One of the great perks to working remotely means being able to dress down and be comfortable throughout your workday. Even though you may be remote, your appearance still needs to be appropriate for virtual meetings. Whether you are having a video call with a client, higherups, employees, or co-workers, you still want to look put together and display a professional environment. Here are five easy ways to achieve this goal quickly and stress-free.
- Check yourself and touch up: What are you wearing from head to toe? Your webcam may be positioned only to display your upper half during video calls. You will want to make sure your lower half is also appropriate in case any camera mishaps occur. Being prepared for unforeseen situations is essential; you never know when you may need to stand up to reach for something nearby, or, in a worse case, your webcam slips down. You are at home, so business attire is not necessarily required depending on who your call is with, but making sure you do not look like you just rolled out of bed is vital. Perhaps take a shower, or at the very least brush, your hair and maybe put on some makeup if you’re looking a little worse for wear. The trick is to appear put together and ready to take on the day. Even though you have been lounging in your sweats all week working from your couch.
- Choose your location wisely: Where are you planning to set up your workstation for the video call? Check your environment, what is around you, and in your background view? Make sure your surroundings are clean and organized – no stray items lying around or piles of paper or household items in view. If anyone is home with you, make sure they don’t accidentally make any cameos in your video call. Also, what type of lighting are you working with? Make sure you have enough light and are not cast in any shadows, or there is too much light, and you are washed out. You want to make sure you can be seen clearly.
- Ensure you are prepared: Do you have everything you need? Are your notes and information organized and within reach? Having all relevant information within arm’s reach is essential to avoid looking unorganized and messy. You do not want to be that person who has to fumble around finding the right information because you weren’t adequately prepared. Also, having headphones on is a great way to eliminate background noise and interference; if they are noise canceling, that can also help limit you from hearing any external noises and becoming distracted on your call. Staying focused on the video call is vital as everyone will be able to see and listen to what you are doing!
- Always preview: View yourself in your webcam before joining your video call. You still want to double-check that your appearance, location, and the environment around you appear as planned. This is also a great time to make sure the angle of your webcam is flattering, and you appear to be sitting upright and look ready to work. Doing this extra check will allow you to make any last-minute adjustments before logging in.
- Presence is key: During the video call, make sure to make eye contact, especially when speaking or being spoken to. You also want to make sure you keep yourself on mute when not speaking – eliminating any background noise is important to keeping everyone focused and on track.
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