Online conference Teams/Zoom tips please?

[Squiffany]

I’ll be using these platforms for the first time in a new job. How do I not look like a fat, frumpy , washed out old woman?
I’d like to look freshfaced and professional.

On Teams you can make your background fuzzy so people can't see personal stuff.

Try to have your webcam at a slightly higher height so you are not looking down into it ( double chins).

Turn your camera off. Everyone in my team does. One of my managers gave a whole training presentation and all I could focus on was the mountain of bog roll on top of his kitchen cabinets so if your camera is on be aware of what's lurking behind you.

@sobersides

Turn your camera off. Everyone in my team does. One of my managers gave a whole training presentation and all I could focus on was the mountain of bog roll on top of his kitchen cabinets so if your camera is on be aware of what's lurking behind you.

I love that.

Raising the camera is a good idea, I think I’ll stick it on some books.

Camera off if you can get away with it; if you can't, raise your screen as above to avoid the multiplying chins, wear lipstick and a well-ironed top and if you can, put flowers in a vase behind you rather than piles of papers or books. I rarely wear lippie or iron but weeks of looking at myself on Zoom calls quickly demonstrated the washed out effect on screen (I genuinely don't think i look like that in real life but maybe I'm deluded). And preview your setup in advance of the call to make sure it all works.

Light is your friend (or enemy). So maybe check out a few places to sit where the light is good and see how you look.
Also too much light behind you and people won’t be able to see you so do test a bit.

Yes to practising where you sit with the lighting and background colour!
I look awful on zoom