Video interview mistakes I see constantly as a Malaysian hiring manager
by Zulaikha Arshad·May 25, 2026
I've conducted over 60 video interviews in the past year. Here are the mistakes that keep candidates out of consideration, sometimes unfairly but consistently.
Background and environment: A messy background or bad lighting signals lack of preparation. A plain wall or bookshelf is fine. Zoom backgrounds that are obviously fake are distracting.
Audio: This matters more than video quality. If I can't hear you clearly, I disengage. Use earphones if your laptop microphone is bad.
Looking at yourself instead of the camera: When you look at your own video tile, you appear to be looking down. Look at the camera to create eye contact.
Logging in late: For an in-person interview you'd arrive 10 minutes early. Log in to a video interview 2 minutes before the scheduled time, not 5 minutes after.
Notifications: One ping or pop-up during an interview is forgivable. Multiple is not a great signal.