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

Both. Look at the lens for key points and the interviewer's face when listening. Put their window right under the camera so the difference is small.

Is it okay to use a virtual background?

A blur is safer than an image. Image backgrounds can cut off your hands and hair when you move. If your real background is tidy, use it.

Can I do a video interview on my phone?

You can, but put the phone on a stand at eye level, in landscape, plugged in. A laptop is steadier and makes it easier to see everyone.

What do I do if the interviewer's connection is bad?

Be patient and help them: "You cut out for a moment. Could you say the question again?" Don't guess at a question you only half heard.

Should I dress formally for a video interview?

Dress as you would for the in-person interview, including below the waist in case you need to stand. Plain colours tend to look better on camera than fine patterns.

Video interview tips: how to prepare for a Zoom or Teams call

Set up the room the day before

Do the setup a day early, on the same device and app you'll use. Most video interview problems are found in the first test, not the tenth.

Item	What to aim for
Camera height	Lens level with your eyes. Stack books under a laptop if needed
Framing	Head and shoulders, with a little space above your head
Light	A window or lamp in front of you or to the side, never behind you
Background	Plain wall or tidy shelf. A blur is fine if the real background is busy
Sound	Wired or good wireless headphones with a mic. Laptop mics pick up the room
Device	Laptop on a stable surface. A phone propped against a mug wobbles
App	Installed, updated, signed in, with your full name as the display name

Join a test call with a friend and ask two things: "Can you hear me clearly?" and "What's distracting on screen?"

Where to look

Video breaks eye contact. If you look at the interviewer's face on screen, they see you looking down. If you stare into the lens the whole time, you can't see their reactions.

A workable split:

Drag the interviewer's video window to the top of the screen, right under the camera. Your eyes are then only a short distance from the lens.
Look at the lens when you make your main point or give the result of a story.
Look at their face when you're listening, so you catch nods and signals to wrap up.

There's more on this in the guide to eye contact on video calls.

Lag and pauses

Even a good connection has a small delay. In person, you start talking the moment someone stops. On video, that creates talk-over: both of you start, both stop, both say "sorry, go ahead".

Wait a beat before answering. About one second, the time it takes to breathe in. It also makes you look thoughtful.
If you both talk at once, stop and hand it over: "Sorry, please go ahead." Then wait.
End answers clearly. A falling tone and a closing line, such as "That's what I'd bring to this team", tells them you're done.
Keep answers a little shorter than in person. Long answers are harder to follow on video. Aim for 60–90 seconds for a story, then let them ask.
Nod and say "mm-hm" sparingly. Small sounds can cut off their audio on some apps. A nod works without sound.

When the tech goes wrong

Something will probably glitch at some point. The interviewer is judging how you handle it, not whether it happened. Agree a backup at the start: "In case we lose connection, is the number on my CV the best one to call?"

Problem	What to say or do
They froze mid-question	"Sorry, you froze for a few seconds. Could you repeat the last part of the question?"
You froze mid-answer	When back: "I think I dropped out. Where did you lose me?" Then pick up from there in one sentence
They can't hear you	Check mute, then say "Can you hear me now?" If not, type in the chat: "Audio problem, rejoining now"
You're on mute and talked for a minute	"I was on mute, sorry. The short version is…" Give a 20-second summary, not the full answer again
The call drops	Rejoin straight away. If you can't in two minutes, call or email the contact person
Your video won't start	Offer to continue on audio while you fix it after: "My camera's not starting. Shall we carry on with audio?"
Noise at home	"Excuse me one moment," mute, deal with it, return: "Sorry about that." No long explanation

Calm and brief beats apologetic and long. One "sorry" is enough.

Example: recovering after a dropout

This is an example with made-up details.

"Sorry about that, my connection dropped. I was in the middle of the warehouse story. The short version: we cut picking errors by redesigning the shelf labels, and I'd be happy to go into how we tested it."

You restate in one line where you were, give the result, and offer to say more. The interviewer gets the point even if they missed half the story.

Notes on screen: a short warning

It's tempting to put notes beside the call window. Keep them to five keywords on a sticky note near the camera, not a document. Reading on screen moves your eyes side to side, which is very visible on video, and the reading rhythm is easy to hear.

Mistakes to avoid

Mistake	Why it hurts	Instead
Laptop on your knees	The camera looks up your nose and the image wobbles	Laptop on a table, raised to eye level
Window behind you	You become a dark outline	Turn to face the light
Joining at the exact start time	Updates or a wrong link make you late	Open the link 10–15 minutes early
Watching yourself	Your eyes keep drifting to your own tile	Hide self view once you've checked framing
Talking straight over lag	Constant "sorry, go ahead" loops	Pause one breath before answering
Long silence while thinking	Looks like a frozen screen	"Let me take a second to think about that"

The 30 minutes before

Restart your computer and close every app you don't need.
Turn off notifications on the computer and phone.
Open the link, check camera and mic in the app's preview.
Have water, a pen and your sticky note in place.
Say your opening answer out loud once, looking at the lens.

Rehearsing with a partner who interrupts and follows up is the closest thing to the real call. In Speaking Coach the AI interviewer asks follow-ups on what you actually said, and you can set the pressure to Realistic or Tough.