Six Tips to Help You Look Professional in Virtual Meetings

Do you look your best when attending a virtual meeting? What are the critical tips to help you show up with a professional image?

1.      Lighting – Make sure there is light on your face. You can use natural or artificial light. If light shines through a window behind you, you will appear dark. You want to show your face and avoid being a silhouette or shadow. Close the shades behind you or move to another location.

2.      Microphone – If we cannot hear you or your voice sounds muffled, you might sound less professional and could have difficulty delivering your message. Invest in an external microphone or wear a headset. This will make a significant difference. I work with many international non-native English-speaking clients and this simple adjustment is a quick fix!

 3.      Background – Check your background. Is it cluttered and unprofessional? Is it an image you want to project? You can always blur your background or use a virtual background to avoid the challenges of your location.

 4. Camera Position – Are you centered on the screen? Are you looking up at the camera which can make you look diminutive and less confident? Do we only see your eyes and nose? Adjust your camera or elevate your laptop so that your position is optimal. You can invest in a plexiglass camera holder that can suspend over your screen to encourage optimal eye contact. (www.plexicam.com). Make sure to sit up straight!

 5.      Eye Contact – Where are you looking? Remember to look into the camera lens so the other person sees you making eye contact. This is awkward since we want to look at the person’s image. Simply drag their picture under the camera lens. Make sure to look directly into the camera when you are the one speaking.

 6.      Appearance ­­– We might dress more casually when working virtually. Know your audience and keep in mind that we are still judged by our appearance. Make sure you are dressed appropriately… at least from the waist up!

The Advantage Platform powered by Yoodli (www.yoodli.ai) is one of my training tools. As a coach advisor for Yoodli, I have seen how this platform has evolved over the years. You can use it to get AI feedback on whether you are centered in the screen, if you smile, and if you are making eye contact with the camera.

This is another way AI technology can help us become better speakers. If you want to learn more about the Advantage Platform, contact me at LKWilner@Successfully-Speaking.com.