12 Common VR Interview Questions and How to Prepare

Virtual reality, or VR, is a relatively new technology that is advancing and becoming increasingly popular for leisure activities, such as gaming, and for business activities such as training, education, health care, retail, and real estate. Analysts predict that the VR market will be worth $62 billion by 2029 [1]. This creates job opportunities for a range of professionals, particularly if your expertise lies in software and engineering. 

To secure a job in the field of VR, you’ll need to be well-prepared for your job interview. As such, it’s a good idea to research the company interviewing you alongside the possible questions your interviewers might ask and practice your answers. This will make you feel more confident and professional throughout the process. Discover 12 VR interview questions to help you practice and prepare for your next VR job interview.

12 common VR interview questions

A great way to prepare for your interview is by practicing answers to common VR interview questions. Regardless of the interviewer’s questions, preparing some answers will help you learn your material and feel more self-assured. Consider using the 12 VR interview questions below to help you prepare for your interview, build your confidence, and recognize variations to common questions. 

1. What is your experience with VR technology?

What they are really asking: Do you have the right skills and experience for this role?

This question is a good opener for the employer to gauge your skills, knowledge, and experience in VR technology. Tell your interviewer how long you have worked in the field and the related roles you’ve held. Talk about your experience using various VR platforms, technology, and tools. Be specific here, citing platforms like Unity and Unreal Engine.

Other forms this question might take: 

• How is VR different from AR?

• How would you describe your experience with VR technology?

• Can you discuss your most recent VR experience?

2. How do you design immersive VR experiences?

What they are really asking: Do you have the practical skills and experience to design immersive experiences?

An interviewer wants to ensure that you have the practical skills and experience necessary for the role in addition to your theoretical knowledge. Walk the interviewer through specific examples of immersive VR experiences you have built, describing how you did it, any challenges that came up, and how you addressed them. 

Other forms this question might take:

• What are the main challenges in designing a VR experience?

• What are the best practices for designing a VR experience?

3. What is your understanding of VR user experience and interaction design?

What they are really asking: Do you know how to effectively create an interactive user experience that people can interact with?

Draw on your experience to demonstrate that you understand VR user experience and interactive design. An employer wants to know what you have personally contributed in this area to understand your processes. You may discuss the intuitive nature of your designs, the importance of mitigating motion sickness, and ensuring that UI elements are accessible to everyone.

Other forms this question might take:

• What are your considerations when building VR interfaces and interactions?

• How do you ensure your user experience is accessible?

4. What is your experience with 3D modeling and 3D animation?

What they are really asking: Can you use 3D modeling and animations to build realistic worlds and experiences?

To make the VR experience realistic and appealing and to create worlds that are immersive and engaging, you’ll need skills in animation and 3D modeling. Highlight your practical experience in previous jobs, at college, and personal projects, in addition to the technology you can use.

Other forms this question might take:

• What is “world building” and why is it important?

• How do you make VR environments realistic and immersive?

5. How do you handle motion sickness and other VR-related discomfort?

What they are really asking: What are your problem-solving skills like in terms of combating motion sickness when developing VR experiences?

Ensuring that users don’t experience motion sickness, also called cybersickness, is an important part of VR development. To answer this question, you need to demonstrate your problem-solving skills. Try to use real-life examples of your experience with reducing sudden camera movements, ensuring consistent frame rates, and using physics to make movements and animations as close to real life as possible.

Other forms this question might take:

• How do developers address motion sickness in VR development?

• How do you minimize cybersickness?

6. What is your experience with VR debugging and testing?

What they are really asking: Do you have experience in VR prototyping and testing specifically? 

With this question, the recruiter wants you to provide evidence of your experience in prototyping and testing, specifically with VR technology, as it requires skills beyond general app testing. Highlight that you know how to test for VR-specific issues such as motion sickness, clarity of visuals, sensor collaboration, latency, optical fidelity, and interaction feedback. You may provide examples of how, in previous roles, you developed a testing plan and what you would typically implement at each stage in your effort to make the application as user-friendly as possible.

Other forms this question might take:

• How do you approach user testing?

• How do you take a multidimensional approach to VR testing?

7. How do you stay up-to-date with the latest VR technologies and trends?

What they are really asking: Do you engage in professional development?

Recruiters want to know that you have an interest in maintaining and developing your skills by staying up to date with new technology and trends. Talk about how you network with other VR developers, attend conferences and meetups, and use blogs along with industry publications to remain current with new developments in the field. You can also mention taking online courses and earning professional credentials.

Other forms this question might take:

• How do you approach professional development?

• Tell me about how you work with others to keep up with VR trends.

8. What is your experience with VR development tools and engines (e.g., Unity, Unreal Engine)?

What they are really asking: Do you know how to use the tools you need for this role?

Here the recruiter wants to ensure that you have enough experience with various tools and know which tools are appropriate for various actions. Talk about your experience with tools and engines such as Unreal Engine, Unity3D, WebVR, HTC Vive SDK, and similar. 

Other forms this question might take:

• What essential tools and platforms do you need for VR development?

• What is your favorite VR tool, and why?

9. How do you handle VR performance optimization and optimization techniques?

What they are really asking: What is your experience with VR optimization techniques?

This question examines your practical experience and your abilities to solve problems. Your interviewer wants to know how you approach a challenge like optimizing performance and the techniques you favor. Discuss your experience with techniques like implementing occlusion culling, applying level of detail (LOD) systems, lowering polygon counts, working on textures, and improving frame rates.

Other forms this question might take:

• How do you optimize VR content for performance?

• Why is VR performance optimization an important step?

10. Can you describe a challenging VR project you've worked on?

What they are really asking: How do you overcome challenges and setbacks?

In this instance, a recruiter or potential employer wants to know how you use your problem-solving and decision-making skills to deal with workplace challenges. They also want to see how you resolved the issue while handling your emotions. Use real-life examples of how you overcame a challenge using creativity and resilience, resulting in a positive outcome. You also want to prepare an example for when you solved a complex technical problem during the VR development process.

Other forms this question might take:

• Tell me about a time you overcame an obstacle in your VR career.

• Provide me with an example of a VR project you’ve worked on and its challenges.

11. How do you collaborate with other team members in a VR development environment?

What they are really asking: Do you work well with others?

In this role, you’ll need to know how to collaborate with others, as developers work with designers and artists to build immersive VR worlds. Use examples from your professional experience to show you can collaborate effectively, using the job description to find a relevant scenario.

Other forms this question might take:

• Share an example of when you’ve worked well within a team.

• Tell me about an example of a project that you worked on in collaboration with others.

12. What questions do you have for me?

What they are really asking: Are you really invested in this job opportunity?

Interviewers are looking for someone with a real interest in the role and company, so even if you don’t have any questions, make sure you come prepared with some to make a good impression. Ask questions that show your interest in the job alongside your existing knowledge of the company and what the role entails. 

Examples of questions to ask:

• How has this role changed and grown to suit the changing trends in technology?

• How would employees describe the company culture?

• What are the next steps in the hiring process?

VR interview tips

To ensure you make a good impression in your interview, it’s very important that you prepare. Use the following tips to get ready for your interview:

• Know your skills: Reflect on your knowledge and what you can do in relation to the job description.

• Research the company and job: Study the job description and learn about the company, its culture and ethos. Use the company website, news items, and social media. 

• Practice: Prepare possible answers to questions, research potential interview questions, and consider doing a mock interview.

• Ask for accommodations: If you have any special requirements, make sure you arrange these in advance by contacting the interviewer or employer.

Preparing for a VR interview on Coursera

VR technology is advancing, and technology companies are looking for qualified, skilled VR professionals. Consider expanding your knowledge with the University of London’s Virtual Reality Specialization on Coursera, where you’ll discover the fundamentals of Virtual Reality, the hardware and history, different applications, and the psychology and challenges of the medium. For a deeper look at development, consider the Meta Front-End Developer Professional Certificate, which covers subjects like user experience, algorithms, and computer programming.