The coronavirus pandemic has caused both students and professionals to move the majority of their work online, which, of course, includes meetings.  Meetings are a vital part of a business and have a large impact on the amount of work that is accomplished. As a result of continuing health concerns, most companies are holding meetings through digital conference calls on platforms like Zoom and Google Meets. While this has helped a lot of people continue work, there are a lot of concerns and problems people encounter with Zoom.  Here are some Dos and Don’ts to remember for your next Zoom meeting.

Don’t:  Dress inappropriately.  Zoom meetings with colleagues and classmates are still meetings.  Although it’s nice to relax in the comfort of your own home, it’s never a good idea to meet with your boss in your pajamas.

Do:  Dress appropriately and fully.  Dress like you would in a normal meeting, whether that be a t-shirt, a suit, or anything in between.

Don’t:  Have a distracting background. While it may be cool to have a funny or creative background picture, loud or distracting backgrounds can draw your peer’s attention away from the meeting.

Do:  Have a neutral or solid color background. If it is a picture, make sure it doesn’t distract others from the meeting. If it is selfie, make sure it is school or work appropriate.

Don’t: Be late to the meeting.  Joining a zoom meeting late can be distracting to others, and can come off as unprofessional and rude.

Do:  Make sure to always be punctual to meetings, even if they are just on your phone.

Don’t:  Forget to mute yourself when other people are talking.  Being on mute is courteous to everyone else in the meeting, since your background noise doesn’t distract or interrupt anyone, and your computer won’t be the cause of a loud echo.

Do: Always mute yourself when you aren’t talking, just to make sure that your background noise doesn’t distract everyone else in the meeting. It can also save you from some embarrassing situations. 

Don’t:  Zoom on the go.  When you’re in a zoom meeting, don’t try to kill two birds with one stone by running errands.  It comes off as careless and unprofessional, and you won’t be invested in the meeting.  If you do happen to be on zoom while driving, please mute yourself, drive responsibly, and focus on the road. 

Do:  Remember that a zoom meeting is still a meeting. Set aside time for your meeting and make sure to attend them in an appropriate setting. 

Don’t:  Eat during a meeting, (unless your video is off. If your video if off, eat all you want, as long as you’re muted.) Eating on a zoom call can be distracting, and can turn out pretty embarrassing if you end up spilling on yourself.

Do:  Make sure to eat before your zoom meetings, so you aren’t tempted to do so during them.

Don’t:  Stay silent.  Not participating in zoom conversations makes it awkward for the host, especially if everyone else is doing it too. Lean in, if you’re prone to not speak in meetings, and if you are, lean out. 

Do:  Engage in the conversation, and make comments or ask questions throughout the meeting when it is an appropriate time to.

Don’t:  Sit in the dark.  While it might not seem important, lighting is a significant part of a video conference.  It’s the deciding factor on whether or not everyone else in the meeting can see your face.

Do:  Sit in good lighting, preferably natural.  Sit by your window and open the blinds.  Natural sunlight will help your coworkers see you better, and give you a boost of vitamin D.

Don’t:  Ignore the importance of a good internet connection.  The internet connection and the distance to your WiFi router can make or break the quality of your meetings.

Do:  Make sure you have a strong connection, so you don’t freeze or glitch during your meeting.

So before your next Zoom meeting, make sure to look good, be professional, and don’t distract everyone else. Remember, even if it’s through a screen, a Zoom meeting is still a meeting.