I was interviewed for a podcast earlier this month (details to follow…) and prior to the recording I spent considerable time setting up for it. If you want to look professional, it’s worth taking some time to prepare, just as you would for any other element of a meeting, whether it be online or face to face.

I don’t know about you but I’ve seen some funny things recently as more of us are being interviewed via video link or meeting online! This is even the case for professional people who’ve been invited to speak on television!

I’ve seen some people who have thought it’s fine to dress down on the bottom half (in theory it is!) as that won’t be seen but then forgotten there’s an embarrassingly positioned mirror in the room! Others have mistakenly left their camera on when they thought the recording had finished and gone on to do things they wouldn’t ordinarily do in public.

Then there’s people who have their laundry hanging in the background and people who’s faces are so badly lit you can barely see them. And I’m really over seeing up people’s noses!

It doesn’t take much to prepare. Yes, I have a film background and I used to train people for media interviews, so I can draw on that experience, but we can all pay a little attention to things like lighting, framing, what you wear and what’s in your background.

Removing anything that could be visually distracting from what you are saying is an excellent first step. For example, a plant that seems to be growing out of your head or personal notes on a board behind you. You can pop a background behind you, digital or otherwise, but the background is only one element to consider.

Lighting is important, and you need to get both the quality and the angle right. You can see the difference lighting makes to shadows across my face in these unedited shots and how sometimes it’s overly bright and other times it makes me look washed out. I was moving things around in the background too, to see what worked best. It’s worth playing around to get it right for your audience.

What you wear can look different on screen than it does in reality. If in doubt, go plain. Lovely, as it is, I did not wear this dress for my podcast interview. The camera is notorious for playing tricks and highlighting unexpected things but preparation can help with this. Also colours don’t always translate accurately, so check these. Although technology has changed a lot, some shades work better than others on camera.

I’m offering online training for anyone who wants to look professional online and on camera. I will teach you some of these tips and more to help you to look good in front of the camera. I’ll also instruct you on where to look, how to look comfortable and how to answer questions at a good pace and with confidence. See my range of ‘Presentation for Employment’ services for how to book.

Unlike my serious, thinking and concentrating face below, remember to smile - a smile goes a long way to putting people at ease. Here’s to not looking up your nostrils - lol!