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Weekly Virtual Coffee Break – Jane Osborn, image consultant and E2W team member

Weekly Virtual Coffee Break – Jane Osborn, image consultant and E2W team member

Katie.Dix / 31 Jul 2020

Our weekly virtual coffee breaks have been going from strength to strength, with a diverse range on content and guest speakers. We have formalised this into new categories that we will be focussing on each week. E2 Wealthier, E2 Healthier, E2 Inspired and E2 Passions. 

This week, our coffee break was E2 Passions, with Jane Osborn, image consultant and E2W team member, talking about first impressions in a virtual world.

Jane has had a fascinating career, including a long stint in the financial markets at a Japanese bank and setting up her own recruitment agency for nannies after the birth of her daughter when she struggled to find quality childcare.

Most significantly for our discussion today, though, is the job she has had for the last 15 years. Jane is an image consultant presenting to groups at large companies and offering one-to-one support.

In this age of Zoom meetings, it may seem like personal presentation is less important, but if anything, you could argue the opposite is the case. People make judgements about those they meet in 30 seconds – and 93% of first impressions are non-verbal. When their only perception of you is what they see on their screen, that’s what you have to work with.

In her talk, Jane took us through her ideas for improving your image, so you look the part and get the recognition you deserve, before taking questions from our audience in a lively discussion.

You can watch the whole video here, but we thought we’d finish by giving you her top tips for presentation on video calls:

  • Make sure you are in a good position, not too far and not too close.
  • Have good lighting (not from behind).
  • Dress appropriately for an important meeting. Don’t let working from home lead you to be more casual.
  • For women, think about putting make-up on. It’s a more controversial point, but older, more senior people may expect it – and see it as a sign that you can’t be bothered if you don’t wear it.
  • For men, she suggested being clean shaven for the same reason.
  • Try to have positive body language, such as leaning in slightly to the screen to look interested
  • Address your conversation to the right person – know who you should be talking to before the meeting, rather than guessing when you go in
  • Think about your background for the call, such as the books on your shelves, or use a digital background
  • Have your camera on, so it’s clear that you are involved in the meeting
  • Finally, if you’re dialling in to a Zoom call, check your appearance before you connect to the meeting, so you can ensure that everything is how you want it to be.

Want to watch the full video? Click here


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