Video Interview Tips for Zoom, Teams and Google Meet (2026)

You might be comfortable chatting on video calls, but a job interview can feel a bit different. Instead of focusing on the question, you find yourself checking your own video or wondering whether to look at the screen or the camera. Then there's a pause, and you're not sure whether the interviewer is waiting for you to say more or just taking notes.

It helps to get familiar with the setup and practice a few answers before the call, so you have less to figure out during the interview. And it's worth taking the time, because a Robert Half survey found that 49% of companies were holding video interviews, including for roles that may involve working in an office.

These video interview tips will walk you through getting your space ready, checking the platform, and practicing what you want to say on camera. We'll also look at using notes and how to get the conversation going again if your mind goes blank or the connection drops.

How a Video Interview Is Different From an In-Person One

You might think an interview is an interview, no matter where it happens, but your first video interview can show you how much the setup changes the conversation. In an office interview, it's usually easier to tell when someone is about to speak or wants you to keep going. On video, those small cues can be harder to pick up. A slight delay might mean you both start talking at once, or you mistake a pause for a sign that you need to add more detail.

These small differences can affect how you come across. In an experiment with 114 participants, candidates received lower performance ratings in video interviews than in face-to-face interviews, with the researchers linking the gap to a weaker sense of connection and more difficult eye contact.

You'll also need to get your space ready yourself. At an office, someone usually takes you to a meeting room. At home, it's up to you to find a quiet spot, set up your camera, and let anyone nearby know you'll need some time without interruptions.

Before you start preparing, check whether you'll be speaking to someone live or recording your answers. A live video interview works like a regular conversation, with questions and follow-ups. In a one-way interview, you record responses to set questions, usually with a time limit. Most of these tips will help with either format. If you're recording your answers, also check how much time you have to prepare and respond, and whether you can try an answer again.

How to Set Up for a Video Interview

Getting your space ready may only take a few small adjustments, like moving a lamp or raising your laptop so you're not looking down at the camera. You don't need an expensive webcam or a room that looks like a studio, as long as you can sit comfortably and the interviewer can see and hear you clearly.

Still, try to check everything the day before so you have time to fix anything that isn't working. In Owl Labs' 2025 State of Hybrid Work report, 77% of surveyed workers said they had lost time because of technical difficulties. The survey looked at workplace meetings rather than interviews, but it's a useful reminder of how much time you can lose getting a call to work.

With that in mind, here's a video interview checklist to help you get ready:

Find a quiet spot. Close the door if you can and tell anyone sharing your space when you'll be on the call. Then listen for anything your microphone might pick up, like a television, fan, or traffic outside.
Put the light in front of you. Try sitting facing a window or placing a lamp behind your screen. A bright light behind you can leave your face in shadow. If you wear glasses, check the preview for glare and adjust the light if needed.
Raise your camera to eye level. You want to look straight ahead without leaning over your laptop. If the screen is too low, try a stable stand or a stack of books.
Check how much of you is visible. You want your head and upper chest in view, with a little space above your head. Sit far enough back that you can move naturally without disappearing from view.
Look at what's behind you. Check for distracting clutter or anything you'd rather keep private. A plain wall or tidy room is usually enough, and you can try a simple background blur if needed, checking the preview so it doesn't distort your face or hair.
Listen to a microphone recording. Say a few sentences using the microphone you'll use for the interview, then play them back. Check that your voice is clear and that clothes, jewelry, or a headset cable aren't rubbing against the mic.
Check your connection and power. Plug in your laptop so you don't have to watch the battery. Use a reliable connection and pause large downloads or uploads that could slow down the call.
Get your screen and backup ready. Close tabs you won't need, silence notifications, set your display name to match your application, and keep the meeting link and recruiter's contact details somewhere easy to find. Have a charged phone nearby in case you need to reconnect.

Finally, wear what you would choose for a similar in-person interview, making sure you feel comfortable and the outfit looks good on camera.

Zoom, Teams, and Google Meet: What to Check on Each Platform

Even if you use video calls regularly, it's worth checking the platform your interviewer has chosen. You might plug in your headphones and find the app is still using your laptop microphone, or open the meeting link and discover you're signed into the wrong account. Take a few minutes to try the platform named in your invitation before interview day.

Zoom

Start with Zoom's test meeting so you can check your connection and get familiar with the controls without joining the actual interview. Zoom also has speaker and microphone tests: say a few sentences and listen to the playback. While you're checking the invitation, look for a passcode and decide whether you'll join through the app or the browser. Try the option you plan to use so you're not figuring it out just before the call.

Microsoft Teams

In the Teams desktop app, go to Settings > Devices > Make a test call. The test call checks your microphone, speaker, and camera, then plays your recording back so you can hear what the interviewer will hear. This feature is available in the Windows and Mac apps but not Teams on the web, so if you're joining through a browser, check your devices on the pre-join screen and allow a little extra time for a possible lobby or identity check. Also check which account Teams opens; if you use it for your current job, it may sign you in automatically.

Google Meet

Before selecting Join now, use Google Meet's preview screen to choose and test your microphone, speaker, and camera. If your browser asks for permission to use the camera or microphone, allow it and check that both are working before you enter the call. While you're there, check your signed-in account and the name the interviewer will see.

Whichever platform you use, open the link about 10 minutes early so you have time to check your devices and wait on the preview screen without feeling rushed.

How to Rehearse on Camera Before the Call

You might know which example you want to share, but it helps to hear yourself explain it before the interview. Once you say it aloud, you may notice you've spent most of the answer describing the situation and barely mentioned what you did.

Start with the job description and pick out the main skills the employer is looking for. Then think of examples from your experience that show those skills. Have your introduction, a few work stories, and questions you'd like to ask ready to practice. If you're unsure which questions to start with, AIApply's AI Mock Interview can generate questions relevant to the role. Its practice is text-based, so once you've worked on what you want to say, record yourself separately to practice saying it on camera.

Here's a simple way to work through it:

Complete a practice session, answering using your own experience, including what you did and how things turned out.
Read the feedback and look for anything you've left out or explained unclearly. Check whether you've answered the question that was asked.
Make a few short prompts from the main points so you don't feel you have to remember every sentence.
Record yourself answering aloud, using the camera and seating position you'll use for the interview.
Watch it back and try again, picking one thing to improve, like shortening the background or explaining the result more clearly.

How to Answer Questions on Camera

A good answer gives the interviewer enough detail to understand your experience without making them wait too long for the main point. So decide what you want them to know, then choose an example that shows it.

For a straightforward question, 30 to 60 seconds is a useful starting point. If you need to share an example for a behavioral question, aim for around one to two minutes. You don't need to watch the clock, though. These are practice guidelines, and a technical question or follow-up discussion may need more time. "I'm good under pressure" gives the interviewer little to work with, but explaining how you reorganized a launch when two colleagues were out gives them a real example to ask about.

To keep your answer focused, answer the question first, then explain the details behind it. When a question calls for a work example, you can use STAR to keep your story easy to follow: situation, task, action, and result. Give enough background for the interviewer to understand what happened, then spend more time on what you did and how it turned out. If it was a team effort, make your own part clear.

Along with what you say, pay attention to when you start speaking. Leave a short pause after the interviewer finishes, especially if there's a slight audio delay. That also gives you a moment to think. If part of the question cuts out, it's fine to say, "Sorry, I missed the part after you mentioned the client. Could you repeat that?"

Eye contact takes some getting used to as well. You cannot look at the interviewer's face and directly into the camera at the same time, so while the interviewer is speaking, look at their face to follow their reactions, then look briefly toward the lens when you make an important point. Research on eye contact in recorded video interviews found that looking slightly below the camera did not, on its own, lower performance ratings, although looking far to the side affected some impressions. Because the study used recorded interviews, read it as a reason to keep your setup natural rather than a strict rule. You don't have to stare into the lens the whole time, and once you've answered, give the interviewer a chance to respond rather than filling the pause with more detail.

Can You Use Notes or AI Help During a Video Interview?

Having a few notes nearby can save you from trying to remember every figure, achievement, or question you wanted to ask. Before you put them together, check the interview instructions, as some assessments ask you to answer without outside materials.

If notes are allowed, one page is usually enough. The trick is to write prompts you can speak from, rather than answers you have to read. "Product launch: tight deadline, my decision, 18% increase" is enough to remind you of the story while leaving you free to listen and respond if the interviewer asks a follow-up. If you write out the whole answer, it's easier to find yourself reading instead of explaining it naturally.

Live AI assistance needs a separate check, because permission to use notes doesn't necessarily cover AI tools. In Greenhouse's 2026 Candidate AI Interview Report, 80% of US candidates with relevant experience said employer AI policies were vague, rare, or absent. So if the invitation doesn't explain what's allowed, ask whether you can use notes and live AI support, especially for timed exercises or skills assessments.

If the employer allows it, AIApply's Interview Buddy can give you prompts and answer suggestions based on the interview questions, your resume, and the role. Try it with your setup beforehand so you know how it works and can keep going comfortably if a suggestion doesn't appear. As you use those suggestions, check that the details match your experience and explain them in your own words. If the interviewer asks a follow-up, you'll need to talk through what you did and why, so stick to examples you know well.

What to Do If You Blank or the Tech Fails

Forgetting an example or losing your train of thought doesn't mean you've ruined the interview. You can pause, ask for a moment, and pick up from the part you remember. It happens to plenty of candidates. In an Adobe survey of 756 job seekers, 86% reported freezing or having difficulty recalling achievements during interviews.

If your mind goes blank, try saying, "Let me take a moment to choose the best example." Take a breath and think about the skill they're asking about. If you're unsure what the question means, ask them to repeat or explain it. If you've already started answering and lost the thread, it's fine to reset: "Let me put that more clearly. The main challenge was the deadline, and my role was to decide what we could deliver first." And if you're asked about something you've never done, be honest, then offer a related example or explain how you would approach it, rather than pretending you know a tool you've never used.

Technical problems need a different approach, but it still helps to explain what's happening rather than struggle silently:

If the audio cuts out, tell the interviewer you missed part of the question and ask them to repeat it. Check the call is using the right speakers or headphones.
If your microphone stops working, check whether you're muted and which microphone the platform has selected; connecting a headset can sometimes cause your computer to switch devices.
If the video freezes or your connection drops, try rejoining through the same link. Closing downloads or switching to your phone's connection may help if your internet is unstable.
If you can't get into the meeting, check the link, time, and account. You may be waiting in a Teams lobby or facing an identity check. If you're still stuck after a couple of minutes, contact the person who arranged the interview.

For example, you could write: "My connection dropped and I'm trying to rejoin. If it continues, would you prefer to finish by phone or rearrange?" When a quick fix does not work, it's reasonable to suggest a phone call, another meeting link, or a new time. The interviewer needs to hear your answers, and a change of plan is better than spending most of the interview troubleshooting. Once you're back, a brief apology is enough; ask where to pick up, then carry on.

FAQs

What should you wear for a video interview?

Wear something clean, comfortable, and suitable for the role. Plain colors usually work well on camera. Check your outfit in the preview and dress fully in case you need to stand up.

Can you do a video interview on your phone?

Yes, if the platform supports it and the employer allows it. Use a stable stand, silence notifications, and check your battery and connection. A computer is easier for screen sharing or assessments.

Should you wear headphones during a video interview?

Yes, if they help you hear clearly or reduce echo. Test the microphone and charge wireless headphones before the call.

Can interviewers tell if you're reading?

They may notice repeated downward glances or answers that sound scripted. A quick glance to check a figure or remind yourself of an example is different. Keep notes to short prompts and explain your examples in your own words.

How long should video interview answers be?

Aim for 30 to 60 seconds for simple questions and one to two minutes for behavioral examples. Treat these as guidelines and follow any time limit you're given. Give the interviewer enough detail to understand what you did, then leave room for a follow-up.

Should I join Zoom in the browser or the app?

Use whichever option you have tested and know works with your camera and microphone. The desktop app is fine if you already use it, while joining from a browser may be easier if you cannot install software. If you plan to use AIApply's Interview Buddy, its setup guidance recommends joining Zoom through Chrome.

Is a live video interview the same as a one-way interview?

No. A live interview on Zoom, Teams, or Google Meet is a conversation, so the interviewer can ask follow-up questions and respond to what you say. In a one-way interview, you record answers to prompts without an interviewer on the call, often with limits on preparation time, answer length, or retakes.