Video interview guidance

A comprehensive set of guides and instructions is available for candidates and assessors.

We are also running multiple live demonstration sessions in the days prior to interviews taking place so that candidates and assessors can familiarise themselves with what to expect.

No. Any platforms we may use will be free for candidates and assessors.

All are available to use as a guest and do not require an account to be created or personal details shared.

The only difference with video interviews is the format – online instead of face-to-face.

All other elements of the assessment interview remain the same.

The video conferencing platforms we choose to use follow the latest security best practices and procedures.

In relation to confidential, personal and sensitive data, all assessors are governed by the RICS data protection policy.

The chairperson, assessors, candidate and staff observer have all been briefed on what to do in these circumstances.

If the technical issues are interrupting the effectiveness of the interview, the chairperson will pause the interview and the staff observer will advise the participants on what to do.  As a last resort, participants will be asked to exit the meeting and rejoin.

All checks by the staff observer and chairperson will be completed again before the interview continues.

If interruptions total less than 10 minutes, the time will be added to the end of the scheduled finish time so a 60-minute interview is achieved.

If interruptions total more than 10 minutes, the RICS policy requires the chairperson to terminate the interview.

Our qualification requirements have not changed.

Candidates will be assessed based on their selected pathway and competency requirements and the assessment route requirements (APC, senior professional, specialist or academic).

The only element of the assessment that is changing is the format of the interview – moving from in-person to online.

RICS staff will be observing interviews and be available to support with any technical issues.

A guide on preparing for video interviews is available to all candidates and assessors.

This includes guidance on choosing an appropriate location and setting up the location for the video interview.

The candidate must have a camera and microphone turned on and connected throughout the interview. At the start of the interview the chairperson will ask the candidate to provide a 360-view of their surroundings, including the view above and below them.

The chairperson and assessors will be checking for any access to support that the candidate may have. The chairperson is able to request this view of the surroundings to completed again at any time during the video interview. The chairperson and assessors have also been advised on how to identify any suspicious activity from the candidate, for example keyboard typing, mouse clicking, other noises, unusual eye movement, and excessive hesitation in responding to questions.

Candidates are being reminded that any attempt to gain an unfair advantage during the interview and undermine the integrity of the assessment process will be reported to the RICS Regulation department for investigation and may result in expulsion from membership.

To help provide clarity for RICS candidates and assessors despite current uncertainty, we have made the decision to move all future final assessment interviews to a digital platform. Adopting this approach now helps us to deliver on our commitment to growing the profession collectively with you and allows you to prepare for the assessments with a full understanding of what to expect.

Through the COVID-19 pandemic we delivered our schedule of assessments, rather than postpone them, thanks to the commitment from candidates and assessors and this has seen us support over 1,300 RICS candidates to be assessed digitally. The feedback we have received from candidates, assessors and firms has been positive and where improvement has been identified, we have acted swiftly to address this through updated guidance and communications.

While the format of the assessment has changed, the requirements remain the same. You can therefore be confident that the RICS designation will continue to make a difference as we uphold the highest level of professionalism through this digital approach.

Candidates: We recognise that you may be anxious about being assessed by video interview. We have produced various support resources for you, available on this page, and will be holding demonstration sessions to allow you to familiarise yourself with the video interview experience.

We have introduced policies to address the different approaches required to conduct a successful video interview and manage any possible technical issues that may occur. Our assessors and staff have been trained to deliver the interview effectively online.

If you are aware of any circumstances that may affect your performance at the assessment then please ensure you alert RICS to this at the point of applying for your final assessment interview. This should usually be done in the Assessment Resource Centre (ARC).

Assessors: If as an assessor you have circumstances that may affect your ability to assess online, please contact your local assessment team directly so we can consider any reasonable adjustments we can make.

Assessors will not be making any judgements on your location. We have prepared a guide on preparing for video interviews that details setting up your location and choosing what to wear.