To prepare for a virtual interview, check the instructions, test your camera and microphone, and practice explaining a few examples from your own experience. Read about the role so you can connect those examples to the work you would be doing.
You do not need a long work history. A class project, volunteer task, student club or part-time job can give you something useful to discuss. Explain what you did, how you handled it and what happened.
These virtual interview tips for students cover internships, campus jobs and first jobs, including live calls and recorded interviews.
Start with the invitation. A live interview is a conversation with another person. A recorded interview asks you to record answers. Check which one you have before you prepare.
Check the Interview Details and Research the Role
Read the invitation before you start practicing. It should tell you how the interview will work and what you need to do beforehand.
Check these details first
- Live or recorded? Will you speak with someone, or record answers on your own?
- When is it? For a live call, check the date, time and time zone. For a recording, check the submission deadline.
- How do you join? Find the meeting link or platform instructions. Check whether you need an account, an app or an access code.
- Is there anything else to prepare? Look for instructions about a presentation, portfolio, test or document you need to bring.
- Who can you contact? Save the recruiter’s email or the support details provided in the invitation.
If something is missing or unclear, ask before the interview. Do not wait until the starting time to find out how to join.
Find out what the job involves
Read the job description and pick out three tasks you would be doing. Then visit the employer’s website to understand what it does and who it serves.
You do not need to memorize the whole website. Aim to answer three simple questions:
- What does this organization do?
- What would I do in this role?
- Why does that work interest me?
For more help, see our guide to researching a company and role.
Choose three examples from your experience
Think of a time you worked with others, solved a problem or took responsibility for a task. Your examples can come from school, volunteering, clubs or paid work.
The examples below show the kind of experience you could use. Choose activities you have actually taken part in.
| Experience | What you could explain | What it could show |
|---|---|---|
| A group assignment | How you divided tasks, completed your part and dealt with a disagreement or delay. | Teamwork and communication |
| A class or personal project | A problem you ran into, what you tried and whether it worked. | Problem-solving and learning |
| A club event or volunteer task | What you were responsible for and how you kept the work organized. | Organization and responsibility |
Make a few notes, not a script. For each example, write down what happened, what you did and what happened afterward. Practice explaining it aloud so you can answer follow-up questions too.
Set Up Your Camera, Sound and Interview Space
Start with the device and space you already have. You do not need an expensive camera or a perfect room. Focus on making sure the interviewer can see and hear you clearly.
Place the camera near eye level
Put your device on a steady surface. If your laptop is too low, a stable stack of books can help raise it.
Check the preview. Your face and shoulders should be visible, with a little space above your head.
Put the light in front of you
Face a window or place a light behind or beside the camera. Avoid sitting with a bright window directly behind you.
Check whether your face is clear in the preview. Adjust your position before buying extra equipment.
Check the microphone and sound
Make a short test call with a friend or use the platform’s test option if it has one.
Check that the correct microphone and speaker are selected. If you use earphones, test them too.
Choose the quietest space available
Let anyone sharing the room know when the interview will take place. Move visible clutter out of the camera view.
If home is difficult, ask your campus career center or library whether a suitable room is available. Check that video calls are allowed there.
Using your phone?
Check that the interview platform works on your phone and that the employer allows it. Put the phone on a stable stand rather than holding it.
A laptop may be easier if you need to share your screen, show a portfolio or complete a task. If you only have a phone and the instructions are unclear, ask the recruiter what the interview requires.
Get the small things ready too
- Charge your device and keep the charger nearby.
- Test the internet connection where you plan to sit.
- Use a display name the interviewer will recognize.
- Close unrelated tabs and apps, especially anything private you might accidentally share.
- Silence notifications on your computer and phone.
- Keep water and a pen nearby. Have your resume and brief notes ready if the interview rules allow them.
Choose clean, comfortable clothes that fit the role and the employer’s level of formality. Check how they look on camera before the interview.
Do one practice call from the same spot
Use the device, room and earphones you plan to use for the interview. Ask a friend whether your voice is clear and your face is easy to see.
Practice opening any document you may need to show. If you need to share your screen, check which window you would share and what else could be visible.
MIT’s virtual interview guidance also recommends testing your audio and video, choosing a quiet space and planning for technical problems.
Practice Student Interview Questions and Answers
Practice answering aloud, not just reading answers on a screen. Use examples from your own studies, activities or work. Explain your part clearly, even when other people were involved.
These are illustrative answers. Use them to understand what to include, then change the details to match your experience and the job. Do not memorize someone else’s story.
Tell me about yourself.
Start with what you are studying. Add one relevant example and explain what you are looking for.
Why it works: it gives the interviewer a short introduction and a relevant example without listing the student’s whole life.
Make it yours: replace the course, project and target role. For more examples, see how to answer “Tell me about yourself”.
Why do you want this internship or job?
Mention something from the posting that interests you. Explain both what you could contribute and what you want to learn.
Why it works: it connects the student’s interest to actual tasks rather than offering general praise.
Make it yours: use duties from your posting and an activity you have taken part in. Do not claim the employer offers training or opportunities unless you have checked.
Tell me about a time you worked with others.
Describe a real task, explain your part and say how the group worked together.
Why it works: it shows what the student did while still giving the group credit for the finished presentation.
Make it yours: explain your own contribution. You do not have to say you led the group if you did not.
Tell me about a problem you solved.
Choose a problem you can explain clearly. It does not need to be a major crisis.
Why it works: it explains the problem, the student’s action and the result in a clear order.
Make it yours: choose your own problem and explain what happened. If the result was mixed, say what you learned or would change next time.
Use a simple order for experience questions
Explain what happened, what you needed to do, what you did and what happened afterward. This is often called the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action and Result.
Spend more time on your actions than on the background. Practice with someone who can ask a follow-up question, such as “Why did you choose that approach?”
If you need help explaining your strengths, see how to describe yourself in an interview. For more practice, try these common job interview questions.
Speak Clearly During the Video Call
Treat the call as a conversation. Listen to the question, give yourself a moment to think and answer the point the interviewer has asked about.
Start with a simple greeting
Say hello, introduce yourself and thank the interviewer for meeting with you. If the sound is unclear, mention it before the conversation gets going.
You do not need a long opening speech. Our guide to introducing yourself in an interview explains how to start.
Let the interviewer finish
Video calls can have a slight delay. Leave a brief pause before answering so you do not accidentally speak over the other person.
If you both start talking, stop and let them continue. You can return to your point afterward.
Take a moment when you need it
You do not have to answer every question immediately. A short pause can help you choose a useful example.
If you are unsure what the interviewer means, ask them to explain. If you missed part of the question, ask them to repeat it rather than guessing.
Keep your answer easy to follow
Make your main point, give an example and explain what happened. For a question with two parts, answer each part in turn.
Stop when you have answered the question. You do not need to add another story just to fill a silence.
Look at the camera and the screen naturally
Look toward the camera at comfortable points while speaking. Look back at the screen to see the interviewer’s reaction and listen.
You do not need to stare into the lens throughout the call. If watching your own video distracts you, hide your self-view if the platform allows it.
Use notes as a reminder
If notes are allowed, keep a few short reminders near your screen: your main examples, important details and questions you want to ask.
Avoid reading full answers. Listen for follow-up questions, which may ask for something different from the answer you practiced.
If several people are interviewing you: note their names when they introduce themselves. Respond to the person who asked the question, while staying aware of the rest of the group.
Prepare for a Recorded Video Interview
In a recorded interview, you answer questions on your own rather than speaking with an interviewer live. You may also see it called a one-way video interview.
You will not have someone there to explain a question or ask a follow-up. Read the instructions carefully before starting the assessed questions.
Check the rules before you begin
- Deadline: when must you submit, and which time zone applies?
- Preparation time: do you get time to think after seeing each question?
- Answer length: how much recording time do you have?
- Retakes: can you record an answer again, or is there one attempt?
- Practice: is there a separate test question or equipment check?
- Allowed materials: can you use notes or other resources?
Practice with the time limit you are given
Record yourself answering one of the practice questions above. Use the same answer limit as the interview, if it has been provided.
- Answer the question first. Avoid spending most of the time introducing the story.
- Explain what you did. Give enough detail for someone unfamiliar with the situation to follow your answer.
- Finish with what happened. Include the result or what you learned. You do not need to use every second available.
Watch the recording once. Can you hear yourself clearly? Did you answer the question? If the answer runs long, shorten the background rather than rushing through the whole story.
Leave time for problems
Try to complete the interview before the final deadline. If recording or uploading fails, follow the support instructions and save the error message.
Check for a submission confirmation before closing the page. Do not assume that recording your last answer means the interview has been submitted.
Need an adjustment? Contact the recruiter before starting and explain what you need, such as captions or extra processing time. Ask how it will be arranged. Do not assume a timed assessment can be paused.
The University of Tennessee’s guide to virtual interviews also recommends checking time limits and retake rules before recording.
What to Do If Something Goes Wrong
If the sound cuts out or someone interrupts, explain what happened and take the next step. You do not need to give a long apology.
These sample phrases can help. Change them to match the problem before saying or sending them.
| Problem | What to do | What you could say or send |
|---|---|---|
| The live call disconnects | Try to rejoin using the invitation link. If you cannot get back in, contact the recruiter using the details you saved. | The call disconnected, and I haven’t been able to rejoin. Please let me know how you’d like to continue. |
| You miss part of a question | Ask the interviewer to repeat the part you missed. Do not guess what they asked. | The sound cut out for a moment. Could you repeat the last part of the question? |
| Someone enters the room | Ask for a moment. Mute your microphone if needed, deal with the interruption and return to the call. | Excuse me for a moment. Someone has come into the room, and I need to ask them to give us a little time. |
| A recorded interview will not submit | Follow the platform’s support instructions. Save the error message and note the time. Contact the recruiter if the problem affects your deadline. | I couldn’t submit my recorded interview. The error message was [message] at [time and time zone]. Could you advise on the next step? |
Once you are back: check that you can hear each other, then continue from the last clear point. If you are unsure where to restart, ask the interviewer.
Ask Questions Before the Interview Ends
In a live interview, you will often get a chance to ask questions. Use that time to learn about the work and the support you would receive.
Prepare two or three questions beforehand. If the interviewer has already answered one, choose another or ask a follow-up about something they mentioned.
- What would I spend most of my time doing in this role?
- How do you help new students or interns learn the work?
- Who would I go to if I needed help with a task?
- What are the next steps, and when should I expect an update?
Ask about something you want to understand
You do not need a complicated question to sound interested. If the interviewer mentions a project, ask what your part in it might be. If the posting is unclear about hours, ask how the schedule would work alongside your studies.
For more ideas, see these questions to ask the hiring manager.
Doing a recorded interview? There may not be a chance to ask questions at the end. Follow the contact instructions if you need something clarified, or save your questions for a later conversation.
Send a Short Thank-You Email
After a live interview, a short thank-you email is a simple way to show your appreciation. Aim to send it within a day, unless the employer has given different instructions.
Mention one thing you discussed and confirm your interest. You do not need to repeat all your answers or ask for a decision in the same message.
Thank-you email example
Replace the details in brackets before sending. The copied text includes the subject line; put that into your email’s subject field separately.
Use a detail from your own conversation. Do not leave the brackets or sample instructions in the email.
What if you do not hear back?
Check the timeline the interviewer gave you. If that date has passed, you can send a brief message asking whether there is an update.
If no timeline was given, use the contact instructions in the invitation or ask the recruiter when an update is expected. Avoid sending repeated messages while waiting for a reply.
Our guide to following up after an interview explains what to include in a later message.
After a recorded interview: keep the submission confirmation and follow the employer’s instructions. You do not need to send this thank-you template if you did not speak with anyone. If you contact the recruiter, describe what actually happened.
Your Virtual Interview Checklist
Use this list as you prepare. Follow the employer’s instructions if they differ from the suggestions here.
You do not need every answer to be perfect. Focus on listening, explaining your own experience and asking when something is unclear.
Virtual Interview FAQs for Students
Here are answers to questions that often come up before a first video interview.
Can I do a virtual interview on my phone?
Yes, if the platform supports it and the employer allows it. Test the microphone and camera, charge the phone and place it on a steady stand.
If you need to share your screen or complete a task, ask whether a phone will be suitable. Do not wait until the interview to check.
Can I keep notes beside me?
Check the interview rules first. If notes are allowed, use short reminders about your examples and questions. Avoid reading full answers from the screen.
Recorded interviews and assessments may have different rules from live conversations.
What should I wear?
Choose clean, comfortable clothes that fit the role and the employer’s level of formality. If the invitation gives guidance, follow it.
Check your outfit on camera beforehand. Dress fully so you can stand up if needed.
How early should I join a live interview?
Aim to be ready to join about five minutes early, unless the invitation says otherwise. Have your equipment tested before then.
You may need to wait for the host to admit you. If the link opens into another interview, leave and return at your scheduled time.
What can I talk about if I have never had a job?
Use examples from class projects, volunteering, student clubs, sports or other activities. Explain the task, your own part and what happened.
You do not need to make the activity sound like paid work. Choose an example that helps answer the question.
What if I share a room or cannot find a quiet space?
Ask the people sharing your space for quiet during the interview. Choose the least distracting spot and test the sound there.
You can also ask your campus career center or library about rooms where video calls are allowed. Check availability and book ahead if needed.
What if I need an adjustment for the interview?
Contact the recruiter before the interview and explain what would help you take part, such as captions or extra processing time.
Ask how the adjustment will work and get confirmation. For a timed recording, check before starting rather than assuming you can pause or restart it.
