How to Greet an Interviewer on Zoom: What to Say First

Say hello with the interviewer's name, thank them for their time, and confirm they can hear and see you. Three short lines, about fifteen seconds, then stop talking and let them lead.

Here is a greeting you can use as written:

"Good morning, Sara. Thanks for making the time today. Can you hear and see me clearly?"

That covers everything a first line needs. It is warm, it uses their name, and it clears the technical check before the real talk starts.

The First Sixty Seconds, Step by Step

Time	What you do	What you say
Before joining	Test camera, mic and name label	Nothing yet
Join 2 to 3 minutes early	Sit still, camera on, wait quietly	Nothing yet
They join	Smile, greet with their name	"Good morning, Sara."
Next 5 seconds	Thank them	"Thanks for making the time today."
Next 5 seconds	Check the connection	"Can you hear and see me clearly?"
After that	Stop and listen	Let them open the interview

Three Greetings for Three Situations

Formal company or senior interviewer. "Good afternoon, Mr. Patel. It is a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for the time today."

Normal case, most interviews. "Hi Sara, good morning. Thanks for making the time. Can you hear me okay?"

Panel of two or more people. "Good morning, everyone. Thank you all for joining. I am Ana, and I am glad to meet you."

Use the name they used in the invite. If you are unsure how to say it, say the rest of the greeting warmly and ask later.

What Not to Say First

Do not open with a complaint about the link, the app or your day.
Do not apologize for nothing. "Sorry, can you hear me?" makes you sound unsure before you begin.
Do not launch into your pitch. Wait for them to ask about your background.
Do not read a script word for word. Learn the shape, not the exact text.
Do not stay silent. A blank face for ten seconds reads as a frozen screen.

If They Speak First

Most interviewers greet you first. Then your job is simpler.

Match their level of warmth. Reply with their name and one short thank you.

"Good morning, Sara. Thanks for having me. I am doing well, thank you."

Then answer whatever they asked and stop. Do not stack three sentences on top of a simple hello.

If Your Audio or Video Fails

This happens often and interviewers expect it. Stay calm and say the fix, not the apology.

"I think my audio dropped. Give me ten seconds to switch to my phone."

Have a backup ready before you start. Know the dial-in number in the invite. Keep your phone charged and next to you.

If nothing works within a minute, send one short message in the chat or by email. Say what happened and that you are rejoining.

What Comes Right After the Greeting

Many interviewers follow the hello with "tell me about yourself". Have a ninety second answer ready for that.

Keep it to three parts: what you do now, one result you are proud of, and why this role interests you. Practice it out loud until it sounds like speech, not writing.

More sample lines for the rest of the call are in what to say on a Zoom interview.

How to Prepare

Set your name label correctly. Use your full name, not a nickname or a device name. Change it in Zoom settings before you join.
Fix the room first. Plain wall, light in front of your face, camera at eye level. See the best background for a Zoom interview.
Do a real test call. Call a friend on the same app you will use. Ask them about your sound, not just your picture.
Write your three lines on a sticky note. Put it beside the camera, not below the screen, so your eyes stay up. Rules on notes are covered in whether you can use a cheat sheet on a Zoom interview.
Pick a good slot. Morning calls tend to be calmer for both sides. See the best time for a Zoom interview.
Practice the whole opening under pressure. A mock interview makes the first minute feel routine.
Prepare the technical part too. If coding follows the hello, work through Grokking the Coding Interview so the greeting is the easy part.