What to expect on the day of your interview

What this article is about
This article explains what applicants should usually expect on the day of an interview or assessment.

Who this is for
Applicants attending a postgraduate medical or dental training interview or assessment.

What you need to know

• Interview arrangements vary by recruitment process and may be online or in person.
• You should read the joining instructions carefully before the interview.
• You will need to provide identification and need to complete a diagnostic test on the interviewing system (which could be done prior to the interview date).
• You should arrive or log in early enough to complete checks before the interview starts.
• You must follow the rules set out in the applicant guidance and interview instructions.
• If you experience a problem during the interview, you should raise it at the time or on the same day through the route provided; you should be advised on the exact deadline to raise any concerns but it will be the same day as your interview. 
• Issues raised after the event may be harder to investigate and any action may not be possible.

What to do

1. Read the interview invitation, applicant guide and joining instructions.
2. Check the date, time, location or online platform.
3. Prepare any required documents, identification or equipment.
4. Test your device, internet connection, camera and microphone if the interview is online.
5. Arrive or log in early.
6. Follow instructions from the interview administrator or panel.
7. Raise any issues during the interview process or through the same-day route if required.
8. Keep a record of any issue you report.

If this does not work
If you experience a technical, access or process problem, tell the administrator immediately if possible or use the contact details provided. If you cannot resolve it on the day, raise a query through the recruitment support route with details of what happened and when.

Who to contact
Use the interview contact route in your joining instructions or the recruitment support route.

What HET can and cannot help with
HET can help with

• Directing you to the correct interview support route.
• Responding to local interview process queries where HET owns the process.
• Recording issues raised through the correct route where appropriate.

HET cannot help with

• Re-running an interview unless the recruitment process allows this.
• Considering late issues where the process required same-day reporting and this was not followed.
• Guaranteeing that reported issues will change the outcome.

Related articles

• How to book, change or cancel your interview
• Common problems with interview booking and how to fix them
• How to raise a complaint about your interview or offer

Last reviewed
 Last reviewed: 25 September 2026