Video interview tips that make you look and sound prepared

• Install and update the platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet) the day before
• Use a laptop or desktop rather than a phone; plug in the charger
• Close other apps and browser tabs, and turn off notifications
• Use wired headphones or earbuds with a microphone to avoid echo
• Have the interviewer's phone number or email ready in case the call drops
• Join two to three minutes early, not ten

Raise your laptop on books so the camera is at eye level, and sit so your head and shoulders fill the upper half of the frame. Face a window or put a lamp behind the screen; light behind you turns you into a silhouette.

A tidy, plain background is best. Use a subtle blur if your space is busy, but avoid novelty virtual backgrounds that distort your outline.

On video, eye contact means looking at the camera lens. Many people place a small sticky note next to the lens as a reminder. Nod and smile while listening, since small reactions are harder to see on screen, and pause a beat before answering to avoid talking over the interviewer when there is lag.

Some employers use platforms where you record answers to on-screen questions with no live interviewer. You usually get 30 seconds to two minutes of thinking time and a fixed answer length.

• Use the practice question the platform offers
• Keep a few bullet notes out of view of the camera, but do not read them
• Use the STAR structure and aim to finish 10–15 seconds before the timer
• Treat it like a live interview: same clothes, setup and energy

Technology fails for everyone. If your video freezes, say so calmly, rejoin, and offer to repeat your last point. If the connection is unusable, suggest switching to a phone call. Interviewers judge how you handle the problem, not the problem itself.