Look Good on Zoom
Without Trying Hard
Lighting, angles, backgrounds, and the waist-down secrets nobody talks about. Show up on video calls like you know what you're doing — even if you don't.
Master These Four Things
Get these right and you're already ahead of 90% of people on video calls.
Lighting
Face a window, not your back to it. Natural light from the front is better than any ring light. If you must use artificial light, bounce it off a wall — never point it straight at your face.
Camera Position
Lens at eye level or slightly above. Not looking up your nose. Not pointing at your ceiling fan. Stack books under your laptop if you need to. Eye contact (looking at the lens, not the screen) matters.
Audio
Bad audio ruins a call faster than bad video. Use headphones with a mic if you can. Mute yourself when you're not talking. And please — no typing while unmuted. Nobody wants to hear your mechanical keyboard.
Background
Clean. Simple. Not a blank white wall that makes you look like a hostage video. A plant, a bookshelf, a tidy corner — something that says 'I'm a real person with a real life.' Virtual backgrounds are fine if your computer can handle them.
The Waist-Down Truth
Yes, you can wear sweatpants. But here's what nobody tells you.
Yes, Sweatpants Are Fine
You're working from home. Comfort is part of the deal. But put on a decent shirt — something with a collar or a color that isn't the same gray as your couch. It takes 10 seconds and changes how you show up on screen.
But Actually Get Dressed Sometimes
When it's a client call, a job interview, or a presentation? Put on real pants. Not because anyone will see them — because YOU will feel different. Dressing fully for important calls changes your posture, your energy, and how seriously you take the conversation.
The Emergency Shirt
Keep a decent button-down or nice top hanging near your desk. Not in the closet — within arm's reach. For the surprise 'hey can you hop on a quick video call?' moments. You'll be ready in 15 seconds instead of scrambling and showing up in your sleep shirt.
Colors That Work on Camera
Solid colors are better than patterns (stripes and busy prints look weird on most webcams). Jewel tones — deep green, navy, burgundy — look great. Avoid pure white (blows out the exposure) and pure black (makes you look like a floating head).
Pro-Level Call Tips
The difference between "fine" and "wow, they've got it together."
Look at the Lens
When you're talking, look into the camera lens — not at the person's face on your screen. It feels weird at first, but to the other person, it looks like eye contact. Practice it once and it becomes habit.
The Mic Test
Before an important call, record a 10-second video of yourself talking. Listen back. Is there echo? Background noise? A weird hum? Fix it before anyone else hears it. Your computer's built-in mic test tool works fine for this.
Use Chat Intentionally
Drop links, notes, and follow-ups in the chat. It makes you look organized and saves the 'can you send me that?' follow-up email. If you're running a meeting, paste an agenda in chat at the start.
The Pre-Call Ritual
5 minutes before: water within reach. Mute your phone. Close apps that might ping. Take a breath. This small ritual stops the 'sorry, just finding the link, hold on' scramble that starts every call on the wrong foot.
Avoid These Mistakes
Things I've seen. Things I've done. Things you should not repeat.
Unless it's a lunch meeting where everyone is eating, don't. Chewing sounds are 10x louder on mic than you think.
The bouncing camera makes everyone seasick. If you need to move, turn off video for a sec.
Your dog, your dishwasher, your HVAC — everyone can hear them. Default to muted. Always.
Close everything you don't need. Nobody needs to see your Amazon cart or your private messages.
Assume your camera is always on. Because one day, it will be when you thought it wasn't.
Video call lag makes interruptions worse. Leave a beat of silence before jumping in. Count to two.
Run This Checklist
Get the Good Stuff From the Home Office
Funny tips, useful tools, and work-from-home ideas sent straight to your inbox.