How to Make Eye Contact in a Video Job Interview

The Quick Answer: your webcam sits above your screen, so when you look at the interviewer's face, you appear to look down. Raising the camera and moving their window under the webcam makes the gap smaller, but it never closes it. The only full fix is putting the lens where you're looking, in the middle of the screen, which is what a More Connection Cam does with your smartphone.

You've prepared your answers. You've researched the company. You've ironed the top half of a shirt.

And then, for 45 minutes, the interviewer watches you look slightly past their chin.

Blame your webcam. It films you from the top of your screen, so looking at the interviewer's face makes it look as if you are "always looking down."

Why does eye contact matter in an interview?

Because interviewers notice it, even when they don't realise they're noticing.

In a 1985 study, 140 people played interviewers in a structured job interview. The candidates were actors who varied how much eye contact they made. Interviewers were more likely to hire the candidates who held normal or high eye contact than the ones who looked away, and rated them as more credible.

That study was in person. On a video call, you can be looking straight at the interviewer's face and still come across as the candidate who looks away, simply because the webcam films you from above.

The lesson: on video, your eye contact can let you down even when your attention is completely on the interviewer.

6 things to do before the interview (partial fix)

1. Raise the camera to eye level. Put the laptop on a stack of books, so the camera films you straight on instead of from below.
2. Move the interviewer's window right under the webcam. In Zoom or Microsoft Teams, drag and shrink the video window to the top centre of your screen. The closer their eyes are to the lens, the smaller the gap.
3. Light your face from the front. A window or lamp in front of you, never behind you.
4. Hide your self-view after you've checked your framing. Watching yourself answer is a reliable way to lose your train of thought.
5. Decide where your eyes go. Watch their face while they're talking, so you can read their reactions. Look into the lens for the key line of each answer, then come back to their face.
6. Record a practice answer and watch it back with the sound off. Two minutes on the same setup will show you exactly where your eyes go.

The lesson: you can't fully fix the angle with a normal webcam, so you choose your moments for the lens.

Can you look at the interviewer and the camera at once?

Only if the camera sits where their face is.

That's what the More Connection Cam does. It's a foldable hood that hooks over the top of your laptop or monitor. An angled two-way mirror sits in front of the screen and lets about 85% of the light through, so you still see the interviewer clearly. Your phone lies in the base with its camera facing up, and the mirror puts the lens in the middle of the screen.

Your phone becomes the webcam, which usually means a sharper picture than a built-in laptop camera too. It works with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and any other app that lets you choose a camera. No software redraws your eyes, so when you glance at your notes, that's what the interviewer sees.

One honest warning: set it up and test it days before the interview. Ten minutes before is a terrible time to be learning a new piece of kit.

Who it isn't for

• Anyone interviewing from their phone. It needs a laptop or monitor screen at least 30.5 cm (12 in) wide.
• Anyone with an interview tomorrow and no time to practise. Use the six free steps instead.
• Anyone expecting it to get them the job. Your answers do that. This just stops your webcam from working against them.

It costs £45, ships worldwide, and comes with 30-day returns.

The point

Interviewers have always paid attention to eye contact. A video interview just makes yours harder to give. Get the setup right, and they'll see the attention you were already paying them.

Quick questions

Should I look at the camera or the screen in a video interview? Both, at different moments. Watch the screen while they talk, and look into the camera for the key line of each answer.

How do I stop looking down on Zoom? Raise your laptop so the camera is at eye level, and move the interviewer's video window to just under the webcam.

How can I solve this problem for good? Place the lens of the webcam where you're actually looking...centre screen. This can be achieved by using a More Connection Cam in combination with your smartphone.

Sources

• Burgoon, J. K., Manusov, V., Mineo, P., & Hale, J. L. (1985). Effects of gaze on hiring, credibility, attraction and relational message interpretation. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 9(3), 133 to 146.