This way, when you look at the video image of the person you're talking to within the application, your gaze will not seem pointed toward a completely different direction. Instead, make the conference application as small as possible and position it adjacent to your computer's camera. You may be tempted to use maximize your conference application to full-screen so everyone else's image looks big on your screen. If you don't want to invest into an external desk mic, even just switching to the earphones that comes with your phone will create a more intimate, conversational sound profile. I use a MacBook, and the built-in microphone is pretty good for everyday use, but as someone who regularly records interviews with people for my podcast, I've found that in the vast majority of cases, external microphones sound better than built-in computer microphones. The easiest way to do this with a laptop is to simply put it on top of a box.

Ensure your webcam is at eye level so your image will look more natural, as if you were both sitting across from each other at the same table. We've all been on calls where you're looking up the nose of the person on the other end, which can be rather off-putting (and even menacing).

People tend to put their laptops on their desks during virtual meetings, but this often results in webcams being awkwardly positioned with the camera is tilted up. Upon first use, many programs like Microsoft Teams, Whereby, or Zoom need you to explicitly grant screen sharing, audio access, and webcam permissions to the programs that involve restarting the program and/or your system. While you can't completely avoid technical issues from occurring, you can reduce the likelihood of technical surprises by taking the time to test your web conferencing application well in advance of your virtual meeting or interview.

Test zoom meeting