Technical setup that actually matters
Four elements of your setup will determine whether the interviewer can focus on your answers or is distracted by technical issues:
Camera position: Your camera should be at eye level — not pointing up at your chin or down at your forehead. Laptop cameras are typically too low. Use a stack of books, a laptop stand, or a separate webcam at the correct height. Looking into the camera reads as eye contact; looking at the interviewer's face on your screen makes it appear you're looking down.
Lighting: Light should come from in front of you, not behind. A window behind you creates a silhouette. A lamp or natural light source in front of you creates a clear, well-lit face. Ring lights work well and are inexpensive.
Background: A clean, neutral background (a plain wall, a tidy bookshelf) is professional. A virtual background is acceptable if the edges don't glitch. What you want to avoid: a messy room, other people visible, distracting posters, or anything that would pull the interviewer's attention from your face.
Audio: A headset with a built-in mic produces better audio than laptop speakers and microphone. Avoid AirPods in casual spaces — they pick up room noise. Ensure you're on a stable internet connection; use ethernet if available.
What to do in the 30 minutes before
Thirty minutes before the interview: test your camera and microphone (most platforms have a test feature), close all other applications and browser tabs to free up bandwidth and remove distractions, silence your phone and turn off notifications on your computer, have a glass of water on your desk, prepare your notes — a second screen or printed sheet at desk level works well.
Log into the meeting link 5 minutes early. Being in the waiting room on time signals preparedness. Being late to a video interview is harder to recover from than being late to an in-person meeting — there's no "stuck in traffic" excuse.
Body language and presence on video
Video compresses many of the natural signals you'd give in person. You need to be slightly more intentional:
Look at the camera when speaking, not at the interviewer's face on your screen. This is the single most impactful body language adjustment for video interviews. It reads as direct eye contact from the other side.
Sit up straight. Slouching is more visible on camera than in person because the frame is tight on your upper body.
Use fewer hand gestures than you would in person. On video, large hand gestures can exit the frame or appear exaggerated. Smaller, deliberate gestures are better.
Pace yourself slightly slower than normal. Audio and video compression, slight latency, and the absence of physical presence cues can make fast speech harder to follow on a call than in person.
Use the interviewer's name once or twice. It creates connection and signals presence.
How to handle technical issues gracefully
Technical issues happen even with good preparation. The key is to handle them calmly — how you respond to minor chaos is itself information for the interviewer.
If your audio cuts out: "Apologies — I think my audio may have dropped. Can you still hear me clearly?" If their video freezes: wait 15–20 seconds before asking them to repeat — it often resolves itself. If the call drops entirely: rejoin immediately and continue where you left off with a brief apology. If there's a persistent technical issue: offer to switch to phone ("Would it be easier to continue by phone? I'm happy to call you right now").
Have the interviewer's phone number or email as a backup before the interview starts. Ask the recruiter for it when they send the meeting link.
Making a genuine connection through a screen
The biggest challenge of virtual interviews is recreating the warmth and engagement of in-person interaction through a screen. Several techniques help:
Smile naturally at the start and end of the call — it reads on video. Reference something specific from the company's recent news or the job description to show active preparation. Ask questions that invite the interviewer to share their perspective: "What's your experience been like at [Company]?" makes a recruiter a participant in the conversation, not just an evaluator.
End the interview with genuine energy: "I really enjoyed this conversation — I'm more excited about the role than when we started." This landing is remembered. Interviewers debrief immediately after calls and tone of ending is part of what they report.