Video Interview Tips — Look and Sound Your Best

Setup tips — before you say a word

• Camera at eye levelStack books under your laptop if needed. Looking down into the camera creates an unflattering angle and makes you appear to be looking away from the interviewer. Eye level = direct eye contact.
• Light your face from the frontFace a window or place a desk lamp in front of you — never behind you. Backlighting silhouettes your face. The reviewer needs to clearly see your expressions, which are a large part of what they're evaluating.
• Clean backgroundA plain wall or tidy bookshelf is ideal. Cluttered or distracting backgrounds draw attention away from you. Avoid virtual backgrounds for important interviews — they create artefacts when you move and look artificial.
• Test audio and video firstDo a test recording 30 minutes before your interview — not 5. Check that your microphone picks up clearly without room echo, that the camera is sharp, and that your framing shows your face and shoulders.
• Close all other applicationsNotifications, Slack pings, and background app noise are all unprofessional interruptions in a recorded interview. Turn on Do Not Disturb and close everything except the interview platform.

Delivery tips — how you come across on camera

• Look at the lens, not the screenThe single biggest camera presence mistake. Looking at the interviewer's face (or your own self-view) on your screen reads as shifty, distracted eye contact. Stick a small dot or arrow above your webcam to remind yourself where to look.
• Slow your pace by 20%Nerves accelerate speech. Video compresses energy — what feels like a normal pace in your head often sounds rushed on camera. Deliberately slow down. Strategic pauses before key points signal confidence, not hesitation.
• Eliminate filler words"Um", "uh", "like", "you know", "basically", "so..." — filler words are worse on video than in person because there's no ambient conversation to absorb them. They undermine credibility. Record yourself and count them; the awareness alone reduces frequency by half.
• Smile before you start speakingThe moment before you answer is visible. Take a breath, give a brief natural smile, then begin. It signals composure and warmth — two things interviewers notice immediately on video.
• Sit slightly forwardLeaning slightly forward signals engagement. Leaning back signals disinterest or passivity. Keep your posture upright — slouching compresses your chest and affects your voice quality as well as your visual impression.

Answer tips — what to say and how to say it

• Start with the action, not the contextMost candidates spend the first 30 seconds giving background (Situation) before getting to anything interesting. Lead with a preview of the Result or your key Action, then fill in the Situation briefly. You earn attention before the interviewer tunes out.
• Quantify every ResultVague results ("the project was successful", "the team was happy") are forgettable. Specific numbers are not ("reduced churn by 18%", "delivered 3 weeks ahead of schedule", "managed a $2M budget"). If you don't have an exact number, estimate with a qualifier — "approximately" is better than nothing.
• End cleanly and stopMany candidates tail off with "...yeah, so that was it, basically" after their Result. End on the Result with a strong final sentence. Then stop. Silence is fine. Rambling after your answer is finished undoes the work you just did.
• Hit 90–120 seconds per answerFor behavioral questions in a standard video interview, 90–120 seconds is the ideal range. Under 60 seconds reads as shallow; over 180 seconds starts to lose the listener. Practise timing your answers so you hit this window naturally.

Frequently asked questions