The fastest way to fail a virtual interview is to say “Sorry, my camera is broken.” Communicating your competence is the goal of an interview, so an excuse is a bad start. Here’s how to do video interviews right:

Start with image and location. Don’t answer from the car or train, and turn your camera on. Make sure you are in a quiet, peaceful location with a pleasant backdrop. You don’t need to be in a professional studio, but your environment should say “I am taking this seriously.”

Once you’ve done this, be animated. Remember you are speaking to humans on the other side of the screen, so don’t act like a robot yourself.

Make eye contact, use gestures and facial expressions, and don’t speak in a monotone.

It is ok to be nervous, but don’t let the screen get in the way of how you would have a normal conversation.

Finally, enjoy the conversation and be present. If you are interviewing for the role, you are likely excited about some prospect of working for this company. So, make it clear that you are engaged and excited.

If it seems like you would rather be somewhere else in the interview, they will think you want to work somewhere else. And, they won’t bother confirming their suspicion, they just won’t call you back.

Your energy and excitement is a lever- use it.