What should I check before a video interview?

The exact meeting link, the camera and microphone in that app, headphones, the charger, a light in front of you rather than a window behind you, notifications off, and your resume and the job post open where you can glance at them. The checklist has the full list.

Can the interviewer see my other windows on a screen share?

Only what you share: a window or the whole screen. The screen share test shows you exactly what they would see before the real call. Share one window, not the whole screen, unless they ask.

What do I say when my mind goes blank?

Buy time out loud instead of going silent: repeat the question in your own words, name what you do know, and say how you would find the rest. The mind-went-blank page has three lines for each situation.

Is ClapAssist visible when I share my screen?

No. The app stays out of screen share on every plan, including Free, on Mac and Windows. The screen share test lets you prove it on your own screen in about thirty seconds.

Should I look at the camera or the screen in a video interview?

At the camera while you speak, because that is what looks like eye contact to the other person. Look at the screen while you listen, so you can read their face. Moving the call window to just under the lens makes the switch small.

Is it okay to do a video interview on my phone?

It works if it is all you have, but a laptop or desktop is better. If you use a phone, stand it on something steady in landscape, at eye level, plugged in, with notifications silenced. Never hold it in your hand during the call.

What do I do if my internet drops during the interview?

Rejoin the same link at once. If that fails, use your phone's data or call the number you saved before the call. When you are back, say what happened in one line and ask them to repeat the last question. A short break handled calmly is rarely held against anyone.

Can I keep notes in front of me during a video interview?

Short notes are fine, and most interviewers expect some. Keep them to key words near the camera, not full answers to read out. If they ask you to share your screen, close the notes window first or keep it out of the window you share.

Video Interview Setup: checklist, screen share test

The live call: set up the room, check the screen, keep talking

Everything before this step was preparation. This step is the hour of the call: the room and the sound, what the interviewer can see on a screen share, and what to say in the ten seconds when nothing comes.

Every tool here is free and needs no account. Your live interview audio and screen are never stored.

5In the call

The live call

The room, the sound, what the interviewer can see, and what to say when your mind goes blank. The tools get you ready; the app is for the call itself.

Done here when the camera, sound and screen are checked, and you know your three recovery lines by heart.

Browser only

Video interview setup checklist

Check camera, light, mic and sound live in the browser, then tick the rest: camera at eye level, notes beside the lens, internet, what to close before a screen share, the name on the call, a backup plan. Nothing is sent to us.

Open onSetup checklist Screen share test Mind went blank phrasesSet up my room

In order

The night before, then the hour before

The night before, run the checklist once. The video interview setup checklist covers the camera at eye level, light from the front, headphones, the charger, the apps to close and the name on the call. Tick as you go; the ticks stay in your browser.
If there will be a screen share, test it on your own screen. The screen share test shares your screen back to you so you see exactly what the interviewer sees, and nothing else.
Learn three recovery lines by heart. The mind went blank page gives spoken lines for eight situations and a countdown to practice one. Said once out loud, they come back under pressure.
Then stop preparing. Join ten minutes early, close everything except the call and your notes, and listen to the whole question before you answer.

The ClapAssist app is for the call itself: it listens on your own computer and shows a first sentence to say, in your words, grounded in your resume. It stays out of screen share on every plan. Ten free minutes, no card.

Guide

How do you set up for a video interview?

You do not need new gear. You need the things you already own placed well, and tested in the same app the interview will use. Go through these in order.

Camera: at eye level, an arm's length away

A laptop flat on a desk films up your nose. Raise it on books or a box until the lens is level with your eyes. Sit far enough back that the frame shows your head and the top of your shoulders. When you talk, look at the lens, not at the faces on the screen; that is what reads as eye contact on their side.

Light: in front of you, never behind

A bright window behind you turns you into a dark shape. Face the window, or put a lamp behind the screen, pointing at you. Avoid a single bright overhead light on its own; it puts shadows under your eyes. Check the picture in the call app's preview, not in your camera app, because some call apps change it.

Sound: headphones and a quiet room

Wired or wireless headphones with a microphone stop the echo that laptop speakers cause. Close the door, turn off fans you can hear, and tell the people at home the time of the call. Do a short test call with a friend, or use the app's own audio test, to hear how you come across.

Background: plain and tidy

A wall, a bookshelf or a clean corner is fine. A blur is better than a busy room, but fake backgrounds can cut off your hands and hair when you move. Whatever is behind you, make sure nothing private is in view.

The app and the link

Open the exact invite link the day before. Install or update the app if the link asks for it, sign in with the account whose name you want them to see, and allow camera and microphone access. On a laptop, plug in the charger. A laptop on a table is steadier and easier to manage than a phone in your hand.

A backup for when the connection drops

Save the interviewer's or recruiter's phone number or email before the call. Keep your phone charged and nearby, ready to rejoin from it or to share its data connection. If the call drops, rejoin straight away and say one line: "Sorry, my connection dropped. Where was I?" It happens on both sides of interviews.

Avoid

Video call mistakes, and the fix for each

Testing in a different app. A camera that works in one app can be blocked in another. Test in the one on the invite.
Sharing the whole screen with tabs and messages open. Close what you do not need and share one window. Run the screen share test first if a share is likely.
Reading notes off to the side. Eyes that keep moving away look unsure. Put a few short notes close to the lens, and keep the full resume for a quick glance.
Joining at the exact start time. Updates and permission pop-ups appear at the worst moment. Join a few minutes early.
Going silent when the question is hard. A long silence on video feels longer than in a room. Say what you are thinking, out loud, while you work out the answer.

Ready means this

Camera at eye level, light on your face, headphones on, the link opened and tested, notifications off, charger in, a backup number saved, and three recovery lines you have said out loud once. If you still have time, the guide on what to say when you don't know the answer is the best last read.

Next step

Done here? Next: offer and new job

After the call, the follow-up and the offer are where the money is decided: The offer, the money and the first 90 days. The first tool there is the Thank-you email.

Lost? The interview readiness quiz asks eight questions and tells you which tool to open next.