As legal recruiters, we may situationally advocate for either an in-person meeting (when it's safe) or a phone call over a video call. We explain the hierarchy in another post: "I just Zoomed to say I love you." That said, in the current lateral recruiting environment video meetings are now commonplace.
Regardless of the method, the goal of these get-to-know-you conversations remains the same: Make a positive impression to create/enhance a professional relationship. To increase the probability of a successful meeting, we offer seven tips for more effective video calls.
1) You are not on the bridge of the USS Enterprise; avoid virtual backdrops.
We discourage the use of virtual backgrounds in lateral partner interviews/meetings. We will confess we used them in the early months because I thought they were “cool,” but now see them as a bit distracting.
They also don't promote the best overall vibe for an interview. Even if they are interesting, that fake tranquil green pasture (or slick modern office) can mitigate some of the vulnerability that accompanies in-person meetings. People are interested in seeing someone's authentic self in a recruiting context. Virtual backdrops can be snazzy but a photo, art, a clock, things personal to your space, have more relationship-building value.
Tip: If your surroundings are in a state of disarray, and getting to order isn’t feasible, you might try a plain white backdrop for meetings. It won't be as interesting, but it also won't take over the meeting and potentially make a bigger impression than you.
2) Testing Testing 1, 2, 3…
Testing your system and practicing video calls is the most common tip you'll read online, and bears repeating. Being ready on the tech front is about gaining respect from others about your agility in the modern world. We've all been on video calls when people are tech-challenged (i.e. can't get the camera or microphone to work). Of course, this can happen to anyone, but they do slow things down and are annoying.
Of course, things happen and rolling with them patiently when others have issues is important. A bonus from sharpening your understanding of your video equipment platform is helping someone else troubleshoot their issues. This is impressive to some and people are often quite grateful.
3) LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION!
Lights are first for a reason. Having appropriate lighting affects your appearance on video calls. We all know the work done to make media/TV stars look their best on-screen. We, however, are at the mercy of how we look without the benefit of a professional studio.
Giving your video quality a lighting boost presents a warmer, in-real-life feel to a virtual meeting. Natural light is optimal from a window, but often not feasible. The key is adding light that will face you (i.e. behind the camera/computer). Lighting which illuminates your face can offer a softer, more attractive visual (making one look more youthful and energetic).
Tip: This does not require professional lighting equipment. You can use household lights/lamps placed behind the monitor/camera to direct the light to your face. It's wise to experiment here to confirm what works best for your video appearance.
4) She's got Betty Davis eyes…or does she? Making eye contact on video calls.
We all know consistent eye contact can help build rapport and trust. We all know how to do this in person, but it’s not intuitive on video calls. Should we look directly at the person on the screen? Should we look at ourselves? No, is the answer to both questions, but we all do it anyway.
First, we don’t advise looking at the camera directly. People tend to look awkward after looking too long at an object vis-à-vis looking at a person. Luckily, there is a way to simulate a face-to-face effect (considering 2020, this all may be a much larger simulation…). Minimize the Zoom window and position it at the top of the screen. This means the smaller video window is right below the camera (likely sitting on top of the display). With the window resized and so positioned, you now look directly at the other person, which will naturally direct your eyesight in line with the camera. Voila!
If one is dealing with a "Brady Bunch" style multi-person call, looking at the person in the top row center window will effectuate eye contact for ALL people on the call.
5) Don't look at the 'man' in the mirror (even if you do need to change your ways)
Hide or minimize the self-view window if you can (this also helps technically with the eye contact issue above). Gazing at yourself on video is distracting due to our self-conscious and self-critical nature and can take your attention away from others on a call.
No one can pinpoint why we humans are so drawn to looking at ourselves, but we’ll leave that one to behavioral scientists. Compare a regular in-person meeting where we can’t stare at ourselves. All our attention is on the others in the meeting. So let’s better simulate the real meeting by eliminating the self-view option.
Zoom easily allows you to hide your self-view. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner of your video window. Then click on "Hide Self View" (for help, see this YouTube tutorial). The steps (and outcomes) differ for WebEx and other video platforms.
6) Optimize your video: Explore advanced video settings
Many video services like Zoom, WebEx, and Teams have advanced video settings to optimize your appearance. Examples include:
Turning on an auto "adjust for light" feature.
Using HD video.
Applying a touch-up filter to your video that your co-attendees won't detect.
Zoom, for example, has a video setting with a slider that allows you to enhance your video. This feature is comparable to the "enhance" photo filter on most photo apps in smartphones.
7) Video didn't kill the radio star: Audio quality is important
You should ensure you have excellent audio quality. From a technical aspect, we’d recommend not using the computer's built-in microphone for your voice. Instead, opt for a headset, or high quality wireless earbuds (i.e., Air Pods), or high end headphones with a built-in microphone. Using your computer microphone is the equivalent of a speakerphone call, and that effect isn't always optimal.
You should also understand your computer’s audio settings well. For those challenged in this area, we’d recommend using the video platform’s dial-in audio feature from your phone, provided you have a reliable headset (or earbuds) for hands-free talking.
These tips can help you put your best face forward and create a sense of calm and confidence for a great video call.
Want to discuss? Contact us.
Comments