In this BLOG post I am going to cover some great tips to help you look, and sound, your best while on conference calls when working at home.  I have done several sessions to college students on preparing for their first job interview, and a lot of this content applies here. 

In our remote world, looking and sounding your best is very important.  Think of this in the same light as wearing a suit to a job interview.  This is how you present yourself, so it is important to take extra time to get it right. 

Let’s review my top tips. 

Audio 

When joining a conference call, most platforms now support joining by your computer, dialling in by phone, or both. 

Joining By computer / VOIP 

These days, the connection over the internet tends to be the most stable and your best option.  When joining by computer, you need to ensure you have a good headset and you have selected this device in the software.  When joining, most programs have a link that says, “audio options”, “audio device” or a settings/gear icon. 

If you have a laptop, your computer likely has a built-in microphone.  Don’t use it.  First, if you type while using the internal mic, the sound will get picked up very loudly and everyone will have hard typing in their ear.  The second problem is that the optimal distance to be away from this mic is never really known, without a lot of practice.  This means you will be too quiet or too loud, or have to make advanced adjustments.  Finally, these mics are typically very low-quality microphones.   

For under 20 dollars/pounds/euros you can get a good quality headset for your laptop or desktop.  Companies issue these to most employees now and they demand good quality at a decent price.  (Something like the Plantronics C310 is a great option.) 

Joining By Phone 

If you want to join by your phone, and sometimes we have to, you should ensure you have proper cell service and have a good quality headset / pair of headphones with a microphone. 

For all audio options, learn how to use your mute button.  If you are not used to the mute function, take some time to practice taking yourself seamlessly on and off mute. 

Regardless of your selection, for important meetings and interviews do a practice session!  (see below) 

Video 

For interviews and important meetings, video can be very important.  With almost every laptop having a webcam now, you likely have everything you need for a video call.  For those with a desktop, getting a quality web cam isn’t going to break the bank.  You may want to consider a high def camera, like the Logitech HP1080p if you think you are going to record videos for multiple uses. 

Lighting is very important to look your best on video.  Just like in the movies, strong lighting above you will make you look your best.  If you have a window behind you, and it is daytime, you should draw a curtain or try to minimize this light if you can.   

You should practice and find what is best for you.  There are all sorts of “ring” lights popping up on the market, but you can just as easily move a lamp to help for an important call.  If you are going to do a lot of these, experimenting with a permanent option is a good idea. 

Backgrounds 

There is a lot of debate on what you should have behind you for video calls.  Now many software solutions allow you to pick a virtual background, such as the ocean, famous sites, and so on. Personally, for a client, or an important call, I would not use these.  For every day, it might make sense to find a regular background that doesn’t distract.  However, for the first-time meeting, I feel strongly that the background should be neat and professional, but as time goes on and software features improve, I may change my mind.  Many software applications, like Microsoft Teams, allow you to blur your background instead of a picture of a famous site, a feature I admit is growing on me.   

Some experts think you should have some items behind you that show your personality.  For example, some pictures, a bike, a bookshelf with interesting books, and so on.  Others recommend that the background be as clean as possible.   I think everyone can agree that it should be appropriate, and you should ensure that you don’t have anything embarrassing behind you.  I once joined a video call with someone who had their underwear hanging on their bike.  This was someone I regularly met with.  The bike showed their personability, but this time they forgot to take their dirty clothes off their bike!  The lesson is that whatever you choose, you must be vigilant in keeping it professional.  For those that do video calls daily, you can easily let your guard down. 

It is probably worth noting my house rule that everyone must be fully dressed when anyone is on a video call!  Also, coordinate with anyone else in your household so that no one inadvertently interrupts your call.  

If this is an interview, then I would always suggest less is more in terms of background.  Go plain and simple and take the safe route. 

Just like muting yourself for audio, learn how to mute / turn your video on and off. 

Practice Session 

Regardless of video or audio calls, you should do a practice session if you have an important call and are not used to this.  Ask a friend you trust to do a call with you.  If you are going to be on video, try to do this call during the same time of day so you can play with the lighting.  Ask them to give feedback for items in the room behind you or turning on or off lights to help find the optimal setup. 

If you are going to join by mobile phone, call your friend and ensure there isn’t bad background noise and the service is sufficient.  Use the same headset you are going to use for the actual call. 

For important calls, it may be good to try a few different kinds of clothes to ensure you have confidence for your meeting.  Sometimes certain prints or colours can look odd and it may throw you off if you suddenly realise this mid-call. 

Big Don’ts: 

Don’t take important calls in coffee shops or restaurants.  The plates and glasses, for whatever reason, become the audio focus. 

Don’t forget to mute, and unmute, as needed.  This allows everyone to focus on the call and not on sirens or barking dogs. 

Don’t forget to check your surroundings before a video call to ensure everything is appropriate.  

Don’t forget to have a backup option – dial in by phone, use a different computer, whatever it may be. 

Do you have a tip that you use?  Comment below or drop me a note or tweet! 

And if you need some entertainment on how wrong this can go….check out this video: