How to Speak confidently at work

How to Speak confidently at work by Amber Rolfe Speaking up isn’t always easy…Whether it’s in group meetings, presentations, or even one-on-one â€" speaking with confidence at work can often be a difficult task to master. Not only do you have to think about what you say, you also have to focus on how you say it.We’ve already covered what you should and shouldn’t do in presentations, but here are our top tips to help you speak confidently at work:  Identify your weakness First things first, you need to figure out where you’re going wrong.It could be that you feel don’t know enough about the topic, or you speak too fast. Or it could be that you gesticulate too often, or you just lack a bit of self-confidence.There many issues that could get in the way of your ability to speak confidently. And the sooner you find out what they are, the sooner you can start working on them.For example, if your hands are the problem, find a way keep them under control â€" whether it’s through holding onto a pen wh en you speak in meetings, or using a pointer or a keyboard during a presentation. Aside from avoiding excessive arm flailing, it’ll also give you something to focus on.Just be sensible with what you pick up. Pen: good. Desk chair: bad.Remember: no matter what the problem, there’s a way to overcome it.Take a confidence course We’ll let you into a little secret: nobody is born a perfect public speaker.Even if you have the natural talent, it still takes time and effort to hone your skills. In fact, even the best public speakers (think politicians, actors and CEOs) have speech coaching â€" and it’s often because of this training that they’re so good at what they do.In other words, even if speaking up isn’t your strong point, that doesn’t mean you can’t be taught.There are a variety of public speaking and confidence courses available to help you learn the specialist techniques you need to make your words effective and engaging. Whether you do it part-time, full-time or di stance learning.And if a course dedicated to speaking up makes you feel anxious, don’t panic. Many are simply based on teaching you the techniques you’ll need to succeed, rather than focusing on the application alone.Some courses don’t even involve speaking in front of large groups of people â€" as your training can often be done on a one-to-one basis.Get rid of fillers Let’s face it, no one’s going to listen to your point if it takes you years to get to it.And although constant ‘umming and ahhing’ is a habit that’s tough to beat â€" it could be the reason you’re unable to speak confidently at work. After all, saying ‘like’ in between every word is unlikely to keep your colleagues engaged.But it’s not just the listener that’s likely to be distracted.Although you might think filling every gap with words is a good way to get ideas flowing â€" it won’t necessarily help you get to the point.Instead, just be quiet. If you need time to think of what to say, sim ply pause and hold the silence until you’re ready to speak again.Because whilst fillers are notorious for making people lose interest, a few moments of silence can actually be the best way to build tension and make your point really hit home.Just breathe When it comes to speaking in front of a group, nerves can often get the better of you.This means you’ll do anything to make the awkward situation end sooner â€" even if it means talking at the speed of light; which can often result in a mumbled selection of words that don’t actually make that much sense.Not only does talking too quickly indicate a lack of confidence, it also gives you less time to think through your words â€" meaning the likelihood of mistakes is higher.But before you submit to full-on panic mode: breathe.Taking the time to speak slower and more clearly will undoubtedly influence the quality of what you’re trying to say â€" reducing the need to ramble or go off topic.PracticeOnce you’ve figured out which a reas you need to work on; it’s time to put your newfound techniques into practice.Because even if you think you’ve learnt everything you need to overcome your weakness â€" you might find that your mind suddenly goes blank if you’re put in a stressful situation. And let’s face it, that won’t do anything for your self-confidence.So to avoid any awkward moments, it’s vital to go over your tactics a few times before your next public speaking opportunity â€" whether it’s in front of a group of (understanding) friends and family, or even just in the mirror.After all, you are often your worst critic.That way, not only will you be well-versed in what to do, you’ll also figure out which areas you need to improve on.  Still searching for your perfect position? View all available jobs nowFind a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the terms and co nditions applicable to our service and acknowledge that your personal data will be used in accordance with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs and career related topics. Life At Work

Handling rejection University of Manchester Careers Blog

Handling rejection University of Manchester Careers Blog No one wants to be rejected but at some point in your job search it is bound to happen. How you react and what you do next are key factors in your future success. 1 Rejection at application stage: Most people are going to experience this.   You may get a polite “thanks but no thanks” response or hear nothing at all.   Most employers do not have the time or resources to acknowledge receipt of applications and only notify successful candidates. The possible exceptions being companies with large automated systems that track candidates, however, you are not likely to get any feedback at this stage. Assess why you were rejected: Is it likely that there were candidates with more relevant experience than yourself? Did you meet the basic requirements? Qualifications and visa issues? Did you really sell yourself effectively in your application? Often great candidates simply do poor applications.   If the CV and cover letter do not look tailored for that role with that company the recruiter may think that you have not done your research and lack motivation and commitment. Take action: Keep applying â€" use our guides and services to assess if your next application is on track. Keep building up your experience while you find the next role you want to apply for. 2 Rejection by psychometric test This is a tough one, but it’s impersonal, they are simply judging your ability against a standard. Assess why you were rejected: Do you feel you could have performed better on the day? Take action. If you think you could do better then â€" practice may help. If not, you may find that some employers tests are easier BUT if you fail several then you should consider if this is the right route for you.   You may wish to discuss different types of employers. 3 Rejection at   1st contact This may be a telephone or face to face interview or an assessment centre.   If you have been invited it means you have met all the basic requirements and on paper look like you could do the job.     However, it doesn’t mean that you are their first choice you may be simply one of many. You may still get no feedback, there are all sorts of legal issues that can open up if companies give interview feedback, so often they choose not to. Assess why you were rejected: Is it likely other candidates had better qualifications and experience? Is it likely that other candidates performed better on the day? Were you the best fit for the organisation? You may have had the qualifications and experience but did your personality fit?   Sometime you can get an indication of this if you find you don’t really like the interviewer or the questions seem odd to you.   If this is the case you have probably had a lucky escape you would not have enjoyed working there. Be honest â€" really reflect on every element of your performance. Pushy or arrogant behaviour with other candidates, even on a break may be viewed negatively. Take action Watch the assessment centre   videos â€" to see if you made any schoolboy errors! Attend some of our assessment centre exercises. We run a group work session and on occasion employers run whole practice assessment centres. Have a practice interview with   a careers consultant or with an employer. Don’t … Get angry with the employer, it won’t get you a job, and you may harm any relationship you have with them in the future! Give up!   Learn from the experience and move on. All Undergraduate Undergraduate-highlighted Applications and interviews Interviews

If You Suck, Your Personal Brand Does, Too - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

If You Suck, Your Personal Brand Does, Too - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Personal branding is not shameless, endless self-promotion. It’s not direct messaging me with your faux request to “take this IQ test and see if you’re smarter than me.” It’s not directing me to your website with every post. It’s not seeing yourself as the epicenter of everything to do with your industry, category, talent, idea, or area of expertise. It’s not starting every conversation with “I…” Maybe you shouldn’t be personal branding quite yet. Here’s a quick self-assessment to tell you if you need to keep your personal brand really personal right now. 1.      You don’t shower everyday. 2.      You’re been house-bound since Oprah’s announcement. 3.      You’ve been blocked for stalking or spamming. The list could get pretty long, but you get the idea. You can’t be fundamentally anti-social, greedy, jealous, boring, self-centered, creepy or anything else that ensures you’ll be someone’s ex-husband (or ex-wife) someday (or again) and do yourself proud in personal branding. You have to lift the other end of the couch, not sit on it, while your roommate is moving out â€" unless he’s trying to take your couch. Consider what’s real for you. Maybe you don’t have even a smidgen of the mensch gene, that is, you’re a person with little or no empathy for others. You don’t connect with people in person. You don’t consider public service anything but a way organizations sucker people into doing free work for freeloaders. You’d like to compete in the Special Olympics because you’re not in any way challenged, so the odds are really good you’ll win. Social media merely amplifies your personal brand In that case, you just might quietly get into group therapy before letting us all know the real you. Seriously, you aren’t doing anyone any good â€" especially yourself and the company you represent â€" by using social media to broadcast just what a lout you are. Of course, if this cautionary post doesn’t apply to you, then print it out (wear gloves so it can’t be traced) and put it on the desk of someone who it applies to. What brought all this on? A recent YouTube video on personal branding by Carlos Mandelbaum poked holes in my personal branding bubble. See it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbvMZbDGFb8. Plus, perhaps like you, I have found too many of my friends do too little to report, yet they report way too often on Facebook.   For example, a whole lot of people tell me when they’re turning in for the night or that they’re coloring a girlfriend’s hair before baking brownies in their hometown in Kansas (I live in LA, so no brownies for me; hence, I don’t want to know).   A lot of the chatter reminds me of flying to Hong Kong from Los Angeles, lying next to a stranger (business class seats go all the way down). For 20 hours I knew everything about this woman, in real time and in the mini-series she relayed of her past. Preparation is key Before you make another social media move or affix your name badge at the next mixer, be ready with no less than 3 entries for these categories: Unusual facts or advanced tips that can help a person move forward in your area of interest. Experts in your field that you can learn from and connect with, along with a question you want to ask them. Reasons why you want to serve and lead your tribe. Author: Nance Rosen is the author of Speak Up! Succeed. She speaks to business audiences around the world and is a resource for press, including print, broadcast and online journalists and bloggers covering social media and careers. Read more at NanceRosenBlog. Twitter name: nancerosen.