very slight angle
You will be on camera, so you should try to ensure you are in a professional environment. The chair will also ask you to show the panel a 360° view of your surroundings to ensure you are receiving no support. The ideal setting would be against a plain wall with good natural or artificial lighting, so that your assessors can see you clearly.
Sit at a desk or table, where you are comfortable and can adopt a good posture to ensure that you present professionally during your interview.
Close the door and ask other members of your household to minimise noise and disruption for the duration of your interview, if possible.
We recommend that you dress professionally, as you would for a client meeting. First impressions still count, particularly as you are one step removed from being face to face with your assessment panel.
Make sure you spend some time in your environment ahead of the interview, or if that is not possible – for instance, if it will be in an office meeting room – then visualise what it might be like. This will help to calm your nerves on the day and allow you to prepare effectively.
Interview structure
- 10 minutes: your case study presentation.
- 10 minutes: case study presentation questioning.
- 30 minutes: discussion on overall experience, including CPD, technical competencies, Rules of Conduct and professional practice.
- 10 minutes: chair's questioning, which may include professional and technical matters, CPD, Rules of Conduct and mandatory competencies; then close of the interview.
How will the process work?
- Join the Teams meeting between 5 and 10 minutes before your interview start time. This you can do by clicking on the Teams link in the meeting request.
- You will arrive in a virtual lobby and will need to wait to be admitted to your interview by your assessment panel, around 5 minutes before the scheduled start time.
- As you join your panel in the online interview room, you will be able both to see and hear them. Your microphone will initially be on mute, and you should wait for instructions from the chair or RICS staff member before speaking.
- When instructed to, you should activate your microphone and keep it on for the duration of your interview.
- There is an instant message (IM) button in Teams, but this should only be used to alert the staff member to problems with your video or audio. All participants will be able to view these messages.
- When all participants are ready, the staff member will hand over control of the meeting to the chair and this will be the start of your 1-hour interview.
- Your chair will ask you to show a 360° view of your interview space to ensure you do not have any support from other people or technology. The only material you may have access to is your presentation notes, in the form of cue cards for instance, and those for the duration of the presentation alone. The request for a 360° view may be repeated at any time during your interview.
- If you require time to think about your answers, you may need to confirm to your panel that your audio is still working. Do anticipate some audio or video delays with the online format.
- At the end of your interview, exit when instructed to do so by your chair. There may be technical issues during the interview; these will be recorded by your chair, and any time lost added to the end of the interview to ensure you receive your full hour. If more than 10 minutes of technical issues are noted then the chair may, with your agreement, terminate the session and rearrange your interview for a later date.
Top tips for your online final assessment
- Test your system well in advance, checking that your microphone and video both work and are at the appropriate volume and brightness levels. Make sure that your microphone and webcam are turned on.
- Check that your device or laptop is plugged in to avoid running out of power during your interview.
- Don’t forget that you are on camera – your assessors will still pick up on both verbal and non-verbal cues, so be conscious of your body language and facial expressions when on camera.
- Review any visual aids you intend to use for your presentation. It will pay to keep these as simple and easy to read as possible, so they can be displayed via the "share content" feature on Teams during the assessment. It is also worth practising the "share screen" function beforehand so you are confident using it.
- Don’t treat your interview differently to the way you would if it were face to face: present professionally, prepare well and be confident in your abilities as a future chartered surveyor.