Virtual Interview: 15 Essential Tips to Impress Employers

A virtual interview can feel very different from sitting across the table from a hiring manager.

You still need to explain your experience, build rapport and show why you are right for the role, but now you also need to think about cameras, lighting, sound, internet connections and how you come across on screen.

The good news is that a virtual interview gives you some advantages too. You can control your environment, keep useful information nearby and practise your exact setup before the interview begins.

If you have a virtual interview coming up, use these 15 practical tips to prepare properly, avoid awkward mistakes and make a stronger impression.

What Is a Virtual Interview?

A virtual interview is a job interview conducted remotely using video conferencing software such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom or Google Meet.

Depending on the employer, you may complete:

• A live video interview with a recruiter or hiring manager
• A virtual panel interview with several interviewers
• A recorded interview where you answer predetermined questions
• Several virtual interview rounds with different people across the organisation

The format may be different, but employers are still trying to answer the same basic question:

Are you the right person for the job?

Your preparation should therefore cover both your interview answers and the way you present yourself on screen.

How to Prepare for a Virtual Interview

1. Put Your Camera at Eye Level

This is one of the easiest ways to immediately improve how you look during a virtual interview.

Avoid placing your laptop too low and looking down into the camera for the entire interview.

Raise your laptop using a stand, monitor or even a few sturdy books until the camera sits approximately at eye level.

Your head and upper shoulders should be clearly visible without you sitting too close to the screen.

Think of the frame like a professional LinkedIn photo. You want the interviewer focusing on you, not your ceiling, your nostrils or the pile of washing making an unexpected guest appearance behind you.

2. Look at the Camera When You Are Speaking

Eye contact works differently during an online interview.

When you look directly at the interviewer on your screen, it may appear to them as though you are looking slightly down or away.

Try looking towards the webcam when delivering the most important parts of your answer.

You do not need to stare into the camera constantly. Aim for a natural mix of looking at the interviewer on screen and returning your gaze to the camera while speaking.

3. Test Teams, Zoom or Google Meet Beforehand

Do not make the interview the first time you test the platform.

Before your interview, check:

• Your camera
• Your microphone
• Your speakers or headphones
• Your internet connection
• Your interview link
• Your display name
• Your background
• Your lighting
• Your device battery or power connection

If you have never used the interview platform before, install any required software early.

Also check which microphone and camera your computer has selected. Bluetooth headphones, external webcams and multiple devices can sometimes cause the wrong settings to be selected automatically.

4. Check Your Background

Your background does not need to look like a corporate boardroom.

It simply needs to look clean, calm and distraction-free.

Open your camera before the interview and look carefully at everything that appears in the frame.

Remove clutter, laundry, distracting decorations or anything that could pull attention away from you.

If you use a blurred or virtual background, test it first. Some backgrounds can distort around your hair, hands or clothing and end up being more distracting than the room itself.

5. Get Your Lighting Right

The interviewer needs to be able to clearly see your facial expressions.

Whenever possible, position yourself facing a window or another soft light source.

Avoid sitting with a bright window directly behind you because your camera may compensate for the brightness and leave your face looking dark.

You do not need an expensive lighting setup.

Open your camera and ask one simple question:

Can I clearly see my face and eyes?

If the answer is yes, your lighting is probably doing its job.

How to Make a Great Impression in a Virtual Interview

6. Dress for the Job

A virtual interview is still a job interview.

Choose clothing that matches the organisation, industry and level of the role you are applying for.

If you are unsure, it is generally better to look slightly more professional than too casual.

And yes, wearing proper trousers is still a good idea.

You might plan to stay seated, but technology has a remarkable ability to create situations where you suddenly need to stand up.

7. Keep Your Resume and Job Advertisement Nearby

One advantage of a virtual interview is that you can keep useful information within easy reach.

Have copies of your:

• Resume
• Job advertisement
• Position description
• Key achievements
• Questions for the interviewer
• Examples you want to discuss

However, avoid reading complete answers word for word.

Interviewers can usually tell when someone is reading from a script.

Instead, use short prompts.

For example:

Customer complaint → major account → found issue → resolved within 24 hours → retained client

That is enough to remind you of the story without making your answer sound rehearsed.

8. Prepare STAR Interview Examples

Technology may have changed, but strong interview answers still rely on clear examples.

The STAR interview technique helps you structure behavioural interview answers.

Situation: What was happening?

Task: What did you need to achieve?

Action: What specifically did you do?

Result: What happened because of your actions?

The strongest answers normally spend the most time explaining your actions and results.

Do not spend three minutes explaining the background and 20 seconds explaining what you actually accomplished.

Prepare examples covering areas such as:

• Leadership
• Problem-solving
• Conflict
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Customer service
• Managing competing priorities
• Working under pressure
• Improving a process
• Learning from a mistake
• Delivering measurable results

You can then adapt these examples to different questions during the interview.

9. Practise Answering Questions on Camera

Talking to a webcam can feel strange if you are not used to it.

The easiest way to become more comfortable is to practise before your interview.

Record yourself answering common questions such as:

• Tell me about yourself.
• Why do you want this position?
• What are your greatest strengths?
• Tell me about a difficult situation you handled.
• Why should we hire you?

Then watch the recording back.

It may feel uncomfortable, but it is one of the quickest ways to notice habits you might otherwise miss.

Look for:

• Speaking too quickly
• Using too many filler words
• Looking away from the screen
• Giving answers that are too long
• Poor posture
• Sounding as though you have memorised a script

Virtual Interview Questions You Should Prepare For

Although every employer is different, there are several questions that appear regularly during virtual interviews.

Prepare concise, relevant answers for questions such as:

• Tell me about yourself.
• Why are you interested in this role?
• Why do you want to work for this organisation?
• What are your greatest strengths?
• What is an area you are currently developing?
• Tell me about a time you solved a difficult problem.
• Tell me about a disagreement at work and how you handled it.
• Tell me about a time you worked under pressure.
• What achievement are you most proud of?
• Why should we hire you?

The goal is not to memorise perfect answers.

You want to know your strongest examples well enough that you can adapt them naturally to the questions you are asked.

10. Turn Off Notifications

Nothing kills concentration quite like an email notification appearing halfway through an important interview answer.

Before joining the meeting:

• Put your phone on silent
• Close unnecessary browser tabs
• Turn off desktop notifications
• Close email and messaging applications
• Pause software updates
• Ask other people in the house not to interrupt

Keep your phone nearby but out of sight. It can become a useful backup if your internet connection fails.

What to Do If Something Goes Wrong During Your Virtual Interview

11. Have a Backup Plan for Technical Problems

Internet connections fail.

Microphones stop working.

Teams occasionally decides that the five minutes before your interview would be an excellent time to install an update.

It happens.

What matters is how you respond.

If your video freezes or the meeting disconnects, stay calm and attempt to reconnect.

If you cannot reconnect, contact the recruiter or interviewer using the phone number or email address included in the interview invitation.

You can simply explain that you are experiencing a technical problem and are attempting to rejoin.

A minor technical issue will rarely ruin a strong interview.

12. Slow Down Slightly When Speaking

Video calls can sometimes create tiny communication delays.

If you immediately begin talking every time the interviewer pauses, you may accidentally speak over them.

Allow a brief pause before answering.

This also gives you a second to organise your thoughts and makes your response appear more considered.

If you need longer, it is perfectly acceptable to say:

“That’s a great question. Let me think about the best example.”

A short thoughtful pause is better than filling the silence with “um”, “ah” and the first example that comes into your head.

13. Bring More Energy to the Screen

Virtual interviews can flatten communication.

Your normal conversational energy may appear more subdued through a webcam, particularly because the interviewer cannot see all of your body language.

Sit upright, smile naturally and show genuine interest when talking about the role.

Use natural hand gestures if that is how you normally communicate.

You do not need to turn into a game show host.

You simply want to look engaged, confident and interested in the conversation.

14. Ask Strong Questions at the End

When the interviewer asks, “Do you have any questions for us?”, avoid automatically saying no.

This is your opportunity to show that you are genuinely thinking about the position.

You could ask:

• What would success look like in this position during the first six months?
• What are the biggest challenges the person coming into this role will need to solve?
• How would you describe the team I would be working with?
• What separates someone who performs well in this role from someone who performs exceptionally well?
• What are the next steps in the recruitment process?

These questions also help you decide whether the organisation and role are right for you.

15. Use AI to Prepare, Not to Answer for You

AI tools can be very useful when preparing for interviews.

You can use them to research a company, identify likely interview questions, practise responses and improve your STAR examples.

However, there is a big difference between using AI to prepare and relying on AI during the interview itself.

Reading generated answers from another screen can make your responses sound unnatural and prevent you from genuinely engaging with the interviewer.

Some employers may also have rules around using AI during assessments or recorded interviews.

Use technology to improve your preparation, not replace your own thinking.

Your interview still needs to sound like you.

Virtual Interview Checklist

Before your interview, make sure you can tick off the following:

• Interview platform tested
• Camera positioned at eye level
• Microphone tested
• Internet connection checked
• Laptop connected to power
• Lighting checked
• Background clean and distraction-free
• Notifications turned off
• Resume nearby
• Job advertisement nearby
• STAR examples prepared
• Questions for the interviewer prepared
• Phone available as a backup
• Water nearby
• Interviewer’s contact details available

Be completely ready around 15 minutes beforehand and aim to join the meeting approximately 5 to 10 minutes before the scheduled start time.

Virtual Interview Frequently Asked Questions

How early should I join a virtual interview?

Aim to be completely ready around 15 minutes before the scheduled interview and join the meeting approximately 5 to 10 minutes early.

This gives you enough time to fix any last-minute technical problems without feeling rushed.

Where should I look during a virtual interview?

Look towards the webcam when delivering important parts of your answers to create the impression of eye contact.

You can naturally alternate between looking at the interviewer on your screen and the camera.

Can I have notes during a virtual interview?

Yes. Keep brief notes nearby containing achievements, STAR examples and questions you want to ask.

Use them as prompts rather than reading complete answers from a script.

What should I wear to a virtual interview?

Dress according to the organisation, industry and seniority of the role, just as you would for an in-person interview.

Avoid highly distracting patterns and check how your clothing appears on camera beforehand.

What happens if my internet drops out during a virtual interview?

Stay calm and attempt to reconnect.

If you cannot reconnect quickly, contact the interviewer using the phone number or email address provided in the invitation.

Most employers understand that occasional technical problems happen.

How long does a virtual interview usually take?

A virtual interview may last anywhere from around 20 minutes to more than an hour depending on the employer, seniority of the position, number of interviewers and stage of the recruitment process.

Want to Feel More Confident Before Your Virtual Interview?

You can have a great resume and still lose the opportunity at the interview stage.

Knowing your experience is one thing.

Explaining why it makes you the right person for the job under interview pressure is another.

At Resumes Done Right, we can help you prepare for your upcoming interview, develop stronger STAR examples and practise answering the questions you are likely to face.

Instead of going into your interview wondering what they might ask, go in knowing exactly which achievements and examples you want the interviewer to remember.

Your next interview should not be your practice interview.

Contact Resumes Done Right for interview preparation support.

You can also find additional job search and employment support through Workforce Australia.