How to Prepare for a Video Interview on Zoom or Teams
By Zyctra Team · · 5 min read
Many first — and sometimes final — interviews now happen over video. The questions are the same as in person, but technology and presence on camera add new ways to stand out or stumble.
The day before
- Test the platform. Install Zoom, Teams or Google Meet in advance, update it, and join a test call.
- Check your internet. If Wi-Fi is weak, move closer to the router, use a cable, or have mobile data as a backup.
- Save the interviewer's phone number or email in case the connection drops.
- Charge your laptop or phone and keep the charger plugged in.
Camera, light and sound
- Place the camera at eye level — stack books under your laptop if needed.
- Face a window or a lamp; avoid bright light behind you, which turns you into a silhouette.
- Choose a plain, tidy background or use a subtle blur.
- Use earphones with a microphone to reduce echo and background noise.
- Frame yourself from mid-chest up, with a little space above your head.
Presence on screen
- Look at the camera when you speak, not at your own image. This feels like eye contact to the interviewer.
- Pause slightly before answering to avoid talking over each other because of lag.
- Nod and smile while listening; small reactions are harder to read on video, so make them visible.
- Dress fully as you would for an in-person interview.
- Close other apps and notifications and silence your phone.
Notes: allowed, but use them well
A few bullet points next to your camera — key achievements, questions to ask — are fine. Don't read full answers; it shows in your eyes and voice.
If something goes wrong
Stay calm. If the call drops, rejoin immediately and send a short message. If there's a noise at home, apologise briefly and continue. Interviewers mostly judge how you handle it.
One-way (recorded) video interviews
Some employers send recorded interviews where questions appear on screen and you have a set time to answer. Practise answering to a timer, keep to about 60–90 seconds, and use the STAR method for experience questions.
Practise speaking your answers
The fastest way to get comfortable is to answer out loud. Zyctra's Voice Mode lets you do a full mock interview by speaking, so you get used to thinking on your feet — and you get feedback on each answer.
Topics: Interview Tips, Remote Work, Video Interview