Video interview tips how to come across well on camera

The video interview tips that matter most

For a video interview: put the camera at eye level, light your face from the front, use a plain background, test your audio, video and the platform the day before, and look at the camera when you speak. Keep answers a little shorter than in person, pause before you answer to allow for lag, and have a plan if the connection drops.

This post covers how to come across well on camera, how to speak on a call, what to do when the tech fails, the difference between live and recorded interviews, and quick notes for Zoom, Teams and Google Meet. For the setup itself, tick through the video interview checklist.

The setup in one minute

MIT's career office gives the basics: "Position your camera to eye level", "Have a light source behind or next to your camera", "Select a neutral background", and "Test your audio and video". Test the actual platform, too, not just your webcam.

• Install the meeting app the day before, not five minutes before.
• Plug in your laptop and close every other app and tab.
• Use a headset or earbuds with a mic if your room echoes.
• Put your resume and three notes beside the camera, not on the far side of the desk.

The full list, with 36 ticks for camera, light, sound, internet and a backup plan, is in the video interview checklist.

How to come across well on camera

Eye contact

When you speak, look at the camera, not the interviewer's face on screen. When they speak, look at the screen as you naturally would. Moving the meeting window right under the camera makes the difference smaller.

Framing

Head and shoulders, with a little space above your head. If you are too close, you look tense; too far, you look absent.

What to wear

Dress as you would for the interview in person, at least from the waist up. Solid colors work better than thin stripes or busy patterns, which can flicker on camera.

Body language

Sit up, keep your hands visible now and then, and nod when listening, a little more than you would in person: small reactions are easy to miss on a call. Turn off the self-view if watching yourself makes you nervous.

How to speak on a video call

• Pause before you answer. A one-second pause avoids talking over a delayed question.
• Keep answers shorter. Attention drops faster on screen. Aim for about a minute and a half, and offer more detail if they want it.
• Answer first, then explain. Put the direct answer in your first sentence. Our guide on how to answer interview questions shows the method.
• Signal when you are done. "That's the main example; happy to go into more detail." It stops awkward silence.
• Mute only if there is noise. Unmuting late makes you miss the start of your own answer.

What to do when the tech fails

Interviewers handle dropped calls all the time. What they remember is whether you stayed calm.

Live vs recorded video interviews

A live interview is a normal conversation over Zoom, Teams or Meet. A recorded (one-way) interview shows a question on screen and records your answer, with nobody on the other side. HireVue's FAQ calls its version "the kind you do without another person at the other end" and says "hiring decisions are made by people".

For recorded interviews, HireVue's own tips are to use the practice questions, record yourself on a phone or computer beforehand, find "a quiet place with good wifi" and keep the light in front of you. Read each question's time limit and retake rules before you start. More in one-way video interviews and HireVue interview questions.

Zoom, Teams and Google Meet: quick notes

• Zoom: set your display name to your full name before joining, and check which mic and speaker are selected.
• Microsoft Teams: common at large employers. If you join as a guest from the browser, test the link early: some company setups need the desktop app.
• Google Meet: runs in the browser. Allow camera and mic access before the interview, and close other tabs that might be using the camera.

After the video interview

Leave the call only after the interviewer does, and check you are really disconnected before you react. Send a short thank-you email the same day that mentions one thing from the conversation. Then write down the questions you were asked, while you still remember them.

Practice on camera before the real thing

Record yourself answering three questions, watch it once with the sound off (body language) and once with your eyes closed (voice). The free AI mock interview reads questions for your job aloud and reports on pace, filler words and structure. During the live call, ClapAssist shows suggested answers from your resume and stays out of your screen share; check first whether the employer allows AI help.