For those who have been working from home, Zoom has been a way to connect with your colleagues, boss, clients, etc. You probably get yourself ready (at least from the top-up!) to appear more professional, but have you ever thought about what your surroundings looks like? Here are some tips on staging your space to wow your fellow Zoomers.
1: Background: Don't have a dedicated office? Set up a desk in the corner of a room, or choose a common area such as your kitchen, living room or dining room. Add a bookshelf, small table or chair with some bright pillows, books, plants, flowers, candles or artwork. Even if you're moving furniture or decor to make it all work, as long as it appears aesthetically pleasing in your tiny screen, that's all that matters! You can always move things back after your call.
2: Lighting: Make sure your lighting is on point. Choose a room with bright white lighting (not a softer or warmer color). If you don't want to change your ceiling bulbs, get a floor lamp that you can use. Try setting up near a window for natural lighting. Be sure to position yourself strategically if using window or lamp lighting. Don't have the window / lamp behind you or you will appear as a silhouette.
3: Camera Angle: Never let your camera angle capture you from the bottom up. No one wants to see up your nose! Set up your camera at eye-level, or a tiny bit above and lean the screen at a 80° angle. You should not be able to see your ceiling (except maybe from a distance). If necessary, prop your laptop or device on a stack of books or something to make the camera higher based on where you're sitting,.
4: Style your chair. Depending on what kind of chair you're sitting on, you can add a throw blanket or small pillow to add character.
If possible, avoid a blank wall background. It doesn't show any personality and makes your space appear dull. On the contrary, make sure it isn't too busy behind you. Your setting should be simple, yet add character. Happy Zooming!
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