Virtual Interview Tips: Nailing Video Calls and Remote Interviews
Virtual interviews have specific challenges that in-person interviews don’t have.
You can’t rely on the handshake or the in-person presence. You can’t read the full room. You can’t move around naturally.
But you also have advantages: You can see your notes. You can be in a comfortable environment. You can control more variables.
The key is understanding what changes when you move to video and preparing accordingly.
Pre-Interview Setup: The Technical Foundation
1. Test Your Tech (1 day before)
Don’t test 5 minutes before the interview. Test the day before.
- Internet connection: Do a speed test. Make sure upload/download are stable. Wired connection is better than WiFi if possible.
- Camera: Test your camera angle and lighting. Is your face well-lit? Can they see you clearly?
- Microphone: Use external mic if you have one. Your laptop mic is usually tinny.
- Software: Test the video platform they’re using (Zoom, Google Meet, Teams, etc.). Make sure you can share screen if needed.
- Background: Check what’s behind you. Is it professional? Is it distracting?
2. Optimize Your Environment
Lighting: You want light in front of you, not a bright window behind you.
- Best: Desk lamp or natural window light in front of you
- Avoid: Bright light behind you (silhouettes you)
- Test: Open the video app and look at yourself. Do you look clear or dark?
Background:
- Best: Plain wall or a professional-looking bookshelf
- Avoid: Messy bedroom, laundry, random stuff
- Tip: If you can’t make your background good, use a virtual background, but keep it simple and professional
Seating:
- Sit in a chair at a desk or table, not on a couch
- Center yourself in frame
- Camera should be at eye level (not looking up or down at you)
Distractions:
- Close unnecessary browser tabs and apps (nothing should ping or distract)
- Put your phone in another room
- Tell housemates you have an interview and shouldn’t be interrupted
- Close Slack, email, anything that might notify
3. Test Audio 1 Hour Before
- Do a quick call with a friend and have them confirm you sound clear
- Check for background noise (AC, fan, road noise)
- Make sure you’re not too quiet or too loud
4. Dress Professionally
You’re on camera. Dress like you would for an in-person interview, at least from the waist up (since they can mostly see that).
Yes, even if you’re wearing pajama pants. It sounds silly, but dressing professionally gets you in the right mindset.
During the Interview: On-Camera Presence
1. Eye Contact
In-person, you look at the person’s face. On camera, this is tricky:
The problem: If you look at the camera, you can’t see their face. If you look at their face on screen, it looks like you’re looking down.
The solution:
- Look at the camera when you’re speaking
- Look at their face on screen when you’re listening
- Practice this so it feels natural
(Alternatively: Some video platforms let you move the video window above your camera, reducing this problem.)
2. Posture and Body Language
- Sit up straight (slouching reads as disinterested)
- Lean slightly forward (shows engagement)
- Keep your hands visible and use natural gestures
- Don’t fidget constantly with your pen or phone
What not to do:
- Looking at your notes constantly
- Typing during the call
- Spinning in your chair or fidgeting
- Looking off-screen at something else
3. Facial Expressions
You’re on camera. Your face is smaller and sometimes a bit stiff. Compensate:
- Smile a bit more than you normally would
- Nod to show you’re engaged
- React visibly to what they say (nod or a slight smile when they say something interesting)
- Avoid a flat or frozen expression
4. Audio Quality
- Speak clearly and at a normal pace (don’t rush)
- Don’t interrupt (it’s slightly harder to read timing on video, so pause a beat longer than you would in person)
- If you didn’t hear something, ask them to repeat it
- Avoid “um,” “uh,” “like,” “you know”
5. Volume and Energy
You need slightly more energy on video than you would in person, because the screen flattens presence.
- Speak with slight more energy and enthusiasm
- Vary your tone (don’t be monotone)
- Pause for emphasis (gives time for your words to land and shows confidence)
Managing the Screen
Single Screen vs Dual Screen
Single screen (laptop camera):
- Pro: Focus on the interview
- Con: Hard to take notes and look at interviewers simultaneously
Dual screen (laptop + monitor, or second device):
- Pro: Can see your notes on one screen, interviewer on another
- Con: Can be distracting, and you might look at the wrong screen
Recommendation: Use single screen with minimal notes written down. You should know your material well enough that you don’t need to read from notes constantly.
Sharing Screen (If Required)
If you need to share a design, code, document, etc.:
- Before the interview: Have it open and ready
- During: Ask before sharing: “Should I share my screen now?”
- While sharing: Point out what you’re talking about. Move your cursor to guide their eye. Don’t just leave static text on screen.
- After: Take back control of just your camera view
Connection and Relatability
Building Connection on Video
It’s harder to build rapport on video. You have to be intentional:
-
Start with 2–3 minutes of real conversation
- “How’s your day going?”
- “Did you have trouble finding the video link?” (shows friendliness)
- This humanizes you
-
Make them feel heard
- Nod and smile when they speak
- Use their name occasionally
- Respond to what they say, don’t just wait for questions
-
Be authentic
- Don’t be overly stiff or formal
- Let your personality come through
- Genuine beats perfect
Managing Awkward Silences and Lag
Video calls sometimes have slight audio delays or lag. This creates awkward moments:
- Both people start talking at once
- You wait 0.5 seconds thinking they’re done but they’re not
- Your connection glitches
How to handle it:
- “Sorry, go ahead!” (if you both talk at once)
- “I think there was a slight delay. What were you saying?”
- If there’s a technical glitch: “My connection seems to be acting up. Let me take a second to troubleshoot.” (Then pause, or rejoin if needed)
These things happen. Don’t act like you’re losing the job over a tech delay.
Special Situations
If Your Internet Cuts Out
- Stay calm
- If possible, quickly rejoin via phone (they’ll have given you a dial-in option)
- Send a message immediately: “Sorry about that—my internet glitched. Can I rejoin?”
If Something Goes Wrong (Background noise, kid yelling, etc.)
- Apologize briefly and move on
- Don’t spend 5 minutes explaining
- They understand—everyone works from home now
Example: “Sorry about that—my roommate just arrived home. Let’s continue?”
If You’re Really Nervous and Your Hands are Shaking
- Grip the bottom of your desk
- Keep hands steady on the desk/table
- This nervousness won’t come through on camera as much as you think
If Your Computer is Overheating or Glitching
- Restart before the interview
- Close all unnecessary apps
- If during interview: “My computer seems to be running slow. Give me just a second…”
Phone Interview Tips (Different from Video)
If you have a phone screen before a video interview:
-
Same prep, different delivery
- Still research the company and role
- Still have examples ready
- But you’re not on camera
-
Speak clearly and with energy
- They can’t see you, so your voice carries all the signal
- Be slightly more animated than normal
- Make sure they can hear you
-
You can have notes
- Phone interviews are more forgiving of glancing at notes
- But don’t read directly from scripts—you’ll sound robotic
-
Find a quiet space
- Don’t take it in a coffee shop or noisy environment
- Close the door to your room if possible
-
If they call you
- You can have a quiet moment to gather yourself
- But don’t keep them waiting more than 30 seconds
Post-Interview
Follow-Up for Virtual Interviews
Send the same thank-you you would send after in-person. Include:
- Reference to specific things discussed
- Connection to the role
- Gratitude
Virtual interviews are still interviews. The follow-up matters the same.
Key Checklist: 30 Minutes Before Interview
- [ ] Close all apps except the video platform
- [ ] Test internet connection
- [ ] Bathroom break (before interview starts!)
- [ ] Water nearby but not on camera
- [ ] Notes prepared (if needed)
- [ ] Dress professionally
- [ ] Lighting is good
- [ ] Background is professional
- [ ] Camera is at eye level
- [ ] Microphone is working
- [ ] Phone in another room
- [ ] Tell household: I’m in interview, no interruptions
- [ ] Take a calming breath
Key Takeaways
- Technical setup is half the battle. Test everything the day before.
- Posture and energy matter more on video because the screen flattens presence.
- Eye contact: Look at camera when speaking, at them when listening.
- Connection is harder on video, so be more intentional about building it.
- Treat it like a real interview even though it’s remote.
- Technical glitches happen—don’t let them throw you off.
- The best video interviews are the ones where people forget they’re on video and just have a conversation.
Next: After you’ve aced interviews across formats, read How to Negotiate a Job Offer for the final step.