|
Interview Presentation Skills: Dealing With Your Nerves
Sooner or later, the interview invitation is going to say you are required to give a presentation as part of the selection process. And like most people you may dread having to do it. You may think that you cannot speak publicly because of nervousness but all good speakers are nervous, and you can overcome those nerves. What you can do is control those nerves and make them work for you rather than against you. There are several techniques for doing this which you should be aware of: Tension should be released first in the lungs: Short, panicky breathing should be replaced by slow, deep breathing - through the nose (to prevent drying out your throat prior to speaking). This can be done quite unobtrusively as you are being introduced, or asked to start your presentation. When the introductions are over: First slow things down - stand slowly, clear a place for your notes if necessary, arrange your spectacles or otherwise control your space. Second when about to speak - drop your shoulders: This will give a feeling of relaxation and of tension dropping away. If your body feels relaxed you will quickly become relaxed. Third smile at the audience generally: Or at individuals you know or have contrived to meet prior to speaking, and stand quietly for a moment or two. If you can communicate some degree of warmth for them they are most likely to return the compliment. When you have their full attention (and only then) you can commence your presentation. Again nerves may be encountered here so: ? know precisely what you are going to say in the first sentence; ? Always start with good morning/afternoon/evening ladies and gentlemen and introduce your subject; ? Let your audience know how long you expect to speak for; ? Say whether you will take questions during your talk or at the end. Some individuals find the sound of their own (projected) voice quite disturbing initially and one should be prepared for this phenomena. It is only off-putting if unexpected. Practise at home in front of the mirror as if you were talking to your audience, using your presentation or reading something out loud just so you get your voice muscles moving, and you get more used to hearing your own voice. The interview presentation is becoming more common and the sooner you come to terms with your interview nerves, the sooner you can relax and present confidently. With over 25 years running businesses; as a Career Coach and Consultant in many sectors; Peter Fisher is well placed to guide job seekers through the steps needed in order to achieve that all important new position. He has personally coached thousands of individuals to career success. His distillation of these years of experience with all the essential facts and actions you must complete in order to achieve your own success is outstanding. He is very clear that you shouldn't be misled into thinking of "acing interviews" or "finessing" your way into a business; the most sustainable and fulfilling roles are gained through understanding your own specific needs and creating your strategy accordingly. You can learn more about his dynamic and comprehensive approach to career change, with every page dedicated to helping serious career changers if you go to http://www.your-career-change.com/index.html
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Everyday Is Saturday: Help for the Suddenly Unemployed I recently was "unhired" by my former employer. Unhired is a softer term than "fired" but it means the same. With no warning and an immediate departure, I found myself at home enjoying the provisions of a severance package but curious about the next steps. The Ripple Effect of Fear Unemployment carries a lot of emotional baggage for most of us and fear is a major component. We fear the financial fallout of no longer receiving regular wages. We fear the impact of our lack of productivity on relationships: our marriage, our family, our friends, and our social and community activities. We fear losing the respect of our children when we can no longer give them what they need. We fear approaching acquaintances for help in identifying potential positions. We fear the humiliation of the job hunt and the personal rejection we expect to encounter. And finally we fear the most basic concept we hold within: that we're just not good enough, that we can't cut the mustard, that we're an incurable loser. Managing Change -- Endings Are Just Doorways to New Beginnings Every May we celebrate Mother's Day-a time to tell mothers everywhere how much we love and honor them. In the midst of all the holiday revelry we should take some time to reflect on just what this day represents-the end of nine months of waiting and the passage through birth's doorway to a new beginning. Your Resume Format - What Is The First Thing You Need To Do? The first thing you need to do before you write your resume is learn how to format it. Just as if you were cooking a new dish you would follow a recipe, so too should you follow a specific format when you type your resume. Learn a Language for Career Advancement To learn a language for career advancement is one of the best ways to get ahead in the job market. In the 21st century you will need every advantage you can get to keep yourself competitive in the marketplace, and adding foreign language skills is a great way to gain an advantage. Here are just some of the reasons to learn a second language : What To Do When Your Boss Is a Butthead I've never worked for a boss I didn't like or respect. Sure, some were better than others, but I never considered quitting my job because of a bad boss. Unfortunately, many employees aren't so lucky. Interview Questions: How To Stump The Interviewer In the limited time an interviewer has with you, their mission is to know you and assess your worth, especially in relationship to the other candidates interviewed. Asking you questions is the way they accomplish that mission. Job Lead Websites To Use in Your Telecommuting Search Let me ask you a question: are you tired of using job sites only to find scam after scam? I bet you're nodding your head in agreement to that question. I know that I was sick and tired of spending all my time online searching for telecommuting jobs only to find scams. Any type of free job site is going to have a few scams, but some sites have more legitimate jobs than others, and some are easier to use than others. Freelance Work: The Changing Face of Employment The world sure is changing, and if you look at job employment you will see what I mean. Let's just go back to our grandparent's generation, even though I'm sure if we went back further we would see very different structures of work in the tribal periods of our history. Our grandparents usually found a skill, and then used that one skill to work for their whole career. An example is my grandfather who was a salesman for the same suit company for 44 years. There is nothing wrong with this. His job was secure; he knew there would be a superannuating fund when he retired, and that there would always be food on the table for his family. These days in the 21st century things have changed, and they are still changing rapidly as we speak. A Career in Image Consulting You might have seen them while watching TV shows such as Extreme Makeover, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, or What Not to Wear. Or you might have heard that Martha Stewart needed them to give her advice on how to look sympathetic to a jury. How to Overcome a Bad First Impression Have any of these situations happened to you? Forgetting your client's name, unintentionally insulting a co-worker, spilling coffee on your boss, not recognizing an old friend, drinking too much at the company party, sending a racy e-mail to the wrong person, or asking a woman's due date when she's not pregnant ? ouch! You never have a second chance to make a first impression, so what happens when that first impression is a negative one? 10 Keys to Getting Paid What You?re Worth! Asking for money is so taboo in our culture that most of us shake in our shoes when we think about negotiating salary. It conjures up our insecurities about not being good enough, not knowing enough, or not being considered valuable enough. We worry that the company will rescind its offer if we ask for what we're worth. Interview Thank-You Letters The number one etiquette tip for interviews is writing a thank-you letter. This is not a tool commonly used by job seekers right now. If you are looking for an advantage and a way to stick out above the other job applicants then follow up your interview by showing appreciation and courtesy. Taking Your Words Seriously When we ordered the stained glass window as an accent piece for our home, the artist-proprietor told us he was a bit behind. "So," he said, "to be on safe side, plan on six months." That was two years ago. We still don't have the window. Each time we call or stop in, he has yet another plausible reason why our project isn't done, the appropriate apology and a new promise of a delivery date. What he doesn't have is credibility.  Wishful promises don't cut it in small-town businesses or big-city corporations. It doesn't matter what role you're in. If you tell me you'll do something, I expect you will do it whether you're a business, an employee, a co-worker or my boss. You're the one setting my expectations, so why wouldn't I believe what you tell me?  It baffles me. I've found in twenty years of management few people meet or exceed the expectations they set and they control. I'm not talking about deadlines other people set for you. I'm talking about the ones you establish. Maybe it's because few people take their own words seriously. If you do you can differentiate yourself at work. People who consistently do what they say they're going to do, without sandbagging, are memorable. They're the people with credibility. They're the ones you want to hire and promote and do business with.  People fail to establish credibility without even knowing it. If someone tells me she'll provide information by Friday, but what she meant was "around Friday," she'll feel she met her obligation to me when she pushes send on her email Monday morning. I'll view her as lacking credibility when the information for a project I wanted was late. However, if she told me I'd get the information no later than Tuesday and delivered it on Monday, while her delivery date remains the same, her credibility soars. By managing the words that define what others can expect from you, you can surprise and delight your co-workers, boss, and customers.  To do that, replace casual-speak and wishful promises of what you'd like to have happen or believe can happen, with commitments of what will happen. But here's the key. You can't commit what you can't control. If I tell a member of my staff he'll get his review next week, but I only control when I finish writing it not when it's approved, the likelihood of me failing to meet an expectation I set with him is strong. But if the review is written, signed by my boss, and in for processing at the time I set the expectation, I'll meet it.  Our delinquent artisan could have called three months into the project, told us he accepted an unusual opportunity to restore an historic building, was putting his other projects on hold until that was complete, and offered us the choice of waiting until he resumed work or getting our deposit back. He could have preserved his credibility and the relationship.  Actions may speak louder than words. But it's our words that provide the backdrop for whether our actions measure up. If I'm your customer, your boss, or your co-worker, I'm taking your words seriously. I think you should, too.  (c) 2004 Nan S. Russell. All rights reserved. Resume Writing Tips Make sure that your resume is up to date with your latest job experience and educational accomplishments. Have a friend or relative evaluate your resume to see if it is clear, consistent, and fairly represents your skills and experience. Petite Modeling: is There a Career for You? PEtite modeling is a tough industry to break into. Especially since most modeling agencies won't represent models unless they're 5 feet and 9 inches tall or taller. Have you had people tell you're cute? Do you hear all the time "you should be a model"? But you just don't qualify for the strict standards that most modeling angencies have? Wake Up and Learn Something New The US Government has just released last month's job creation figures. It was the lowest number in two years. This is a revealing and disturbing snapshot of what is actually happening in the real economy, not the one artificially created for the headlines. Our US GNP or Gross National Product, is based upon manufactured durable goods. Unfortunately, the manufacturing economy in the US has not yet recovered from the devastating collapse it saw commence in the spring of 2000. The recent improvements in jobs and growth are substantially confined to the service sector. Manufacturing is what drives the US economy and it is suffering. Do You Have What it Takes to be a Successful Petite Model? Want to break into the petite modeling industry but wondering if you have what it takes to succeed? There are lots of magazine and commercial modeling opportunities for good modeling jobs. Take this quiz to find out if you qualify to be the next top face in the petite modeling industry. Answer honestly. These 15 questions will tell you what your chances are of being able to make it as a top paid petite model. Does Your Resume Have What It Takes To Survive The First Cut? Qualifications" or "Personal Profile") uses bullets and succinct wording to highlight what is likely to most intrigue the employer. Before writing this section, make a list of the 5 to 10 criteria that are most likely to guide the employer's choice ? then summarize your qualifications in a way that speaks directly to the employer's interests. Career Change - Creating Wealth & Happiness Whether you have a business idea or not, here's what I want you to do?
|
|
|
Copyright © Advancing Women (TM), 1996- 