When applying for a job or during a presentation, the ability to speak confidently is a must. In almost every job interview or job we encounter, it helps to have a basic speaking skill. However, what would happen if we were not confident enough to speak in the first place?
No matter how appealing our resumes are, when we don't know how to interact in a professional manner during interviews or training, that's a disadvantage.
Here are some tips you need to remember to gain confidence when it comes to speaking in front of a crowd or during your interview.
Practice
Before anything else, you need to prepare and organize your thoughts. If you have a presentation or interview, practice in front of a mirror.
A well-prepared presentation or interview gives you more control of the flow of the talk. To do this, you can ensure that your notes are clear and precise if you have a presentation. For interviews, you can write down your notes on index cards or printed material days before your interview.
You need to practice when talking. When you talk fast, you make your interviewer work hard to understand your message. Sometimes, you forget to pause and jumble the words. Usually, when you do not control your anxiety, your body reacts.
Pace Yourself
Pace your words properly when practicing. When you prepare notes before an interview, you can rehearse and practice to slow down when you speak. You may practice speaking and use a timer when you talk. Pacing your speech can help develop a slower presenting style, making you a more effective speaker.
Visualize Yourself
Practice relaxation techniques in the days before your presentation or interview. Lie down or sit comfortably in a quiet place. Breathe slowly. Close your eyes. Picturing yourself during the talk or interview will help you know what to do initially.
Through this method of visualization, you can create a friendly atmosphere for the interview or presentation. And just like you would do when talking to friends, engage with them all throughout. You can share some experiences that they may relate to throughout your presentation or interview, as well.
Plan Your Pauses, Practice Diction
Plan your pauses before your talk or interview. You may mark where you need to place a pause in your notes. If you don't have a physical copy of your speech or interview answers, create mental cues for pauses.
Practice your pacing and diction at the same time. Pronounce vowels and consonants well through continuous practice. You may try tongue twisters to exercise muscles in your mouth. Overall, proper diction helps your presentation or interview. Tongue twisters help you slow down your vocal cadence.
Be Firm
You must make sure that you genuinely believe in what you say before you speak. To get your point across and sound like you really believe in what you're doing, you don't have to sound arrogant. Don't just look to other people for affirmation or approval.
Eye contact will also allow others to listen carefully to your feelings. Choose a few friendly faces to concentrate on so that your confidence grows when you talk and you express your message even more clearly.
When you look down at the floor, you're not going to look comfortable, and if you're looking around while you're talking, people might think you're distracted or looking for better things to do.
Conclusion
The key to speaking is believing in yourself. Good communication skills can help you in conveying the right message at the right time. For more tips, click here.
