Mistakes to Avoid on Zoom Calls

Now that we’ve all pretty much adjusted to the “new normal,” Zoom calls have become less of a temporary solution and more of a permanent fixture in many workplaces. And while Zoom may seem pretty straightforward, it’s important to start taking these video calls seriously, if you want to keep moving your career forward.

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Here are 5 common mistakes you might be making on Zoom to sabotage your success and how to fix them -

 

 

1. Thinking every conversation needs to be a Zoom call. Think back to your days working in the office — did you take time out of your workday to schedule a meeting for every single discussion or question that came up? If you did, you surely found that you didn’t have enough hours left in the day to get your regular work done.

 

Zoom is a great communication tool, especially if you’re working from home — but it should be used sparingly. Save it for important meetings or training sessions. A lot of quick meetings can be had over a simple phone call. Or, if it’s just a quick question that needs to be answered, you may even be able to resolve it over email or a messaging platform, such as Slack. 

 

2. Not muting yourself. This one is especially important if you are in a meeting with lots of people. It can be very distracting for the person who’s presenting when they hear every cough, rustling of papers, or child in the background of everyone’s homes. Therefore, the only person who should have their microphone turned on is the one who’s talking.

 

Given how many of us are working at home with others (dogs, cats, kids, loud significant others) it’s likely best if you aren’t talking, to just mute so you don’t accidentally have something you’d rather not share broadly go out live over the internet. Just keep your mic turned off until it’s your turn to speak or you have a question.

3. Not taking video meetings seriously. When you are attending a meeting in person, you give the person who is leading or presenting your full attention. It would be rude to be on your phone or work on something else when you are supposed to be focused. The same should apply to video calls. It can be tempting to multitask while on a Zoom call because you are in the comfort of your own home and think no one can see you — but make no mistake when your camera is on, your lack of attention is more obvious than you think. 

4. Not turning your camera on. It may be tempting to turn your camera off during a Zoom meeting, especially if there are a lot of people present and you want the freedom to work on other things. However, this could be a huge mistake. There are very few circumstances when it is appropriate for your camera to be turned off. The purpose of hosting a meeting via Zoom is to provide a sense of normalcy and community with your teammates, partners, clients or whoever.

 

5. Sharing more than just your screen. This innocent mistake could result in some very embarrassing situations. Sharing your screen is common practice in a Zoom meeting, especially if you are leading the meeting or presenting something with the group. However, it is crucial to prepare for this ahead of time, so that you only share what you intend to. 

Make sure you turn off all notifications. The last thing you want while sharing your screen is to get a message from a coworker or friend that might not be appropriate or something you want the whole team to see. You also don’t want to receive any notifications for emails, social media, or the like.