Remote interviews: the camera is part of your answer.

Look at the lens, not the face

Off-camera gaze — the natural mistake of watching the interviewer's face on screen instead of the camera — lowers evaluation scores, mediated by reduced "social presence": you literally feel less there. The fix: put the interviewer's window directly under the camera, shrink it, and deliver the first and last sentence of each answer straight into the lens. A 20-second direct-to-camera intro is worth rehearsing on its own.

Your stream quality is (unfairly) your competence

Candidates seen through degraded audio/video are rated less hirable — the noise gets attributed to the person, not the connection (Bayes factor 5.62 in the controlled study). Wired internet or your best Wi-Fi spot, a closed door, and a phone-hotspot fallback are interview preparation, not IT chores. Audio matters more than video: a decent headset beats a better camera.

The frame speaks before you do

Camera at eye level, face lit from the front (window or lamp behind the laptop), and a background that says nothing you didn't choose to say: research on asynchronous video interviews shows backgrounds can inadvertently reveal personal traits that bias evaluation. Neutral wall beats bookshelf roulette. Dress exactly as you would in person — same "indistinguishable from an employee" rule, on camera.

One-way video interviews: know the format

Asynchronous video interviews (record-yourself, nobody live) run on tight mechanics: typically ~30 seconds of prep, ~2 minutes to answer, sometimes one retake. Two research-backed edges: use the full prep window actively (structured 30-second preparation measurably improves ratings — sketch your three beats, don't stare at the countdown), and treat the time cap as a feature: a 90-second structured answer beats a 2-minute ramble.

The 30-minute remote setup drill

1. Camera at eye level; interviewer window docked under the lens.
2. Light in front of you, never behind. Neutral background you chose on purpose.
3. Headset on; run one recorded test call and listen to yourself.
4. Practice under bad conditions once — the study on degraded AV is also a training tip: if you've delivered answers through lag, the real-day glitch won't rattle you.
5. Rehearse the 20-second direct-to-lens intro until eye contact with a camera feels normal. (Video practice sessions here are exactly that rehearsal.)