How to videoconference from home and not embarrass yourself

What could be worse than meetings? Virtual meetings, of course! Especially if the work is done from home: you are sitting in a rumpled T-shirt, there is a slight mess in the apartment, and children and pets are constantly trying to break into the frame. Here are some tips to help you video chat and maintain your dignity.

1. Position yourself so that the light source is in front of you

Then the picture will be clear and professional, not dark and blurry. Also try to keep the light source in front of you the brightest in the room. If the sun is shining through the window, a lamp next to the computer will not help. The camera will most likely focus on natural light, and your face will remain dull and fuzzy.

2. Sit up straight and tilt your head slightly forward

Ideally, the camera you are looking into is at about table level. Don't call up with your laptop on your lap: you will look like a hunched over person with multiple chins. Position yourself so that your back is straight.

Then tilt your head forward a little. This trick will make your face appear slightly larger, which will give you a more attentive and photogenic look. While talking, look at the camera, not at the computer screen.

3. Put on the headphones

Without them, sound problems may occur. The laptop microphone sometimes picks up the speaker's voice and interprets it as your words. And then broadcasts it to everyone else, creating a kind of echo. This won't happen with headphones. The sound will go directly to your ears. In addition, in them you will not be distracted by the conversations of households from the next room.

4. Do not interrupt the speaker and mute the microphone when you are silent

It's not just about politeness. Some video communication systems do not handle concurrent audio streams well. And if you and a colleague say something at the same time, others can hear the words of only one of you. Let me know if you want to add something in the chat. Or agree that those who wish to speak will raise their hand.

Also, remember to mute your microphone while someone else is speaking. In some services this happens automatically, but it's better to check it again. Otherwise, all meeting participants will hear a dog barking in your home, children making noise, or pouring water in the bathroom.