Zoom Interview Tips
10/28/2026
By Julie Cunningham, MA, CCC-SLP, licensed speech-language pathologist
Short answer: set your camera at eye level with light on your face, look at the lens when you make your key points, and speak a little slower than you would in person. Then organize each answer so it starts with your point, and practice on Zoom before the real thing.
A Zoom interview tests the same things as an in-person one: what you say and how clearly you say it. The difference is that your voice reaches your interviewer through a microphone and your face through a small camera, so small habits get bigger. I coach all my private clients live on Zoom, and these are the tips I give them before a video interview. They work for any virtual interview, whether it's on Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or another video platform.
1. Set Up Your Camera, Light, and Sound
- Camera at eye level: stack books under your laptop until the lens is level with your eyes. A camera below your face looks up at your chin.
- Frame your head and shoulders: leave a little space above your head, and sit about an arm's length from the camera.
- Light in front of you: face a window, or put a lamp behind your camera. A bright window behind you turns you into a silhouette.
- Clear sound: a headset or an external microphone usually sounds better than a laptop microphone. Choose a quiet room, and a room with carpet, curtains, or furniture echoes less than an empty one.
- A tidy background: a plain wall or a neat room keeps the focus on you.
- A steady connection: sit close to your router, or use a wired connection if you can.
- No interruptions: close other apps and turn off notifications.
- Short notes near the camera: a few key words on a sticky note next to the lens are fine. Reading a script isn't.
Test everything the day before, on the same device, in the same room, at the same time of day. On the day, log in a few minutes early.
2. Look at the Lens When You Speak
When you look at your interviewer's face on the screen, you appear to be looking down. When you look at the lens, you appear to be looking at them.
You don't need to stare at the lens the whole time. Look at it when you make your key points, and look at the screen when you're listening. Moving the Zoom window to the top of your screen, right under the camera, makes the switch smaller.
3. Slow Down a Little More Than You Would in Person
On video, your voice travels through a microphone, a connection, and your interviewer's speakers, and sounds can get lost on the way. Speaking a little slower gives your interviewer time to catch every word.
- Speak in short phrases, and pause between them. My lesson on thought groups shows how to break up long sentences.
- Pause for a moment after the question before you answer. It shows you're thinking, and it keeps you from talking over your interviewer.
4. Make Your Key Words Clear
Your interviewer should be able to catch the words that carry your message: your field, a skill, a number, the name of a program or a place. Say those words a little longer and stronger than the words around them. My lesson on stress in sentences shows how.
5. Use Your Voice
A quiet voice sounds unsure, and a microphone makes that worse. Sit tall with your feet on the floor, take a low breath before you answer, and speak on the exhale with steady volume. My article Nervous? Breathe like THIS! walks you through breathing for speaking.
6. Replace Filler Words With Pauses
"Um," "like," and "you know" stand out more on video. A short, silent pause sounds more confident than a filler word. See how to stop overusing filler words.
7. Start Each Answer With Your Point
Long answers are hard to follow on video. Give your main point in your first sentence, back it up with one example, and finish by coming back to your point. If you're asked about a past experience, the STAR method (situation, task, action, result) is one simple way to organize the example.
8. Tips for Recorded Video Interviews
Some schools and programs use recorded (asynchronous) video interviews, on platforms such as Kira Talent. Many employers use similar tools. No interviewer is present. You record your answers on your webcam, and reviewers watch them later, as the AAMC explains in its guide to types of interviews.
- Read the instructions first, so you know how much time you'll have to think and to answer, and whether you can try again.
- If the platform offers a practice question, use it to check your camera, light, and sound.
- Talk to the lens as if a person were there, and smile when it fits.
- Watch the timer. Plan a short answer with one main point and one example, so you finish before time runs out.
9. Practice the Way You'll Interview
Start a Zoom meeting by yourself, record yourself answering three practice questions, and watch it back. Choose two or three things to fix, such as your camera angle, a rushed answer, or a key word that blurs. Then record again.
If you speak English as a second language, see Do you need to lose your accent for job interviews? If nerves are the bigger problem, see how to calm your nerves before an interview.
Get Feedback Before Your Interview
In admissions interview coaching, we practice on Zoom in the format you'll face, including one-on-one, panel, MMI, and recorded video interviews. You get specific feedback on your voice, pace, and clarity. Coaching is $250 an hour, and the Planning Session is free.
International medical graduates preparing for residency interviews can see residency interview coaching for IMGs. For a job interview, see professional voice training.
Common Questions
Should I look at the camera or the screen in a Zoom interview?
Look at the camera lens when you make your key points, so your interviewer sees you looking at them. Look at the screen when you're listening, so you can see their reactions.
How do I sound confident in a Zoom interview?
Set your camera at eye level, sit tall, and speak a little slower than you would in person, with steady volume. Pause between ideas instead of saying "um," and start each answer with your main point.
How is a recorded video interview different from a live Zoom interview?
In a recorded video interview, no interviewer is present. You record your answers on your webcam, and reviewers watch them later. In a live Zoom interview, you talk with your interviewer in real time.
How can I practice for a Zoom interview?
Start a Zoom meeting by yourself, record yourself answering three practice questions, and watch it back. Pick two or three things to fix, such as your camera angle, your pace, or filler words, and record again.