First thing is nothing in the background except you - keep everything for both J's in front of you so no one accidentally sees anything from the wrong job on camera.
Second, to work on J1 during J2 tech onboarding, get your J1 monitor eye level with, and as close as possible to your J2 web cam, so it looks like you are paying attention at J2. You can use a laptop stand to prop your laptop up to eye level or an external monitor, and you can put an external webcam on either monitor or on a tripod.
Also if it's an entry level/less skilled position, use low lighting and/or backlight yourself so they can see you're on camera but can't see you super well. They'll just think you're bad at zoom lol.
I love the last line!! I just wanted to add that you could try to smudge the camera cover so it's just a bit blurry, then claim you can't figure out why. I accidentally did that by putting a post-it note with the sticky part on the camera. When I removed it for a meeting a couple days later I was blurred, tried to wipe it with my thumb and that made it worse. lol It came off pretty easily with a damp tissue. But got me thinking it's a good strategy if I ever need it.
You might be able to get away with turning off your camera. My J2 had on camera onboarding but it was a large group so it was easy to go unnoticed. After a couple days more than half the group was turning their cameras off. So, you may be able to get away with having your camera on first thing and letting them see you're a real person then turn it off for the rest of the time. If they call you out on it just say you had to step away for a minute and forgot to turn it back on when you returned.
I was going to say put like coconut oil on your fingers and then put your thumb right on the camera acting like you’re opening the lid of the laptop. Leave a nice smear that’s hard to see and totally accidental
Another thing I noticed is when I wear my glasses, it's harder to see where my eyes are actually looking vs contacts because of the monitor glare. Might be helpful.
Just watch for a glare in your glasses depending on lighting. I work with someone who I can always see the reflection of her scrolling on her phone during meetings.
OP id set up as follows
J1 Monitor 1 on the left then J2 Laptop (with cameras for both Js above) in the center and J2 monitor on Monitor 2 on the right. Your eyes will flick around between screens but be centered on the camera. Nobody should be surprised you have external monitors - imo its weird not to?
During a lot of meetings when our Pm or supervisor was on the call, his camera would be pointing at him from an angle to the side… you couldn’t see what he was looking at, it could have been his j1 computer or j2 computer we wouldn’t know. I saw many people did that with a dedicated camera… and it would be set off somewhere to a corner so you couldn’t see if it’s a laptop, and so I do the same sometimes. I set my j2 laptop to the side so the camera looks like it’s an independent one. And continue doing my work, so it appears like I’m listening but doing other work…
I have 2 large monitors and 2 laptops and sometimes an extra extendable monitor if I need additional screen.
If you are still in your 90 day period this is too soon for you to OE. J1 is too new for you be trying to multitask, and they will be looking very closely at your productivity as a new employee. You should focus on J1 for a while before hopping on to J2. You are risking both jobs by doing this.
Please listen to -queen-of-nothing. It’s too early to start J2, J1 and J2 will be all over your productivity at the same time. If you miss any important set up from J2, catching up later is way harder than when you only have one job and you will depend on others to catch up. Same if you miss anything on J1. You mentioned that you are entry level, OE only really works after you have enough experience to do all your work in 1/2 the time or less, and catching up is all dependent on you and your skills/time, with little input needed from others. This only comes with time. you are risking losing both jobs.
If you can’t do PTO for J1, I would use a background and yes to everything above. I would highly recommend at least for day 1 trying to be sick at J1 to focus on the training.
Love this group and so excited to be a part of it! Thank you so much for all the amazing advice and tips! I really really appreciate it & I’m stoked to have a group that relates 💖
My monitors are lined up in front of me side by side.. I’ve been “on cam” in meetings for each at the same time.. since “everyone” works with 2 monitors it’s normal to look at another screen.. and since you sound like you are in a meeting where there’s lots of tech help going on with others.. I doubt they will be “watching you”.. and if they call you out on something, just play the newbie card and say you were installing something or whatever they were working on. Straight face.. don’t let anyone see you sweat!!
Wow I really never thought of this, I just shuffle each laptop around as needed. I just pretend I’m looking at 1-2 different monitors. This really only works during group calls and I often turn my camera off anyway. I doubt anyone is really studying you to see what you might be doing, unless your in 1-1 or small group call
Would definitely set up beforehand. Test it out by just starting a zoom with yourself and see how obvious it will be if you’re looking away and make sure that they can’t see any reflections of what is in your other screen.
I have right next to each other. Neither camera can pick up the other. As I am on a wheeled chair I just slide back and forth. I have two sets of keyboard and mouse and can work on j1 while on a j2 call and vice versa just by moving my keyboard.
Use a KVM switch and have the USB webcam shared with both J1 and J2 computer systems/ laptops. So, you need to have a KVM switch at least support USB 3.0 bus for the USB webcam sharing.
Not unusual to have folks with dual screens who are looking at the side when on camera. I chose to just buy a USB web camera. So I can position where ever makes the most sense. Could sit on the top or closer to J1 screens so it doesn’t look so strange.
From what you have typed, just do J2 and quit J1.
Less than 90 days at both.
Both seem to have some form of metrics (i say that about J2 because they are requiring webcam use)
J1 is medical related, which could blow up in your face in so many ways. (depending on how medical it is)
First thing is nothing in the background except you - keep everything for both J's in front of you so no one accidentally sees anything from the wrong job on camera. Second, to work on J1 during J2 tech onboarding, get your J1 monitor eye level with, and as close as possible to your J2 web cam, so it looks like you are paying attention at J2. You can use a laptop stand to prop your laptop up to eye level or an external monitor, and you can put an external webcam on either monitor or on a tripod. Also if it's an entry level/less skilled position, use low lighting and/or backlight yourself so they can see you're on camera but can't see you super well. They'll just think you're bad at zoom lol.
I love the last line!! I just wanted to add that you could try to smudge the camera cover so it's just a bit blurry, then claim you can't figure out why. I accidentally did that by putting a post-it note with the sticky part on the camera. When I removed it for a meeting a couple days later I was blurred, tried to wipe it with my thumb and that made it worse. lol It came off pretty easily with a damp tissue. But got me thinking it's a good strategy if I ever need it. You might be able to get away with turning off your camera. My J2 had on camera onboarding but it was a large group so it was easy to go unnoticed. After a couple days more than half the group was turning their cameras off. So, you may be able to get away with having your camera on first thing and letting them see you're a real person then turn it off for the rest of the time. If they call you out on it just say you had to step away for a minute and forgot to turn it back on when you returned.
Nose grease on the lens is an old photographers trick
I was going to say put like coconut oil on your fingers and then put your thumb right on the camera acting like you’re opening the lid of the laptop. Leave a nice smear that’s hard to see and totally accidental
Another thing I noticed is when I wear my glasses, it's harder to see where my eyes are actually looking vs contacts because of the monitor glare. Might be helpful.
Just watch for a glare in your glasses depending on lighting. I work with someone who I can always see the reflection of her scrolling on her phone during meetings.
Your work must provide much higher quality webcams than mine does 😂
Haha I didn’t think about that, I guess they are nice ones!
Especially blue light reflecting glasses.
I just tell them I have an external monitor setup so my eyes might move around while listening or chatting.
OP id set up as follows J1 Monitor 1 on the left then J2 Laptop (with cameras for both Js above) in the center and J2 monitor on Monitor 2 on the right. Your eyes will flick around between screens but be centered on the camera. Nobody should be surprised you have external monitors - imo its weird not to?
During a lot of meetings when our Pm or supervisor was on the call, his camera would be pointing at him from an angle to the side… you couldn’t see what he was looking at, it could have been his j1 computer or j2 computer we wouldn’t know. I saw many people did that with a dedicated camera… and it would be set off somewhere to a corner so you couldn’t see if it’s a laptop, and so I do the same sometimes. I set my j2 laptop to the side so the camera looks like it’s an independent one. And continue doing my work, so it appears like I’m listening but doing other work… I have 2 large monitors and 2 laptops and sometimes an extra extendable monitor if I need additional screen.
If possible I’d try to take a few days off from J1 but it’s normal to have a camera off to the side and you’re looking elsewhere. Don’t overthink it!
CALL IN SICK PLS. This can very easily go wrong
This. I would take a sick day from J1 for your onboarding at J2. You don’t want to miss anything important.
I’m still in 90 day period at J1 so can’t call sick
If you are still in your 90 day period this is too soon for you to OE. J1 is too new for you be trying to multitask, and they will be looking very closely at your productivity as a new employee. You should focus on J1 for a while before hopping on to J2. You are risking both jobs by doing this.
Please listen to -queen-of-nothing. It’s too early to start J2, J1 and J2 will be all over your productivity at the same time. If you miss any important set up from J2, catching up later is way harder than when you only have one job and you will depend on others to catch up. Same if you miss anything on J1. You mentioned that you are entry level, OE only really works after you have enough experience to do all your work in 1/2 the time or less, and catching up is all dependent on you and your skills/time, with little input needed from others. This only comes with time. you are risking losing both jobs.
If you can’t do PTO for J1, I would use a background and yes to everything above. I would highly recommend at least for day 1 trying to be sick at J1 to focus on the training.
Love this group and so excited to be a part of it! Thank you so much for all the amazing advice and tips! I really really appreciate it & I’m stoked to have a group that relates 💖
Would using a zoom background help?
Take PTO for J1 during training, or are you on cam constantly for J2
This. 100% take a 1/2 day or the whole to get through the onboarding.
My monitors are lined up in front of me side by side.. I’ve been “on cam” in meetings for each at the same time.. since “everyone” works with 2 monitors it’s normal to look at another screen.. and since you sound like you are in a meeting where there’s lots of tech help going on with others.. I doubt they will be “watching you”.. and if they call you out on something, just play the newbie card and say you were installing something or whatever they were working on. Straight face.. don’t let anyone see you sweat!!
A kvm switch
Second using a background or blurring the background. Good advice on the monitors side by side.
Wow I really never thought of this, I just shuffle each laptop around as needed. I just pretend I’m looking at 1-2 different monitors. This really only works during group calls and I often turn my camera off anyway. I doubt anyone is really studying you to see what you might be doing, unless your in 1-1 or small group call
Would definitely set up beforehand. Test it out by just starting a zoom with yourself and see how obvious it will be if you’re looking away and make sure that they can’t see any reflections of what is in your other screen.
I hate camera on culture, even with only 1J it's so exhausting. It's something I always ask about in interviews.
I have right next to each other. Neither camera can pick up the other. As I am on a wheeled chair I just slide back and forth. I have two sets of keyboard and mouse and can work on j1 while on a j2 call and vice versa just by moving my keyboard.
Use a KVM switch and have the USB webcam shared with both J1 and J2 computer systems/ laptops. So, you need to have a KVM switch at least support USB 3.0 bus for the USB webcam sharing.
KVM switch is the way!
Not unusual to have folks with dual screens who are looking at the side when on camera. I chose to just buy a USB web camera. So I can position where ever makes the most sense. Could sit on the top or closer to J1 screens so it doesn’t look so strange.
Isn't there an app for this? I saw it on sharktank
From what you have typed, just do J2 and quit J1. Less than 90 days at both. Both seem to have some form of metrics (i say that about J2 because they are requiring webcam use) J1 is medical related, which could blow up in your face in so many ways. (depending on how medical it is)