Learn to Conduct Yourself Professionally in Virtual Meetings
Depending on your course or program, you may be asked to attend a virtual event or meeting with instructors or classmates.
When the opportunity to collaborate with others in real-time presents itself, keep these virtual etiquette tips in mind:
Tips for Improving Your Virtual Meeting Etiquette
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Troubleshoot tech issues ahead of time: If you are attending a virtual event for the first time, set up a practice meeting to get familiar with the platform’s tools and features.
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Be aware of your surroundings: Taking the time to arrange your meeting space can go a long way in making a good impression. If you don’t have time to clean-up, use a background filter.
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Dress appropriately: While there is nothing wrong with being comfortable, combing your hair or changing your shirt prior to a virtual meeting sends a message that you are taking the meeting seriously.
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Be present: While multi-tasking during a virtual meeting is tempting, be respectful of your host, co-workers, and fellow attendees. Show that you care about the subject matter of the meeting.
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Mute your microphone: To avoid distractions and excess background noise, be sure to mute your microphone when you are not speaking.
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Utilize the chat feature: If you are not in a quiet space, or you aren’t comfortable speaking in front of others, use the chat feature to engage with hosts and attendees.
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Use non-verbal reactions: If you’re concerned about interrupting, use the hand-raising tool to signal that you would like to be called on, or the thumbs up to positively respond to a question or comment.
As a Walden student, you are most likely to participate in virtual meetings using Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Explore each tab to learn how to make the most out of these platforms’ features.
Utilizing Basic Features of Zoom and Microsoft Teams
Microphone and Camera
You can mute yourself by clicking on the microphone icon in the bottom left-hand side of the Zoom navigation menu.
Use a Virtual Background
To use a virtual background, find the camera icon in the bottom left-hand side of the Zoom navigation menu at the bottom of your screen. Click on the small arrow next to the camera icon and select “Choose Virtual Background.”
Utilize the Chat Feature
Access and utilize the chat by clicking on the chat button located towards the middle of the Zoom navigation menu at the bottom of your screen. Clicking the chat button will open a chat box where you can type and share your questions or comments with the meeting’s participants
Using Reactions During Zoom Meetings
You can access the Reactions options by clicking on the Reactions button on the right side of the Zoom navigation menu. Options include waving, thumbs up, laughing emoji, a "wow" emoji, a heart, and a celebration emoji. You can also "Raise Your Hand" to let your host know you have a question.
Before Joining Meeting
If you are entering a meeting with many participants, you may want to mute your microphone before joining. To do so, after clicking the link to join the meeting, toggle off the microphone icon in the Teams menu on the left side of the screen.
After clicking on the link to join a Teams meeting, you can change your virtual background by clicking the icon next to “Background filters,” which appears under your video image.
During Your Meeting
To mute yourself after joining a meeting, click the microphone icon on the right side of the Teams navigation menu at the top of the screen.
Access and utilize chat by clicking on the chat button located on the left side of the Teams navigation menu at the top of your screen.
Clicking on the chat button will open a chat box window, where you can type and share your questions and comments with the meeting’s participants.
You can access the Reactions options by clicking on the Reactions button in the middle of the upper menu. Options include thumbs up, a heart, clapping hands, a laughing emoji, and a "wow" emoji. You can also "Raise Your Hand" to let your host know you have a question.
Note: These instructions are for the Teams Desktop App. If you are not using the desktop version of Teams, refer to Microsoft’s website for instructions on how to use meeting controls in Teams.
Now that you’re familiar with some basic Zoom and Teams features, find an opportunity to practice! Check the schedule for upcoming peer live events!