PRESENTATION SKILLS
Have you ever
tuned across the radio dial and found a program you really wanted
to hear, only to end up disappointed because the signal was too
weak? You begin to hear more noise than signal, so you turn the
radio off. A poor presentation can be like that. You may be armed
with a lot of facts about your would-be employer, and you may have
done a thorough self assessment. But couple poor posture with bad
eye contact, add in some twitching and scratching, and you've got
a poor signal-to-noise ratio. No one will want to listen to your
program.
First, pull
up a chair and sit in front of a mirror. Do you find your natural
posture pleasing, or do you tend to slide down in the chair? Do
your shoulders slump? Do you lean to one side? The rule of thumb
for good posture: 90 degree angles. Your spine is straight and your
feet are flat on the floor.
Next, sit with
a friend and carry on a conversation. Be aware of how often you
look into the other person's eyes and how often you talk while looking
off into the distance, or worse, at the floor. If you have access
to a video camera, record mock interviews with a friend posing as
the employer. Study how you conduct yourself. Do you pepper your
comments with "uh" and "like" (as in, "I'm really, like, a people
person.")? Do you pick at your clothes, run your hands through your
hair, fuss with your nails or scratch the back of your neck? Those
are all examples of noise. In fact, the list of possible "DON'Ts"
would go on for pages. But please keep in mind these "DOs":
- Maintain good eye contact with the interviewer (but don't try to stare him or her down);
- Sit up straight;
- Smile; and
- Answer questions, or ask them, in complete sentences.
Continue to: DRESSING FOR THE INTERVIEW
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