Video Interview Tips That Actually Work

Video interviews are now the default first screen for most professional roles, but most candidates treat them as a lesser version of an in-person interview that just happens to take place on a screen. That framing is wrong, and it leads to predictable mistakes.

Video introduces technical variables that in-person interviews do not have: lighting, audio quality, camera angle, background, connection stability, and the platform itself. Any one of these going wrong creates a distraction that works against your impression before you have said a single substantive thing. A recruiter who is straining to hear you, or squinting at a backlit silhouette, is not focused on what you are saying.

Beyond the technical issues, the camera creates a social dynamic that is subtly different from in-person conversation. Eye contact is harder — looking at the interviewer's face on screen means looking down slightly, not into the camera. Natural pacing and conversational timing are slightly off because of slight audio latency. These things are manageable with awareness and practice, but only if you recognize them as real challenges.

Lighting. This is the single biggest visual difference between candidates who look professional on video and those who do not. You want a light source in front of you, not behind you. A window behind you creates a silhouette. A ring light, a desk lamp aimed at your face, or even natural light from a window in front of you will make you look significantly better on camera. Good lighting also reduces the strain of low-quality webcams.

Camera angle. Your camera should be at eye level or slightly above — never below. A laptop camera sitting on a desk below your eye level creates an unflattering upward angle and puts your nostrils in the foreground. Elevate your laptop on a stack of books or a stand to get the camera to the right height.

Audio. Laptop microphones are often mediocre. External earbuds or headphones with a microphone dramatically improve your audio quality and eliminate the echo that laptop speakers can create when picked up by laptop microphones. Test your audio before every interview.

Background.A plain wall is ideal. A clean, uncluttered room is fine. A bookshelf with appropriate books reads as professional. A messy room, a distracting virtual background, or anything that pulls the viewer's attention creates a subtle negative impression.

Eye contact in video interviews is a learned skill. In real life, you make eye contact by looking at someone's eyes. In video, doing this means looking at the screen, which actually makes it appear to the other person that you are looking slightly downward. To create the impression of eye contact, look at the camera — the small dot at the top of your laptop or monitor — when you are speaking. Look at the screen when listening to the interviewer.

Speak slightly more slowly than you would in person. Slight audio latency and the less natural conversational cues in video mean that speaking at your normal pace can feel slightly rushed to the listener. Slowing down by about 10% creates the right cadence and gives you more time to think.

Dress appropriately from the waist up, but also choose solid colors over patterns. Finely striped or checkered fabric creates a “moiré” effect on video — a visual vibration that is distracting for the viewer. Solid colors, especially medium tones, photograph well on camera.

Test your setup the day before, not five minutes before. Download or update the required platform (Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, HireVue) and confirm that your camera and microphone work within that specific application. Different platforms handle permissions differently, and troubleshooting a permission error while a recruiter is waiting is a bad start.

Close every application you do not need during the interview. Incoming messages, calendar alerts, and notification sounds all interrupt your focus and can interrupt the conversation at critical moments. Put your phone out of reach or on silent.

Have your notes nearby but out of frame. One advantage of video interviews is that you can have notes that are not visible to the interviewer. A one-page reference sheet with the company background, your key talking points, and questions you want to ask is entirely appropriate to have available — but do not read from it visibly. Use it as a reference that you glance at subtly, not a script you read aloud.