Prepare your space and answers
Research the company and role. Prepare STAR-format stories for common questions. Print key bullets at eye level beside the camera.
Prepare three stories that show results: a challenge, your action, and measurable outcome. Rehearse aloud until you sound conversational, not memorized.
List questions to ask the interviewer. Thoughtful questions signal preparation as much as strong answers.
Tech check day before
Test the exact app the employer uses. Charge devices. Have a phone hotspot ready as backup internet.
Run a five-minute mock call with a friend on the same platform. Confirm they hear you clearly and your framing looks professional.
Close notifications and update the app. Mid-interview update prompts destroy focus.
On-camera delivery
Dress professionally head to toe in case you stand. Speak slightly slower than in person. Smile at introductions and closings.
Look at the camera lens for key points, not only the interviewer’s thumbnail. That creates eye contact on their screen.
Pause briefly before answering tough questions. A two-second think beats filler words and rushed structure.
Follow-up
Send a thank-you email within 24 hours referencing specific topics from the conversation.
Keep it short: gratitude, one relevant detail from the discussion, and reaffirmed interest. No novel-length recap.
During the interview
Join two to three minutes early. Greet calmly if others are already in the waiting room.
If audio fails, offer to reconnect or call in by phone rather than pushing through garbled sound.
Take notes on paper off-camera if needed. Typing on keyboard mic picks up every keystroke.
Video interview mistakes
Reading full sentences from a screen below the camera.
Apologizing repeatedly for background noise instead of fixing the mic or moving rooms.
Rambling answers without a clear result at the end.
Skipping the thank-you note because “they know I’m interested.”
Frequently asked questions
- Should I read notes during a video interview?
- Brief bullet notes off-camera are fine. Reading full sentences sounds unnatural.
- What should I wear for a video interview?
- One step above the company’s daily dress code. Solid colors photograph better than busy patterns.
- How early should I join a video interview?
- Two to three minutes early. Use the waiting room to breathe, not to cram new answers.
- What if my internet drops mid-interview?
- Reconnect immediately and apologize once. Have a phone number or alternate link ready in your prep notes.
- Should I use a virtual background for interviews?
- Only if edges look clean. A real tidy wall is safer for formal hiring conversations.
