Is Maintaining Eye Contact With the Camera Actually Important in Video Interviews?
By Pinal Dave | Last updated: 2026-08-01
TL;DR: Yes, but with nuance — looking at your camera lens (not the interviewer's face on screen) reads as eye contact to them, while looking at their face on screen actually reads as looking down or away. Aim for the camera during your main talking points, and it's completely fine to glance at the screen to read the interviewer's reactions between answers.
Why This Feels Counterintuitive
In a video call, your instinct is to look at the person's face, which is displayed somewhere on your screen — but your camera is usually positioned above or beside that image. Looking at the face on your screen means you're looking slightly down or to the side from the camera's perspective, which reads to the interviewer as avoiding eye contact, even though you feel like you're making it.
Camera Eye Contact: What Reads Well vs. Poorly
| Behavior | How It Reads to the Interviewer |
|---|---|
| Looking directly at the camera lens while speaking | Direct, confident eye contact |
| Looking at the interviewer's face on screen | Appears as looking down or away |
| Occasional glances at the screen between points | Natural, not distracting |
| Constant scanning between notes and camera | Distracted, less confident |
| Reading directly off a script near the camera | Can look engaged if done well, robotic if overdone |
| Camera positioned too low (looking down into it) | Unflattering angle, reads as disengaged |
Step-by-Step: Getting Camera Eye Contact Right
- Position your camera at eye level, using a stand or stacked books if using a laptop — this alone fixes much of the "looking down" problem.
- Move the interviewer's video window as close to your camera as possible. Many video platforms let you drag the active speaker window near the top of your screen, right next to the camera.
- Practice looking at the lens, not the screen, during your main answers. It feels unnatural at first but becomes automatic with a few practice sessions.
- Allow natural glances away. Constant unbroken staring at the lens can look artificial — brief natural breaks in eye contact are normal and expected.
- Keep notes just below the camera, not off to the side, so a glance down doesn't take your eyes far off-axis.
- Record yourself in a mock video interview to see exactly how your eye contact reads on playback — most people are surprised by the gap between how it feels and how it looks.
- Don't over-correct into a stare. The goal is natural, confident engagement, not an unblinking fixed gaze at the lens.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does eye contact matter as much on a phone screen without video? No — this only applies to video interviews; phone screens rely entirely on vocal tone, pacing, and clarity since there's no visual component at all.
Is it okay to look at my notes during a video interview? Yes, briefly — glancing down at notes positioned near your camera is normal and expected, as long as it doesn't dominate the conversation or make you seem unprepared.
Will bad eye contact alone cost me the job? Unlikely on its own, but it contributes to an overall impression of confidence and engagement, which does factor into interviewer assessments, especially in close calls between similar candidates.
How do I fix a laptop camera that's positioned too low? Raise your laptop with a stand, stack of books, or external riser so the camera sits at or slightly above eye level, and use an external keyboard and mouse if needed for comfort.
Should I look at the camera the entire interview? No — natural conversation includes glances away; aim for camera contact during your key talking points rather than treating it as a rule to follow every single second.
Does this apply the same way to AI-conducted video interviews? Yes, and often more so — some AI interview platforms specifically analyze gaze direction and engagement signals, making deliberate camera eye contact even more relevant in that format.