Whether for school or work, here’s how to master the virtual meeting
If you are fully back in your office, on a hybrid schedule, or plan to work remotely indefinitely, virtual meeting platforms like Zoom, WebEx, and Teams are here to stay. I became Zoom-savvy while juggling work and school that relied on virtual platforms. I quickly learned tips and tricks of how to become a Zoom-pro. For some of you, these tools may not be new. Perhaps you use them throughout school or they were a requirement of your job prior to the pandemic.
I have used multiple platforms throughout my career. However, after the past year, it seems that Zoom has become synonymous with working-from-home. “Zooming” is a thing now. Despite Zoom’s popularity, I am reminded daily there are limited resources or training on how to optimally use these platforms.
In this post, I share some tips and tricks I’ve learned using Zoom in both an educational and professional setting.
1. Anticipate a delay:
No matter your internet speed, location, or platform, there will always be a delay. This is important to keep in mind while speaking. One of the most painful parts of any virtual meeting is witnessing folks constantly interrupt and speak over each other. It is unfortunately, unavoidable; however, if you know going into each virtual meeting setting that there will likely be a delay, there are best practices you can apply to help minimize awkward interruptions.
Use the raise hand feature if you wish to ask a question or make a point. This alerts the host that you would like to speak. The host can then easily call on you so you’re not trying to determine when to interject.
Be extra cognizant of pauses. We are programmed to not like silence during conversation. Add in the layer of an online conferencing platform and the silence seems magnified. Those extra pauses can work to your benefit when finding a moment to speak.
2. Avoid distractions:
Far too often, people on-camera totally forget that they are being watched by their colleagues and even recorded. Frequently, meeting participants are on their cell phones, obviously reading or responding to emails or surfing the web. Whether the virtual convening is for work or school I strongly recommend that you eliminate as many distractions as possible. This includes, putting your phone away so you are not tempted to scroll through apps and close applications or sites on your computer. I even go as far as changing my chat settings while I’m in a meeting to prevent pop-up notifications.
3. Invest in equipment:
High-quality equipment really makes a difference. If you are required to be on camera for speaking engagements, moderating discussions in front of a large audience or you frequently give presentations, I would recommend investing in a few pieces of additional equipment to enhance your experience.
Although my work-issued laptop has a built-in camera and microphone, I use an external camera, ring light, and headphones. Even with all the lights on in my apartment and the curtains open, I found that my lighting using my laptop still looked like I was taking each call from a dungeon. Now I am able to dial-into meetings at the end of the day without chasing the light in my apartment. The ring light and camera I purchased from Amazon and was under $30. For headphones, I just use both pairs of my Apple ear phones. I choose wired or wireless depending if I use my laptop or phone for the meeting. Having these extra pieces of equipment has really enhanced my experience and my colleagues have also commented on the difference.
4. Practice:
I currently use three different platforms daily for meetings and webinars. Most large virtual conferences I attend have unique platforms as well. Switching between platforms for different meetings can be challenging. I often forget where the mute button or share screen feature is in each platform. Although it can be difficult if you’re running from meeting-to-meeting, I try to pause and remind myself which platform I am using. This helps me reacquaint my brain to the appropriate features in each platform. I try to identify where the mute button is for each platform to prevent the dreaded, “you’re on mute,” hiccup.
I find that this small gesture helps prevent awkward pauses when I’m requesting hosting privileges or sharing my screen during meetings. I’m not fumbling around talking to myself in front of my team or large audience I’m presenting to. Instead, I am prepared and know based on the platform where all the frequently used features are within the application. And whether or not I have the desktop app downloaded or if I am in a web browser. The more familiar I am with an application, the more confident and natural I am when presenting or participating. I am not nervous about hitting the wrong button at the wrong time.
What virtual meeting or conference platforms do you use for work or school? Do you find these Zoom tips and tricks helpful? Share what tips or tricks have you learned in the comments below.