How Do I Handle Video Interviews With Overseas Employers Across Time Zones?

Key facts

The specifics, before the explanation.

• Australian daylight saving runs from the first Sunday in October to the first Sunday in April in NSW, Victoria, ACT, Tasmania and SA; Queensland, WA and NT do not observe it
• During Australian summer, Sydney is UTC+11, London is UTC+0, New York is UTC-5, Singapore is UTC+8 and Dubai is UTC+4
• The UK and Europe move clocks back in late October and the US in early November, so offsets change twice within a few weeks of each other
• A written confirmation that states both local times and the UTC offset removes almost all ambiguity
• Calendar invitations sent from the employer usually convert automatically, but manually typed times in emails do not

What this actually means

Most time-zone mistakes happen in October and November, and for a specific reason. Australia springs forward on the first Sunday in October, Europe falls back in late October, and the United States falls back in early November. Within five weeks the gap between Sydney and London changes from nine hours to eleven, and the gap to New York from fourteen to sixteen. A time that was right when the interview was booked can be wrong on the day.

The fix is procedural. When a time is proposed, reply confirming it in both zones with the date and the UTC offset, for example 9:00 London (UTC+0) which is 20:00 Sydney (UTC+11) on Thursday 5 November. Ask the employer to send a calendar invitation, because invitations carry the zone and convert on your device. Never rely on a time typed in an email body.

Performance at odd hours is the second issue. A midnight interview with a US company is a real possibility. If you can, propose a slot in the overlap window: early morning Australian time works for US West Coast afternoons, and late evening Australian time works for UK mornings. If the slot is unavoidable, sleep beforehand, eat normally, and set up the room an hour early so you are not rushing at 11pm.

Also state your location plainly in the interview. Employers hiring remotely from Australia want to know your working hours overlap, and showing you have already thought about it answers a question they may not ask directly.

What to actually do

Rules and figures move. Confirm anything time-sensitive with the official regulator before you rely on it.

• Confirm every interview time in writing in both zones with the UTC offset and the day of the week
• Ask for a calendar invitation rather than a time in an email, and check it on your phone as well as your laptop
• Propose overlap slots: early morning Sydney for US West Coast, late evening Sydney for the UK and Europe
• Rehearse your opening answers out loud at the actual interview hour the day before, so you know how you sound at that time of night
• Mention your time zone and your realistic overlap hours early in the conversation if the role is remote

Frequently asked questions

What time is 9am London in Sydney during Australian daylight saving?

8pm Sydney, since Sydney is UTC+11 and London is UTC+0 between late October and late March. Before the UK clocks change in late October the gap is ten hours.

Should I ask an overseas employer to reschedule a midnight interview?

You can politely offer alternative overlap windows, but if the panel is only available then, accept it and prepare properly. Flexibility is noticed.

Does Queensland have daylight saving?

No. Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory do not observe daylight saving, so a Brisbane interviewer and a Sydney candidate are one hour apart in summer.