5 virtual interview tips to help you ace your next interview

Job hunting today can feel like an endless obstacle course. Many applicants are chasing roles below their pay grade or experience level just to stay competitive, while so-called “entry-level” postings still demand years of background. Application portals filter résumés before a person even sees them, and interviews often stretch across multiple rounds.

Many of those rounds now happen online. At CSU Global, we hear regularly from students balancing work and interviews while finishing their degrees. If you want to stand out in a virtual interview, a few small adjustments can make a big difference. Here are five tips to help you shine on camera in video interviews.

1. Sorry, AI can’t be part of your interview

We get it—AI can feel like a therapist, job coach, and best friend all rolled into one. But you can’t bring any of those to the interview with you…and you can’t use AI during the interview, either. Recruiters notice wandering eyes, oddly “perfect” answers, and off-screen clicking. Use AI beforehand to brainstorm questions or rehearse, then rely on your own preparation when the camera’s on.

Preparation can include having notes ready. You could write down common interview questions and jot a few bullet points—just enough to jog your memory. Keep them on your screen for a quick glance as needed. Interviewers want to hear your real stories, but nerves happen. A quick look at your notes can help you stay calm, remember your examples, and keep your answers on point.

Note: If you want to practice answering interview questions out loud, CSU Global Career Services offers mock interviews and coaching sessions for students and alumni. Practicing with a real person can help you sound more natural and confident on camera.

2. Treat LinkedIn as your public first impression and make your profile easy to find

Assume everyone involved in your virtual interview will check your LinkedIn profile and may even have it open while you’re speaking. Lock down personal social media accounts and treat LinkedIn as your professional showcase. LinkedIn’s guide, “Create a good LinkedIn profile,” is a useful place to start.

During virtual interviews, hiring managers often look up candidates to confirm details from a resume, see mutual connections, or get a quick sense of their background.

Make sure your LinkedIn profile is visible and easy to discover, including through your email address or phone number. Before your interview, review the visibility settings in LinkedIn’s Settings & Privacy menu and confirm that your profile can be discovered by anyone.

Note: If you’re a CSU Global student or alumnus and unsure how to present your experience on LinkedIn, CSU Global Career Services can review your profile and suggest improvements. Small updates—like a clearer headline or stronger summary—can make it easier for hiring managers to understand your background.

3. Look at the camera, not the screen

If you work online most of the time, you’re probably used to a setup with multiple monitors—and to casually glancing between screens, documents, and chat messages while you talk. In everyday meetings, that’s completely normal. Most of us look at the person on the screen rather than the camera, and no one expects perfect eye contact.

But in an interview, it’s a little different. When you’re answering a question, try to look at the camera lens, not the interviewer’s face on your screen. That’s the virtual equivalent of eye contact.

A simple trick: move the video window as close to the camera as possible so the shift between the two is barely noticeable. Another helpful reminder is to place a small sticky note near your webcam that says “LOOK HERE.” It may feel a little silly, but it works—and it helps create the sense that you’re speaking directly to the interviewer.

Note: CSU Global Career Services helps students and alumni practice virtual interview skills, including how to manage eye contact on camera.

4. Have thoughtful questions ready

You should know this already, but the part of the interview where you ask questions is almost as important as the part where they ask you questions.

At this stage, hiring managers are looking for signals that you’re genuinely interested and thinking seriously about the role. But this is also your chance to learn what you actually want to know.

For example, if you’re leaving a job because your manager was rarely available, you probably won’t say that directly. Instead, ask something like: “How does the manager for this role typically support the team?”

Or if you’re hoping for clearer priorities than you had before, try: “How does the team usually decide what work comes first when several projects are happening at once?”

Thoughtful questions will help you get a sense of the potential new work environment and whether the role is truly the right fit.

Note: Career coaches at CSU Global often help students and alumni prepare interview questions designed to gain a better understanding of a company’s culture, expectations, and departmental management style.

5. End with a confidence check

Close by asking: “Do you have any responses you’d like me to clarify or expand on? I want to make sure you have all the information you need, so if you have any concerns, I’d be happy to talk through them now.”

This question is more important than many candidates realize. For a variety of reasons—time pressure, interview style, or simple politeness—some interviewers don’t always raise concerns in the moment. Instead, they may take a quiet sink-or-swim approach, leaving the conversation with unanswered questions rather than saying, “I was concerned about…”

A quick confidence check gives them the chance to surface those thoughts while you’re still in the room, rather than just cross you off the list after the call. If they do raise an issue, treat it as a gift and respond thoughtfully. It shows you value clear communication and are proactive about addressing gaps.

Note: CSU Global Career Services can help students and alumni refine how they close interviews to leave a strong final impression and address any lingering questions before the conversation ends.

Virtual interviews are different from in-person conversations, but not that different. The biggest difference is the format—you’re speaking through a camera instead of sitting across a desk. The same basic rules still apply. Candidates need to prepare real examples, communicate clearly, and show genuine interest in the role.

If you’re wondering how to prepare for a virtual interview, what hiring managers actually notice on camera, or how to stand out from other candidates, the tips above cover the basics employers consistently say matter most.