Best Practices for Virtual Interviews: Building Human Connection Digitally

-by V.L.Varshini

In this ever-changing global economy, as virtual interviews become the norm across industries, both employers and candidates are learning to navigate the digital divide. While technology has made interviews more accessible and efficient, it has also brought a new challenge to the forefront: how to build genuine human connection in a virtual setting.

Unlike in-person meetings where body language, handshakes, and small talk foster immediate rapport, virtual interviews require a more intentional approach to understanding emotional cues and building trust. This is where Interview as a Service solutions step in—offering structured yet flexible formats that not only streamline the process but also prioritize human connection, ensuring candidates feel seen, heard, and valued.. 

According to Vouch, in 2025, 86% of hiring processes globally now use virtual interviews—be it live video or one-way recorded formats. This shift proves that digital-first hiring is no longer the future, it’s the standard. In such a landscape, navigating the nuances of online interviews isn’t just a skill—it’s a necessity. That’s where Interview as a Service becomes critical, offering structured, seamless, and scalable interview solutions to meet today’s virtual hiring demands.

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For both interview experts and candidates, it becomes crucial to prioritize pre-interview preparations. This is because, human connection begins before the video call. the way one prepare sets the tone. First, let us look into what the interview expert may do to initiate a trust and connection:-

1. Personalize the communication: its important to try avoiding sending generic calendar invites. They may add a line or two acknowledging the candidate’s background or thanking them for their interest.
2. Research the candidate: A glance at their résumé and LinkedIn profile allows the interview expert to ask informed, relevant questions, showing genuine interest in the candidate.
3. Test your tech: Nothing kills a connection faster than audio or camera glitches during the interview. Hence, test the mic, lighting, and background to avoid technical hiccups.

Now, let’s look into what candidates may do to prepare themselves for their online interview:-

1. Understand the company culture: Researching the company and team so they can bring aligned values into the conversation.
2. Prepare the environment: Choose a quiet, well-lit space and ensure that the camera is at eye level. These small efforts increase comfort and professionalism.
3. Dress the part: Even if they are at home, dressing appropriately signals respect and sets a psychological tone for seriousness.

Now that we have discussed how to prepare for the interview, it becomes equally important to move to how to approach the interview. The start of the interview is the first chance the interview expert and candidate get to humanize the entire experience. 

1. Begin with small talk: A quick “How’s your day going?” or complimenting their virtual background can ease tension and build instant rapport. Though sometimes it may come off as being unprofessional, it really adds a human touch to the interview. 
2. Maintain eye contact: It may feel unnatural, but looking at the camera rather than the screen, helps simulate in-person eye contact. Just like how maintaining eye contact helps to appear confident in an offline interview, it helps in an online interview too!
3. Use open body language: It helps to connect posture by leaning slightly forward, nodding when appropriate, and keeping your hands visible. These cues foster trust and signal engagement. 

Maintaining a warm smile throughout the interview helps to set a friendly tone. It boosts confidence and boosts the confidence too. 

While online interviews help the interview experts and candidates a lot, during a virtual interview, distractions are just a click away. These may be in the form of emails, phones or slack messages. Despite all of that, nothing breaks connection like the other person feeling unheard. To avoid such let downs in an online interview, one can 

• Close all unnecessary tabs or apps
• Silence your phone and notifications
• Avoid typing during the conversation unless it’s necessary for taking notes, and if so, inform the other person in advance 

In virtual settings, structured question and answer formats can easily come off as robotic. Instead, it’s better aim for a dialogue. This makes the interview sound less one sided. Keeping it conversational also engages both, the interview experts and candidates, thus making the interview more lively. This could be by:-

1. Asking open-ended questions: This invites storytelling rather than one word answers
2. Share your own experiences: When appropriate, it’s encouraging to respond to answers with one’s perspective or similar challenges. This levels the playing field and builds rapport. 
3. Use humor mindfully: A light laugh, a relatable anecdote, or a quick joke can make the digital space feel much warmer.

During an online interview, where there is lack of transfer of human emotions due to the digital divide, reading non-verbal cues through a screen becomes significant. It can be tricky, but not impossible. For interviewe experts, 

1. Observe micro-expressions: Checking if the candidate is smiling, nodding, fidgeting, looking confused can act as easy signs to read. Asking check-in questions like “Does that make sense?” or “Would you like me to clarify that?” can prove helpful. 
2. Acknowledge feelings: If a candidate seems nervous or anxious, saying, “I know virtual interviews can feel a bit unnatural, take your time” may help them relax.

Related: How to Prevent Candidate Ghosting and Keep Your Hiring Process Running Smoothly

To avoid digital fatigue and keep energy levels high, both the candidates and interview experts may want to use both visual and auditory tools to stay engaging. It’ll break the monotony and make the interview more personal. Simple tips may make a huge difference, like,

• Use your hands while speaking 
• Add pauses after important points
• Nod, smile, or give verbal affirmations
• Screen sharing visuals

Recording virtual interviews can aid in unbiased evaluations and streamline team debriefs—but transparency is key. It’s essential to get the candidate’s consent beforehand, either by clearly stating it in the scheduling email with an option to opt out, or by asking them at the start of the interview. With Interview as a Service platforms, these protocols are seamlessly built-in—ensuring recordings are used ethically and only for internal hiring decisions. After all, transparency builds trust—and trust builds a strong employer brand in today’s competitive job market.

Related: Building Employer Brands Through the Interview Experience

After each interview, it’s important to assess how the interview went and how it could be improved. Improving human connection in virtual interviews is a skill, and like any skill, it needs reflection. This helps to increase the performance from one interview to another. While this tip is more for the candidates, it’ll be of huge help to the interview experts too. 

In conclusion, while virtual interviews may lack the nuances of in-person meetings, they offer something powerful in return, the opportunity to build human connection intentionally. By preparing thoughtfully, communicating warmly, and showing up fully present, we can ensure that our screens don’t separate us but connect us.