You do not have to go to every single work function; however, you should do your best to make it to the big events (Christmas Party?) At these “work events” you should do your best to make the time worthwhile. Introduce yourself to someone you have never had the chance to meet, have a meaningful conversation with someone who could be vital in your career, or if you’re the boss…make everyone realize you are not a heartless bastard by letting your guard down a little and having fun. But…Above everything else…Stay sober. The last thing you want is for everyone coming away from the event remembering a career limiting decision you made in front of everyone. These events can be a great chance to show people you are interesting and a good guy, but it can also be the ruin of lesser men. Know your limits. Two or three drinks over two hours, maybe three or four over a longer time span….but don’t push your luck.
Flickr credits: Mothlike
I bet if you really impressed either of the guys in the picture above you wouldn’t have to worry about finding a new job. Agreed, in reality, you probably will not get to many opportunities to impress Steve Jobs Or Bill Gates. However, this does not mean you can’t impress someone else enough that is also capable of looking out for your career.
In the first 10 years or so of your career, you will undoubtedly have the opportunity to impress a few of your bosses. However, it is not out of the question to assume that if you REALLY impress a few of them, you will always have a job. The longer you are in the real world you learn that the adage “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” is spot on. If you can impress just a couple of your bosses beyond what they could have imagined (often times this is done simply by making them look very good) they will do everything they can to vouch for you the rest of your career.. They may leave the company you are currently both working for and pull you along with them. Maybe, they will even start their own company, and think you would be an ideal partner. Or you find yourself temporarily unemployed a few years down the line and they are there for you to find a new job at their company, or they just say the word to get you hired at another company. Keep in mind, to really impress someone you will have to go above and beyond, this isn’t just doing the job you have well, this is about doing it better than ANYONE else could have.
Having these types of contacts are far more beneficial than a perfect resume, or a wonderfully written cover letter.
Flickr Credits: Jol
1. Preparation - Know your subject matter. The more knowledgeable you are on the subject the easier the information will flow.
2. Do not memorize - If you memorize sentence by sentence you will end up getting stuck trying to remember everything exactly, you may forget the order of things you intended to discuss, or just get snagged somewhere along the way.
3. Be clear and concise - Simply say only what needs to be said.
4. Know your audience - Remember who you are speaking to, is it the employees that work for you, or is it your boss? These are very different audiences…adjust accordingly.
5. Pause and Breathe… - At the end of sentences and paragraphs, pause, breathe, and let the audience digest what you have said.
6. Dress for Success - If you dress well, you will feel more confident.
7. Join Toastmasters - Toastmasters is a non-profit organization with a quarter of a million members, the intention of the group…become better leaders and communicators
8. Take it to the tape - Record yourself when you are practicing and watch it back…How are your gestures? Are you pausing? Anything else you notice?
9. Speak in the community or a neighborhood group - Join a volunteer group or a church group and offer to speak at the different meetings and events.
10. Smile - If you smile when you speak (if appropriate) you will feel more comfortable and sound more confident.
11. Speak at your kid’s school - Even speaking to kid’s is practice, and it will teach you to entertain!
12. Eliminate Fillers - You need to get rid of all fillers…”um”, “soooo”, “ya know”, “uh”, “buuuut”. The best way to eliminate fillers is to enlist help and be consistent. First, enlist the help of family and friends; have them correct you when you are using filler in everyday conversation. If you don’t use fillers when you normally speak you will not use them when you speak in front of a group.
13. Slow Down! - Similar to breathing and pausing…remember to slow down…take your time. You are probably speaking faster than you realize.
14. Take a public speaking class - Take a night class, university class, or community college class.
15. Be conversational - Don’t lecture to a group, make the speech sound more like a conversation.
16. Feel good about your work - You have put in a lot of time and you have been chosen to speak probably because you know more about a subject than anyone else.
17. Inject Humor! - This can be invaluable, but use only if appropriate. A joke will make both the audience and you, feel a little more comfortable. It will also gain the attention of the audience.
18. Listen to the Masters - Watch and listen to some of the great orators in history: Churchill, MLK, Kennedy, and more! Learn from the passion and energy in their voices.
19. Teach a Night Class - If you teach a class you will be speaking in front of a group every single class. Can’t beat practice….
20. Join the Community Theatre - The fellow thespians will be able to give you pointers and the experience will further refine you as a public speaker.
21. Practice, practice, practice
