Phone vs video interview: what changes and how to prepare
Arjun prepared for a phone call. Five minutes before, the recruiter sent a video link instead. He took it from his bed, laptop on his knees, the camera looking up his nose, a window glaring behind him.
His answers were fine. The recruiter remembered the ceiling fan.
What stays the same?
The questions. "Tell me about yourself", why this role, salary, why you're leaving, and your questions for them. Prepare those once and they work for both.
What changes on a phone call?
Your voice carries everything. No smile, no nod, no hand gestures. So:
- Stand up. Your voice sounds stronger and more awake.
- Smile while you talk. It's audible, even if it feels silly.
- Slow down. Nervous people speed up, and phone audio blurs fast speech.
- Say you're thinking. On video they can see you pause; on the phone, silence sounds like a dropped line.
"Good question. Let me think for a second."
- Use paper notes freely. They can't see them. Just don't read whole sentences.
What changes on a video call?
Now they can see you, and what's behind you.
- Camera at eye level. Stack books under your laptop. Looking down at the camera reads as looking down at them.
- Light in front of you. Face a window or lamp. A window behind you turns you into a silhouette.
- A plain background. A wall or a tidy shelf. Turn off virtual backgrounds if they flicker around your head.
- Look at the lens when you answer. It's eye contact for them. Look at their face when they're talking.
- Notes off screen. Your eyes moving across the screen look like reading. A sticky note beside the camera works better.
- Test the link and your audio ten minutes early, with headphones if your room echoes.
What should you wear?
What you'd wear to meet them in person, at least from the waist up. Plain colours work better than busy patterns on camera. For a phone call, dress how you'd like to feel; some people sound sharper in proper clothes.
What if the call drops?
Reconnect straight away, then say one calm line. Don't wait to see if they call you.
"Sorry about that, the connection dropped. You were asking about my last project?"
On video, if it keeps dropping, offer to switch to audio:
"My connection seems unstable. Would it be OK to switch to a phone call so you don't miss anything?"
Recruiters deal with this every day. How calmly you handle it matters more than the drop.
What should you avoid?
- Taking a video call from bed or a car. It reads as not taking it seriously.
- Reading notes on screen. Interviewers notice the eye movement.
- Walking around on video. Pacing is fine on the phone; on camera it's distracting.
- Forgetting you're on mute, or that you're not.
- Assuming it's phone. Check the invite; links change last minute.
Quick answers
Is a video interview harder than a phone interview?
Not harder, but there's more to manage: camera, light, background and eye contact. The questions are the same.
Where should I look during a video interview?
At the camera lens when you're answering, and at the interviewer's face when they're talking.
Can I use notes in a video interview?
Yes, but keep them off screen, on a sticky note beside the camera, and use bullet points rather than sentences.
Should I stand during a phone interview?
It helps. Standing makes your voice sound more energetic and confident, and nobody can see you.
What should I do if my video interview disconnects?
Rejoin immediately, apologise briefly, and pick up where you left off. If it keeps happening, offer to switch to a phone call.
Thanks for letting us know.