Are you comfortable in front of the camera yet? If not, it’s something that all professionals should put in emphasis on moving forward.
Between virtual meetings and video interviews, video is going to play a large role in your professional future. It’s important to have the right setup and know the ins and outs of being video ready.
Everyone needs to be ready for online video interviews these days. I even heard that some home designers are now adding “video rooms” to home designs because of the fact that everyone needs a good place in their home to do this.
While not everyone is in position to design their own video room, there are some simple things everyone can do to be comfortable and effective on video. Here are my tips:
- Make sure you find the place in your house where the internet is strong. You don’t want the meeting going out because your signal is weak.
- Remove all clutter and distractions.
- Make sure it is a place where you can close a door and be alone.
- Create a well-lit space where the light faces your face. Ie. put a lamp behind your camera facing your face.
- Choose a neutral backdrop or invest in a green screen.
- Get the camera eye height or slightly higher to ensure you are looking at the person or even up at them. Looking down gives a negative effect.
- Practice looking at the camera, move the software up on the screen so it’s right at the camera so you feel like you are looking at the person but are focused on the camera.
- Check your sound and invest in a microphone. The mics on the webcams are tiny. A good quality mic makes you sound in stereo and is more appealing to the ears.
- Test your setup in advance and make sure everything works well.
- Don’t cut your head off or have too much room above your head. Try the 3-finger rule. Put your middle three fingers on top of your head. And the top is where the end of the screen should be.
- Avoid a swivel chair if you are someone that is fidgety.
When you spend most of your time interacting with people in person, it can be difficult adjusting to doing things by video. But, like anything else in life, the more you do it, the more comfortable that you’ll become.
The important thing is to always keep things professional. Follow the above tips and treat video interviews and meetings the same as in person interviews and meetings.
Beyond interviews and meetings, getting comfortable behind the camera gives you additional options for building your personal brand.
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