5 rare public speaking tricks the best presenters use

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Inc.s Janice Tomich wrote this article, first published on Jun. 25, 2016:

When you’re giving a speech, you need to be different, like Mary Meeker was when she recently delivered her presentation at the 2016 Code Conference.

She challenged the trend of using an image-heavy presentation style delivering 213 data-dense slides in 24 minutes and 40 seconds while sharing her 2016 Trends Report.

Rather than speaking at great length to her slides, Ms. Meeker moved at lightning speed spending about seven seconds on each one.

Image-heavy presentations aren’t the only traditional trends you should avoid. A few more examples:

  • Talk about yourself and your authority ad nauseam
  • Blatantly repeat your key message three or more times
  • Always use a slidedeck — no matter the circumstances
  • Count the number of ums and ahs that pass your lips
  • Sell from the stage

If you fall into the trap of misguided techniques, you’ll be lost in the sea of noise and no different than every other speaker.

How do I know? Whenever it’s possible, I attend my client’s presentations. I sit near the front, close to a wall, so I’m able to do an inconspicuous 180 to evaluate audience reactions. My eyes and ears are listening and watching for the nuances of persuasiveness — those that are connecting and the ones that aren’t.

Here are five things you can do instead of following old-school public speaking instructions if you want to excite your audience:

Provide a skinny version of your CV

I’m talking really skinny. Three or four lines that tell the story of why you are the person who is best suited to speak.

Have someone introduce you and be dogged about having them repeat your short bio word for word. If you’re not able to have someone introduce you with a delicate hand, thread your credentials throughout your speech in places where it aligns conceptually to illustrate your experience.

Be stealth-like when using repetition

What do you think when someone constantly repeats themself to try to persuade you? I think they’re either “a dog with a bone” and are in desperation mode to sell me, or they underestimate my intelligence.

You need to be savvy when building in repetition to have your key message stick into hearts and minds. Use a variety of learning methods or phrase your key message in different ways.

For example, you can ask a question to draw out what you want to be remembered, use the power of gestures to illuminate your point, or switch up every fifth image (the keystones) for contrast in your PowerPoint decks.

There are times you shouldn’t use a PowerPoint deck

We’ve been conditioned to believe that every presentation needs to use a slidedeck and that everyone who can turn on a computer is a graphic design pro.

Ask yourself, “Do I really need slides to support my ideas and can I make it look professional in the time I have?” Consider how you’ll stand out while being different than most presenters when you’re front and center and simply speaking of what you know.

No one is counting your verbal ticks

Toastmasters is a fantastic venue for practicing. It’s a low cost opportunity to create a habitual practice for improving your pubic speaking skills.

There is one aspect of Toastmasters I have issue with. It’s the counting of verbal ticks such as ums and ahs. If I had someone counting the number of times I say “right” it would stress me out.

That aside, you have your unique tics and nuances that make you, you, and without them, you’d come across as predictable and over polished. I do draw a line, though. When verbal ticks are distracting, work to alleviate them so you’ll communicate with easy flow.

It’s not OK to sell from the stage

If you’ve provided a stream of helpful information, those who see you as the one to solve their problem will reach out to you. Whether people contact you or not is one of the strongest indicators of a successful presentation.

You’ve been warned. Old tired techniques will  irritate your audience and put up a barrier to winning them over. Excite them instead. 

Read the original article on Inc.. Copyright 2016. Follow Inc. on Twitter.

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10 ways to identify a fake job posting

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From the Dec. 10, 2017 issue of the Courier-Post comes this important advice from thejobnetwork.com:

BY PETER JONES

THEJOBNETWORK

The job market is hard enough to navigate without having to worry about a job posting that turns out to be a scam — or even just a dead end. Save your precious time and energy by being on the lookout for these simple signs that something just

isn’t right:

1. The company has no online presence.

You do your due diligence and try to verify the person, the company and the job listing and nothing is turning up in your online search. You can stop right there and step away. Legit jobs always have some sort of online trail.

2. The recruiter’s email doesn’t match their company.

You get an email from a recruiter who claims to represent a fabulous and well-known company. The company logo might even be at the bottom of the email. Look closely — does the email they want you to send materials to not end in the official company name (theircompany.com)? If the email associated with the posting or the invitation is a personal one (think Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo, etc.), you might want to take a pass. And don’t respond and attach any personal documents unless you’re sure you’re dealing with the real deal.

3. You found it via a random social media post.

While it is possible to land a great job you found through social media, chances are if it’s just posted there — or sponsored or advertised — it’s probably not as sweet a deal as it seems.

Remember that the overwhelming majority of jobs are referral based, come through legitimate channels or are posted on vetted job boards. Resist the idea that you can just surf Facebook and get hired.

4. They claim “No experience necessary.”

Sure, maybe the job they’re offering is entry level. Maybe they offer training. But if the posting leads with “No Experience Necessary,” you can be almost certain there’s a catch you won’t like. Most employers want you to come equipped with some skills.

5. The language is sloppy.

If the ad isn’t well written, contains spelling or grammatical errors, is sloppily punctuated or IN ALL CAPS, consider it a red flag. A real job posting will be professional and polished.

6. They ask for an interview via chat or text.

You should be wary if your first interview is scheduled on some type of text messaging service. While remote interviews are becoming increasingly common, that means phone calls andSkype, not a typed conversation in a chat window.

7. Anything about it is too good to be true.

You’re hired immediately! The salary is crazy high! They contacted you out of the blue! When can you start? (Hint: If a job seems too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.) 8. Everything about it is vague.

If you can’t tell from the posting exactly what your role would be at the company, that’s a problem. A bigger problem is when you can’t really tell what the company does and get a sense of its mission or history. If all of this is very vague, leave this one in the “no” pile.

9. They want money.

If you’re asked to pay anything — such as a fee to apply or for a software program to send in your application materials — consider the job a scam. A general rule of thumb: Never give your money away to total strangers.

10. Your gut says no.

The bottom line: Keep an eye out for these and other warning signs, but your best alarm system is your own gut instinct. Does something seem off to you? If so, let it go. There are other jobs out there.

Peter Jones is a career advice journalist for TheJobNetwork.com, where this article was originally published. He investigates and writes about current strategies, tips and trending topics related to all stages of one’s career.

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How to describe yourself in a job interview

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From THEJOBNETWORD, the Courier-Post (on Nov. 12, 2017) and writer Peter Jones come these “tips.”

BY PETER JONES

THEJOBNETWORK

You know you’re going to be asked about yourself in a job interview, so don’t get caught tongue-tied.

It’s smart to have a small collection of adjectives that describe you well and show you off in your best light — bonus points if they aren’t the same old tired words everybody else is using.

Often the best strategy here is to think of action verbs, then modify them into adjective form. Think about how you would sincerely describe yourself, both personally and at the office, then put together a list and memorize it for ultimate interview success.

Here are eight powerful examples interviewers are sure

to love:

  1. Communicative

Communication is one of the skills most highly valued by employers, so this is a shrewd word to use. It suggests that you’re a people person, you are effective at disseminating information, you care about connecting with your clients and coworkers and you are intelligent enough to do so clearly and professionally.

Plus, you can segue this into concrete examples of how you used your communication skills to problem solve.

  1. Reliable“Consistent” or “accountable” are also good ones. You’re in it for the team — you don’t just show up for you. You realize that your work is part of an ecosystem of other people’s projects and you don’t let anybody down. You’re not late for work or meetings. You can be relied upon to do your job, do it well and deliver whatever needs to be done.

      3. Driven

If you’d rather, “ambitious” works here, as well — any adjective that shows you are not just showing up for the paycheck and free coffee is great. These words prove that you are in it to win it — both to advance yourself in your career and, in the meantime, to advance the company and its most important goals. Subtext: no one is going to need to hound or micromanage you to keep you motivated. You’re “self-motivating.”

  1. Meticulous

This word hints at your attention to detail, your precision, your organizational skills, your ability to prioritize and the fact that you hate letting anything slip through any cracks.

If you’re meticulous, you’re thorough and self-managing and trustworthy. See how much work this kind of word can do?

  1. Impactful

Go ahead and say what a difference you made at your last gig. Go ahead and gloat.

You come on the job and get things done. You can totally brag here at this point, and throw in a mention of any accomplishments or awards you may have earned along the way. This word shows you don’t just make promises, you get results.

  1. Persistent

You don’t quit until the job is done (and done well). What’s more, you’ll get the project done on time. You’ll put in the extra work until the solution is found. This conveys that you’re “results-oriented,” as well.

  1. Flexible

You’re not rigid. You think outside the box. You’re able to adapt to challenging circumstances and find the workaround that no one else can see. You adapt on the go and keep adapting. You’re the kind of employee everybody wants because you’re willing to do things outside the purview of your job description — provided it makes sense for the company and for the goals of your team.

  1. Team player

It’s always good to round off a list of descriptors of yourself with something that conveys a bit of humility — your willingness to sacrifice your own time and ambitions now and then for the good of the group.

“Team player” transitions easily enough to a description of how you’re also a “leader” … for those of you who want to score that last bonus point.

Peter Jones is a career advice journalist for TheJobNetwork.com, where this article was originally published. He investigates and writes about current strategies, tips and trending topics related to all stages of one’s career.

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3 tips to soothe your interview jitters

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Thanks to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Sunday, Oct. 29, 2017, we have these interview tips from Jon Simmons, Monster contributor.

Your palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy. Why? Either you’re Eminem about to rap battle your opponent, or you’re about to go to a job interview.

If the thought of standing in front of a stranger, asking to be judged on your professional merits makes you want to vomit, you’re not alone—according to a study by Everest College and Harris Interactive, 92% of people say they get nervous at some point before a job interview.

Nerves are natural, but if your high stress level makes you appear less capable than you really are, that could be a big problem during your job search.

Take a deep breath and try to relax. Monster talked with some experts who shared their top tips for staying calm and focused, so you can conquer job interview jitters and land your next job.

  1. Practice your pitch

One of the questions you’re most likely to trip over is also one of the simplest: “What can you tell us about yourself?”

It should come as no surprise that practicing talking about your skills and accomplishments will help you stay calm. But what exactly should you focus on, and how should you practice?

“Your pitch should include your most recent job, two accomplishments, key skills, length of experience, education and languages you speak,” says Amy Geffen, founder of Geffen Careers, a career coaching business in New York City. “Write down your pitch, and practice it in front of the mirror and with a friend. After you have it memorized and you become comfortable, say it in a conversational tone.”

It’s that easy familiarity that can help calm you down when you feel the pressure building in the real-life scenario.

  1. Do your homework

You’re probably familiar with the feeling of taking an exam that you were underprepared for. It’s not a good feeling, obviously, and it’s also a total recipe for a stress attack. But on the flipside, you probably also know the opposite feeling—sitting down for a test that you know you’re going to crush since you took the time to prepare. That same recipe for success applies to heading into interviews.

Google the company to see if they’ve been made any news headlines in the past year. Of course, scouring a company’s website and social media accounts other ways to do your homework. What is their mission? What are their values? What are their future goals? What’s on their radar right now? Familiarize yourself as much as possible with the company.

Company homework aside, your research should also include preparing answers to some of the interview questions recruiters are most likely to ask.

  1. Take your time responding to questions (and take notes!)

Which do you think hiring managers prefer: a candidate who fires off a quick response right after the question (and doesn’t answer particularly well), or a candidate who takes a moment to gather her thoughts before replying with a concise, detailed response?

“Applicants are often nervous and feel they have to provide an immediate response as soon as the question ends,” says Susan Hosage, senior manager, human resources at CTE, Inc.,a PA-based construction services company. “Unfortunately, this practice often results in applicants not understanding what information is being requested or the required level of detail.”

So if you’re asked something you aren’t 100% sure about, stay calm, knowing that hiring managers prefer to wait for the right answer than listen to something that’s tossed back quickly and nervously.

“Listen to the question—even take notes if it’s a long one—and provide a thoughtful response,” Hosage says. That way, you’ll be able to calmly respond, which is half the battle when it comes to looking like you know what you’re talking about.

Content provided by The Inquirer Advertising Department

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