Be a Leader in Virtual Meetings
At this point, most of us have grown accustomed to working from home but, many people still struggle with their virtual meetings. Let's be honest- we've all worn pajama pants and dress shirts for meetings, right?
So, are you hoping to find some tips on how to look professional in your meetings? Maybe you don't feel like getting up and doing your makeup? We've got you covered!
Tip 1:
Virtual Backgrounds
Maybe your office is a bit messy and you're attending a job interview, maybe you're working in a basement, or maybe you want to add some humor to a work meeting.
RingCentral and Microsoft Teams are our favorite virtual meeting platforms but, Zoom also allows for background changes. You can easily access background ideas here! Our favorite background we've seen is from our Sales manager, Tony. He tends to love Tiger King backgrounds- which always gets the group laughing.
Remember: funny backgrounds are great but, if you're in a professional meeting with a boss or on an interview, neutral colored backgrounds are your best bet!
If you want to be really creative with your background, you can always visit Canva and design your own. We like to use this when we want our logo on a meeting. Here's an example:
Tip 2:
Closed Captioning
We get it- people forget to mute their microphones or there's static and confusion. Well, closed captions can fix that problem AND allow your virtual meetings to be accessible for all team members.
"Why you should try it
Hearing-impaired: Those who are deaf or hard of hearing can read the captions to follow the conversation.
Language proficiency: If a conversation moves too quickly, participants can use captions to stay on track.
Noisy areas: When you can’t drown out background noises, you can enable captions and never miss a word." (RingCentral)
Tip 3:
Get your beauty on
We're sure you're a 10/10- even when you woke up a minute before your meeting starts. But, hey.. just in case you want to look like you have it together right now, you can always turn the beauty filter on.
Air brushed faces coming right up! Zoom has a feature that will blur your face just enough to make you appear to be wide awake and ready to crush the day... even though you haven't had your coffee yet.
Lighting is also important for looking your best during a meeting. It is important to make people feel connected to you still, even if it is through a computer. One of the best ways to do this is to place your webcam and computer near a window. Natural light is soft and welcoming.
Pet peeve: When you can tell someone is looking at themselves in the video. If you are on an important work call or an interview, be sure to look at the camera. It really is noticeable when you don't, we promise!
Happy virtual-ing!
