Think back to the first time you spoke to someone via video. It was weird, right? Making eye contact, that most natural and essential aspect of interpersonal communication, seemed nearly impossible given the camera’s placement. Delays and glitches made even a best friend or family member seem like a stilted stranger broadcasting from a faraway planet. It was fun, sure, but it didn’t exactly make chatting easy and seamless. Aside from reasonable worries about tech logistics--What if I push the wrong button? Did I just mute myself? Can anyone hear me?--there is the timeless fretting that accompanies any interaction with fellow humans. In other words: you are afraid of looking silly and clueless. Being comfortable with the ins and outs of your conferencing hardware and software is essential, but there are a few basic matters of self-presentation that are just as vital as any tutorial offered by IT. In our next installment, we’ll run through some strategies for negotiating the sometimes tricky nature of video-assisted conversation, but first, let’s make sure you’re ready to look your best.
Dress for Success
The age of telecommuting has spawned an army of pajama-clad professionals, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but even if you’re working from home and have no plans to do anything involving pants and shoes for the rest of the day, you’d be wise to get at least a little bit spiffy before launching yourself into the video realm. It’s pretty simple. What would you wear if you were getting ready for an in-person meeting? Wear that.
Location, Location, Location,
Yes, you could join a video conference without leaving bed, and sure, it would be a piece of cake to lug your laptop to a coffee shop and take a meeting amidst the energizing clamor of cafe life, but just because you can doesn’t mean you should. If you don’t have access to an office, plant yourself in a quiet and simply decorated space that won’t lead your interlocutors to wonder what’s happening just past the edge of the screen.
The Right Light,
The whole point of video conferencing is that it allows people to overcome barriers of physical distance and meet face-to-face, but a video link becomes just another phone call if those all-important faces are shrouded in darkness. You don’t need to be a master photographer to stage a pleasing close-up of yourself--no one expects a living, breathing Annie Leibovitz portrait to show up to the meeting. Just be sure you are facing a sufficiently bright light source, because you definitely don’t want to be the vaguely menacing backlit shape on someone else’s screen. Who wants to talk to a creepy shadow? No one.
Stay tuned for Part II. In the meantime, check out this infographic we put together so you can look your best on video.
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