Q&A: How do I improve my communication skills in interviews and in the workplace?

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QUESTION

I’m really inspired by your posts (to be published from next week) because we share very similar experience except the fact that I’m still fairly lucky with age…but you can’t count on it since time is constantly moving.

That said, I narrowly missed a 1st class as well and I must say I’m smart enough to handle any job.

But I got a shocker in my first interview. When I got into the hall, it felt like an invisible barricade separated me from all the information I had in my head. I was just shooting blanks. Right there, I knew I had lost that job. But I realised my deficiency!

I’m an introvert and you are aware how communication especially verbally can be a bit daunting for us.

I’m working on myself, atleast the last interview was great.

I just want to know, What steps have you and are you taking to improve your public speaking?

RESPONSE BY XFIRE

who works as an engineer in an oil and gas company in Nigeria

c-suite

I am also like you. I am introverted and shy. I am not a naturally talented speaker too. I was going to deal with this issue in the course of my story but let me chip in some words of advice:
1) One of the ways you can improve your public speaking skill is to prepare! Always make sure you prepare well. The more you prepare, the more confident you will be. Have all your information. Like I make a formal presentation, I always make sure I know as much information about the topic I’m about to present. It will boost your confidence.
2) PRACTICE. I can’t emphasize this enough! The more you practice, the more you will polish and finetune your public speakig art. Practice in front of your mirror, or your relatives or your friends. It is better they laugh at you than for your interviewers or audience to laugh at you.
3) Focus more on your presentation than on your audience. As a matter of fact, motivation to succeed drives me to success in my interviews / presentations . I will talk about how I managed to make a good impromptu presentation in one of my interviews later on.
4) Do not focus on your mistakes while speaking. We all make mistakes. I hardly have a perfect interview or presentation. I still make mistakes when making presentations. All you want is a good presentation, not a perfect one. Once I lose balance, I apologize (if necessary) and move on. This is very important! There are a few interviews that I had rocky starts but later stabilized and did well simply because I chose not to dwell on my mistakes. Most of the time, your interviewers understand you may be nervous at the beginning.

interview pic

5) Listen to good speakers and writers. You will learn from them.
6) Write articles more often and give people to critique them. Also practice public speaking in front of knowledgeable people, maybe a friend.
7) Get a notebook. Jot down whatever you learn and review them regularly. I used to practice that when I first started with the company I am currently working for. I was learning new terminologies, acronyms and definitions at an incredibly fast rate and I kept forgetting them. I had to get a note to help me jot down the new words and acronyms. Today, I’m familiar with all those terminologies and I use them comfortably. The key factors are determination and discipline. You will overcome the obstacle.

Don’t expect a sudden improvement. IT TAKES TIME. But make conscious and disciplined effort. You will see improvement.

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