If you’re working from home more often, you’re likely participating in your fair share of video conferences. Making a good impression during a video call is just as important as making a good impression in an in-person meeting. You need to pay careful attention to how you look and how you conduct yourself during a video call to avoid projecting the wrong image.
In fact, you may have already seen other people doing weird stuff during video calls and thought to yourself, “I don’t want to do anything like that!” Here are some video call fundamentals that will help you have positive and productive video calls while making a good impression on your boss, colleagues, or clients.
Keep Your Phone or Device Still.
Holding your device still is one of the most important video call tips to keep in mind when you’re about to get on a call. If you’re using a cell phone or tablet to participate in a call, you should keep it stationary and try to avoid holding it in your hands or walking around a room with it. A shaky picture can be annoying and distracting to other people on the call, and it may make you look disorganized. In addition, it may distort or digitize picture quality and make it look as though you’re using a poor quality device.
Remember That Appearances Matter.
You need to get ready before a virtual meeting just as you would for any other meeting; this means putting on work-appropriate clothes, combing your hair, and washing your face. You absolutely cannot be continually adjusting your appearance during the call. Brushing hair out of your face in one motion is okay but treating your monitor like a mirror sends the wrong message. If people see that you’re constantly looking at the lower corner of your screen and frequently adjusting your hair or clothes, they’ll think that you’re not paying attention to them and it will look unprofessional.
Stay Conscious of Your Background.
When you’re sitting down to a video call, give some thought to what people will be looking at behind you. A lot of people are curious about getting a glimpse into people’s homes, and some people are bound to be paying close attention. You should choose a professional looking background without any distracting objects or wall art. It would be best if you were sitting in a chair rather than reclining on your couch or worse, on your bed. Most importantly, you don’t want excessive clutter in the frame and your home should appear neat and clean.
Use In-Ear Headphones.
It’s best to not rely on your device’s microphone to communicate during a call because it may not be capable of producing a good sound quality or you may need to bring your face closer to your device when someone can’t hear you. In addition, it will be likely to pick up a lot of background noise. Your best bet is to use in-ear headphones with a built-in microphone. Even if you usually prefer to wear headphones to listen to music, it may appear unprofessional or distracting if people have to look at you with big clunky headphones on, especially when they’re colored. Simple in-ear headphones will produce good sound, help you hear conversations clearly, and won’t look distracting.
Successfully executed video calls requiring using your equipment well, choosing the right audio accessories, and being mindful about your personal appearance and how your home looks. During a call, remember that someone may be looking at you at all times, even when you’re not the person speaking. You need to project confidence, organization, and attentiveness.
