Books and plants make you look good on Zoom, British research shows

FILED - It's not just your facial expressions that matter, but also your background, according to new research on Zoom meetings that shows plants and books beat a simple white wall for making good impressions. Photo: Catherine Waibel/dpa

LONDON: If you have a job interview coming up and it is scheduled to be conducted via video call, make sure to set the camera with plants and books showing in the background.

Participants in Zoom chats tend to "judge faces appearing against backgrounds featuring houseplants or bookcases as more trustworthy and competent than faces with a living space or a novelty image behind them," according to Durham University academics.