Online Meeting Etiquette: 7 Habits for Confidence and Credibility

It’s Monday morning, and you're finally making a dent in your to‑do list. Then you get pinged for an unscheduled Zoom meeting. In 10 minutes. You glance around your room, surveying the pile of laundry on your chair, realizing you're still in your PJs — and you forgot to update your software last week. You hop on the call with your camera off, feeling frazzled and hoping your audio doesn't glitch out.

Video meetings move fast, and impressions form faster. Here are seven habits that can help you show up with confidence and credibility, even on an unscheduled Zoom call on Monday morning.

1. Dress for Work

Dress and groom as if you're headed to an in-person meeting so the focus stays on your contributions, not on what you're wearing. Consider the positive impact that basic grooming and work-appropriate clothes can have not only on how others perceive you, but on your own mindset (MIT Sloan Management Review). Neutral, solid colors are good choices. And if there's even the tiniest chance you'll need to stand up — and there always is! — wear work-appropriate bottoms. Wearing pajama bottoms on a Zoom call is a career risk that isn't worth taking.

2. Minimize Distractions for Others

If possible, wear earbuds to reduce background noise. Also, if your space has a door, consider closing it and posting a note, “Meeting until [time],” so others in your space know that you’re unavailable. Doing your part to reduce distractions during the meeting positions you as someone who values others’ time.

3. Adjust Your Camera and Lighting

If you're participating with your camera on, position your device's camera at eye level and center yourself in the frame. Make sure you have a light source in front of you (behind your device) so others can see you clearly. This simple setup can help others connect with you while allowing you to appear relaxed and focused.

4. Default to Mute

Keeping your audio muted when others are speaking shows you’re a professional doing your part to keep meetings efficient and focused. Unmute to contribute or when called on, then return to mute so other speakers can be heard clearly.

5. Join Tech Ready

No one signs on to a meeting hoping to watch someone wrestle with their software. Make sure your platform is up to date and test everything at least 30 minutes before the meeting so you have time to make adjustments if needed. If multiple login options are available, familiarize yourself with them in case you need a backup. This positions you as a reliable professional others can count on. 6. Be On Time

In most professional settings, arriving at the exact time a meeting is scheduled to begin often means you're late. Make it a habit to log in five minutes early so the host doesn't have to pause the meeting to let you in. Joining early also gives you a few minutes to gather your thoughts and prepare to participate.

7. Manage Your Space

If a cluttered space or bed is your only option, keep it out of the frame if possible. A work-appropriate virtual background is a good solution to this common dilemma. This easy fix helps you show up confidently and keeps your colleagues' focus on your insights instead of your personal space.

Video meetings can catch you off guard, but with a few good habits, you can show up with a lot more confidence and a lot less stress.

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Stayce Wagner is a business etiquette consultant with more than a decade of experience positioning early-career professionals for success. She is trained and licensed by The Protocol School of Washington and is the author of a business etiquette guidebook used in academic and professional settings. She's the founder of Spencer Crane Etiquette and believes business etiquette is the foundation that helps early-career professionals show up as their most confident, credible, and authentic selves.

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This content reflects general business etiquette perspectives and is not legal or HR advice.