Zoom has become the way to conduct in-person business meetings and job interviews during Covid. Remember how fast TV reporters and talk show hosts began to broadcast from their libraries or living rooms? They’re used to looking into a lens and have camera-ready lighting, make up and wardrobe, so their transition wasn’t half bad. But what about you?

If you’re worried about holding onto your job or interviewing for a new one in these uncertain times… or if you were building your personal or company brand, I can show you how to be a stand out on Zoom.  Presenting yourself professionally using my tips for lighting, grooming, body language and backgrounds will give you a leg up on the competition! 

While some may have a knack for being on camera, the majority are at odd angles, in the dark with a too small head or all ceiling showing,  sometimes with pets and kids popping in or a jumble of dishes or their bed in view.  Watch this interview I did with Nicte Cuevas  Nicte Creative Design as we cover all you need to know! 

Now that you’ve watched the above, here are two great examples of people doing it right, demonstrating some of the tips I set forth:

Emily Callahan, Chief Marketing and Experience Officer for ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, gets my A+ across the board. First of all, she looks terrific – wearing something that expresses who she is, and provides a perfect frame for her face. Her hair is in place, her make up is natural and her accessories work while expressing her personality – her glasses frame her face and are not reflecting glare and the earrings, while large, did not dangle or make noise to distract when she spoke. It’s classy and neat and stylish all at once.

Emily is well placed in the screen, and though positioned to the right, this reveals an impressive office, a very neat desk, the papers relevant to the meeting visible with a pen – which shows she is ready to note things, but not take away from the meeting by trying to do that on her computer. The room projects she’s got a major role, and she wears the St. Jude pin, a subtle but clearly present reminder of the hospital mission and brand. All of this projects a neat, professional and prepared but approachable image for the hospital but also for her personal brand. And the best part: it all enhances rather than distracts from what she has to contribute.

Here’s a clear example of someone using a background to project the company brand. Dr. Vin Gupta, a Pulmonary/Critical care expert at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation who has been called to speak on major network news shows regarding the Global pandemic.

Here you can see the background is projecting the Institute’s and the University of Washington’s logo where it is located on either a slide or as a hanging background. He is lit from the side, so not ideal, but spared him from a reflection in his glasses or any deep shadows cast on his face from them, and that is the goal. He’s neat, well groomed, and dressed in scrubs which instantly identifies him as someone in the medical field. All lends credibility. Lastly, he has tasteful wireless earbuds, which, if you are needing to hear above ambient noise for an important meeting and/or do not want to disturb others with what others are saying during your meeting, is a minimalist solution if you can afford them. It’s a good idea to test them out well before your meeting, to be sure they work well, and are not interrupted by spotty bluetooth range.

We’re now using Zoom, Google Hangouts and FaceTime in place of being in person for everything from work interviews and meetings to holiday celebrations to cocktails with friends and dating. We’ve heard of people who forget to wear pants then get up to grab coffee or take their phone into the bathroom with them. You don’t want to be one of them!  Hope you now know these common gaffs are easy to remedy using my tips. You may want to share the video and this blog with those in your company!

If you have questions about an outfit, a background or any digital communications dilemma, reach out to me and let’s talk!

And, if you want to get a lot of tips and tutorials subscribe to Nicte Creative Design’s YouTube account!