Online Job Interview Prep: 10 Techniques Before, During and After the Call

Test your setup, fix your lighting, answer with STAR, prepare questions and send a thank-you email: 10 online interview techniques with examples.

It is 9:05. The Zoom link is open, but your microphone is not working. You leave and rejoin twice while the interviewer waits on the other side. By the time everything works, you have lost your rhythm. Online interviews are not harder than office interviews, but they have their own pitfalls, and many Thai companies use video calls in the first round to screen large numbers of candidates. This article gathers 10 techniques, split into before, during and after the interview, with example wording you can reuse.

Before the interview

1. Test your setup with a real person one day ahead

Do not just open your camera and look at yourself. Make a short video call with a friend using the same app the company booked, whether Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet. Check that your audio is clear, the video does not freeze, and the name shown in the room is your real name, not a nickname from university. Prepare a backup plan too, such as a mobile hotspot ready to go and HR's phone number noted in case you drop out.

2. Sort out your lighting and background

Face a window or light source. Do not sit with the light behind you or your face will be dark. A good background is a plain wall or a tidy bookshelf. Avoid beds, clothes racks or people walking past. If needed, use a blurred background, which looks more professional than a beach or outer space.

3. Research the company and your interviewer

Read the company's latest news, look at its main products or services, and check the interviewer's LinkedIn profile if you can find it. Then prepare one sentence on why you want to work there specifically.

During the interview

4. Look at the camera when speaking, the screen when listening

When answering, look at the camera so the other side feels you are making eye contact. When listening, look at the screen to read the interviewer's expressions. A simple trick is to move the video window as close to the camera as possible.

5. Slow down a little and leave pauses

Video calls often have a slight delay. If you speak fast or jump in immediately, voices overlap. Speak a little slower than usual and wait until the other person has truly finished before you answer.

6. Use the STAR method for behavioural questions

When asked something like tell me about a time you had to solve an urgent problem, answer with the STAR structure.

• Situation: what was happening
• Task: what your responsibility was
• Action: what you did
• Result: what happened, ideally with real numbers

A short example: during my internship, a client reported an error in a report two hours before a meeting (S). I was responsible for checking the data (T), so I went through the formulas sheet by sheet, found the error, fixed it and noted the cause (A). The report went out in time, and the team kept using the checklist I made (R).

7. Prepare 3 questions to ask back

• How does the team measure success in this role in the early months?
• What does a normal working day look like, and which channels does the team use to collaborate?
• What is the team focusing on most this year?

In an online interview, the person who prepared their setup well has more focus left for their answers.

After the interview

8. Send a thank-you email within 24 hours

Three or four sentences are enough. Example: Thank you for your time in today's interview. I was very interested in the plan to grow the data team that you described, and I am confident my experience building dashboards can help the team. I am happy to send any further information you need.

9. Write down every question as soon as you hang up

Note the questions you were asked, the answers that went well and the points where you got stuck. These notes are valuable for the next round or another company.

10. Follow up politely

If the company's stated timeline has passed with no news, send a short email asking for an update, without pushing or sounding upset.

Common mistakes

• Joining late because you had to install or update the app at the last minute.
• Phone or computer notifications going off while you answer.
• Reading answers from the screen so your eyes visibly move back and forth.
• Dressing neatly only from the waist up, then having to stand up mid-call.

How to start preparing

1. Practise real questions and get feedback in Interview Lab.
2. Test your equipment and background with a friend one day before.
3. Prepare at least 3 STAR stories.
4. Write 3 questions to ask back.
5. Draft your thank-you email template in advance.

If this is your first interview ever, read your first job interview: how fresh graduates should prepare, or book a chat with a Mentor on Plants.work who has experience hiring in your field.