Video Job Interview Tips: Dos and Don'ts for Zoom and Teams

Video job interviews are now a routine step for many companies in Jordan, whether as a short first-round screen or as the full interview for remote jobs, regional companies and organisations. They can feel easier because you are at home, but they come with their own challenges: a blurry picture, choppy audio, a family member walking in, or the internet dropping at the worst possible moment.

The good news is that most of these problems can be prevented with preparation. In this guide you will find a time-based preparation checklist, a clear table of dos and don'ts, an emergency plan for what can go wrong during the call, and tips for recorded interviews where there is nobody on the other side.

The day before your video interview: technical preparation

Most of the embarrassment in video interviews comes from technical problems that could have been caught early. Set aside half an hour the day before for these steps:

1. Install and update the app: whether it is Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet. Open the link you were sent to check it works, without joining the meeting.
2. Check your display name: it should show your full real name, not an old nickname or a family member's name.
3. Test your camera and microphone: most apps have a preview screen and an audio test. Record a short clip of yourself and listen back.
4. Test your internet speed in the exact spot where you will sit, because the signal varies between rooms.
5. Prepare a backup: set up a mobile data hotspot, make sure you have enough data, and fully charge your laptop and phone.
6. Write down emergency details: the interviewer's name and phone number or email, so you can reach them if something goes wrong.

One hour before: final check

• Restart your computer to avoid surprise updates and slowdowns.
• Close all unnecessary programs and windows, especially anything that makes notification sounds.
• Open your CV and the job advert in a side window to refer to if needed, not to read from.
• Have a pen and paper ready to note the interviewers' names and anything important they mention.
• Say your answer to "tell us about yourself" out loud once, since it is often the first question.
• Confirm the time zone of the appointment if the employer is outside Jordan; time differences cause repeated mix-ups with regional companies.

Laptop or phone?

A laptop is usually better because it is steadier and makes screen sharing easier if you are asked to do it. If you have to use a phone, put it on a stable stand in landscape mode, do not hold it in your hand, and silence notifications and incoming calls.

Setting up your space: lighting, background and sound

The interviewer sees you through a small box, and every detail in it makes an impression. Focus on three things:

• Lighting: sit so that the light source, such as a window or lamp, is in front of you, not behind. Light from behind turns your face into a silhouette.
• Background: a plain wall or a tidy bookshelf is enough. Avoid busy backgrounds and colourful virtual backgrounds; a light blur is fine if the room is untidy.
• Sound: choose the quietest room in the house and close the windows to reduce street noise. Earphones with a built-in mic improve audio a lot compared with a laptop microphone.

Many Jordanian homes are full of family, so tell everyone about the interview time in advance, ask that nobody opens the door, and think about the landline or the doorbell. These small details protect you from an awkward interruption.

Appearance and body language on camera

Wear what you would wear to an in-person interview with the same employer, the full outfit and not just the top half, because you might need to stand up unexpectedly. Choose calm colours and avoid fine stripes that flicker on screen.

• Put the camera at eye level; you can raise your laptop on a stack of books.
• Frame yourself so your head, shoulders and part of your chest are visible.
• Look into the camera lens when you speak and at the screen when you listen.
• Smile at the start, sit upright, and avoid rocking in your chair or fiddling with a pen.
• Use light hand gestures within the frame; they make you sound more engaged.

Video interview dos and don'ts

During the video interview: how to speak clearly

Online calls have a slight audio delay, which makes people talk over each other. To avoid it:

• Wait a second after the interviewer finishes the question before you start.
• Speak a little more slowly than usual, in shorter sentences.
• Structure your answers: the point, then an example, then the result.
• If you need to think, say so politely: "Good question, let me think for a moment."

The content of your answers is the same as in an in-person interview, so review the most common interview questions. If the interview is in English, which is common in virtual interviews with regional companies, practise out loud with our English interview questions and answers.

Emergency plan: if the connection drops or the camera fails

Technical problems happen even to professionals, and interviewers judge how you handle them more than the problem itself.

1. If the picture freezes or the audio breaks up: calmly say the connection is weak and suggest turning off your camera for a moment to improve the sound.
2. If you get kicked out of the meeting: rejoin straight away with the same link, and if that fails, switch to mobile data.
3. If you cannot get back in within two minutes: send the interviewer a short message or email apologising and suggesting you continue by phone or at a time soon.
4. When you are back: apologise briefly, sum up the last point you were making, then carry on.

Recorded interviews: when nobody is on the other side

Some companies use one-way recorded interviews, where a question appears on screen and you get a set time to think and then to record. Many people find this unsettling because they are talking to themselves.

• Read the instructions carefully: how many attempts are allowed, and how many seconds to think?
• Use the practice question, if there is one, to adjust your lighting and sound.
• Imagine the lens is a friendly person and talk to it in a natural tone.
• Watch the clock and end with a clear closing sentence, instead of being cut off mid-thought.

After the interview

On the same day, send a short thank-you email mentioning your interest in the role and something specific you enjoyed in the conversation. A brief example:

Thank you for your time today in the interview for the Sales Coordinator role. I enjoyed hearing about the team's expansion plans, and I am excited about the chance to contribute with my experience in client follow-up. I am happy to provide any further information you need.

Then write down the questions you were asked; they are an excellent reference for future interviews. If the reply takes a while, read why employers don't reply and how to follow up.

Plenty of jobs with remote interviews are in tech, marketing and customer service. Browse remote jobs and all current vacancies, and create a free account to apply today.

Frequently asked questions