experience in public speaking essay brainly

How to answer "What is your experience with public speaking and presenting?" (with sample answers)

Why Employers Ask This

Employers often ask about public speaking and presenting skills because these are important for a variety of roles. For instance, if you're interviewing for a sales or marketing job, you may be required to give presentations to clients or pitch ideas to a team. Public speaking skills are also important for leadership roles since leaders need to communicate effectively with their teams.

So, employers ask this to assess your communication skills, confidence level, and the ability to articulate your ideas effectively. They want to know if you can represent the company professionally in front of various audiences and handle challenging situations like giving presentations to large groups or addressing stakeholders.

How to Answer the Question

Start by talking about your experience. List any relevant public speaking or presenting experience, including any presentations, speeches, or workshops you've given. Discuss the number of people that were present during the event, who the audience was, and what the purpose of the presentation was.

You can also mention any initiatives you undertook to improve your public speaking and presenting skills, such as attending a public speaking course or analyzing videos of other experienced speakers. This shows that you're proactive and interested in personal development.

It's also important to talk about the outcomes of these experiences. If the presentation resulted in increased sales or enthusiastic feedback, mention it.

Remember to highlight the skills you gained from your public speaking and presenting experience. Employers want to hear about the skills that make you an exceptional candidate. For example, you could say, "I developed strong analytical skills while creating the content for my presentation, and my communication skills were put to the test when I had to present to the C-suite leadership team."

Finally, don't forget to exhibit confidence in your answer, speak clearly and concisely. Employers want to see a candidate who can represent the company professionally and capably in front of various audiences.

Sample answers

Good answer:.

I have a lot of experience with public speaking and presenting. In my last job, I regularly gave presentations to clients and at industry conferences. I was even asked to lead a workshop on presentation skills for new hires in my department. I always prepare thoroughly, practice beforehand, and use visual aids like slides to enhance my presentations. I've also received positive feedback from colleagues and clients on my clear communication skills and engaging delivery.

This answer is good because it gives specific examples of the candidate's experience and skills, and shows that they have a track record of success in public speaking. They also mention concrete strategies they use to prepare and deliver effective presentations.

Bad answer:

Um, I don't really have much experience with public speaking. I mean, I've had to give a few presentations in school, but I don't really like talking in front of people. It makes me pretty nervous.

This answer is bad because it doesn't inspire confidence in the candidate's ability to perform a key aspect of the job. They admit to being nervous and not having much experience, which suggests that they may struggle in this area.

I have experience with public speaking in a variety of contexts. In my previous job, I gave presentations to internal teams and external stakeholders on a regular basis. I also volunteered as a mentor for a local youth organization, where I led workshops on public speaking for teens. In addition, I've taken courses on presentation skills and public speaking to continuously improve my abilities. I'm always looking for chances to build my expertise and confidence in this area.

This answer is good because it demonstrates a diverse range of experience that the candidate has sought out, rather than simply relying on past job requirements. They also express a willingness to keep improving and learning, which is a positive trait in any candidate.

Public speaking? No, I've never really done that before. I prefer to work behind the scenes and let someone else handle that kind of stuff.

This answer is bad because the candidate outright rejects the idea of public speaking and presenting as something they're willing or able to do. It also suggests that they may not be as proactive or engaged in their work as an employer would like to see.

• The Virginia Room
• Tell Us How We're Doing
• Using the Catalog
• A-Z Database List
• Advanced Search
• Research Guides
• Your Account

Public Speaking

• Finding a Topic
• How to Plan and Give a Great Speech
• Speech Anxiety
• Web Resources and OERs
• RBC Writing Center This link opens in a new window

Planning Your Speech

Being confident in your speech making and your public speaking means that you should fully prepare for your speech! Here are some tips to write a great speech!

1. Determine the purpose of your speech.  Whether it is a persuasive essay, argumentative essay, or just an informative one you need to know why you are giving the speech. Generally you may be told what kind of speech to write for your assignment, but if you have a choice on what type of speech you need to give it's important to know what you want to tell your audience. 

2. Identify your audience.  This may depend on your assignment but you need to know your audience to know what type of the information you are giving to them. Are you giving a speech to people who don't have any knowledge on the subject? Experts in the field? Or are you just speaking in front of your professor and fellow classmates? Understanding your audience helps you determine the scope of the detail in your speech and how you can keep the audience captivated. 

3. Create your claim (or thesis).  Just like writing a paper, your speech needs a thesis. Your claim is the main idea for your speech, and you will spend your speech providing evidence that supports your claim. 

4. Collect your evidence.  You need to support your claim with evidence. Evidence may include: surveys, statistics, anecdotal evidence, or even your own experience. 

5. Start determining how you will organize your speech.  Just like an essay, a speech has a similar structure. Your introduction, body, supporting evidence, and conclusion. It's helpful to write down your speech in a similar way you would write an essay. 

Giving Your Speech

Glossophobia, or the fear of public speaking, is very common. Below are some speech-giving tips that can help reduce your anxiety!

1. Talk to someone if you are feeling stressed.  Talk to a counselor, your professor, or just a friend. It's always helpful to talk about your worries and get support from people around. 

2. Know what you're talking about.  You will be more comfortable reciting your speech when you have some knowledge on the subject. While you are researching and preparing your speech, get some preliminary background information so you feel more confident with the subject. This also helps if you get any surprise questions from your audience!

3. Practice.  Practice, practice, practice. In the mirror, in front of some friends, in front of your classmates. Be comfortable with the words, the structure of your speech, and knowing the order in which you will present your main ideas. 

4. Organize your materials.  Disorganization the day of your speech can worsen your anxiety! Prepare the night before by setting out all of your demonstrative items (poster, powerpoint, pictures), make sure any notecards are in order, and set aside your clothes if you are dressing up for your speech. It's also important to make sure the technology in the room you are presenting in has everything you need (check with your professor)!

5. Study other speeches.  You don't need to study the great orators of the world to learn how to improve your speeches. TED Talks, interviews from people you look up to, and even watching YouTube videos can help improve your public speaking skills. 

6. Don't rely on Powerpoints/posters.  Items like Powerpoints and posters that you use for your speech are meant to support you and not be something that you read off of the entire time. If you can do without visual aids or if they are not required for your speech, you may decide not to use any at all. Try to have as little text as possible on them--you won't be able to read off of them and your audience will not be distracted reading the slides. 

7. Focus on your message.  Don't get caught up in little details, your stories, or any jokes you may have in your speech. Focus on your claim so your message is understood by your audience. 

8. Don't apologize.  Everyone makes a mistake. Technical difficulties can happen to every one. Don't let minor issues such as forgetting a part of your speech or getting a little mixed up derail your presentation. Your audience may not even notice the small mistake. If you feel like you need to make an apology, make a small one and continue on. You've got this!

9. Look around the room.  You should always give your audience your full attention. It might be a small classroom of a few students or a massive auditorium but your audience is very important. Focus on different parts of the room that you can spend a few seconds on during the speech. If you can't decide where to look, focus on a specific person. 

10. Be yourself.  You can reduce your anxiety by just being yourself. Involved your personality in how you present information; use your pitch and create a style that's meaningful and allows the audience to relate to you. And don't forget to smile!

• << Previous: Finding a Topic
• Next: Speech Anxiety >>
• Last Updated: Aug 18, 2021 1:37 PM
• URL: https://libguides.rbc.edu/c.php?g=309563

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

1.1 Why Is Public Speaking Important?

Learning objectives.

• Explore three types of public speaking in everyday life: informative, persuasive, and entertaining.
• Understand the benefits of taking a course in public speaking.
• Explain the benefits people get from engaging in public speaking.

Christian Pierret – Leader – CC BY 2.0.

In today’s world, we are constantly bombarded with messages both good and bad. No matter where you live, where you work or go to school, or what kinds of media you use, you are probably exposed to hundreds. if not thousands, of advertising messages every day. Researcher Norman W. Edmund estimates that by 2020 the amount of knowledge in the world will double every seventy-three days (Edmund, 2005). Because we live in a world where we are overwhelmed with content, communicating information in a way that is accessible to others is more important today than ever before. To help us further understand why public speaking is important, we will first examine public speaking in everyday life. We will then discuss how public speaking can benefit you personally.

Everyday Public Speaking

Every single day people across the United States and around the world stand up in front of some kind of audience and speak. In fact, there’s even a monthly publication that reproduces some of the top speeches from around the United States called Vital Speeches of the Day ( http://www.vsotd.com ). Although public speeches are of various types, they can generally be grouped into three categories based on their intended purpose: informative, persuasive, and entertaining.

Informative Speaking

One of the most common types of public speaking is informative speaking . The primary purpose of informative presentations is to share one’s knowledge of a subject with an audience. Reasons for making an informative speech vary widely. For example, you might be asked to instruct a group of coworkers on how to use new computer software or to report to a group of managers how your latest project is coming along. A local community group might wish to hear about your volunteer activities in New Orleans during spring break, or your classmates may want you to share your expertise on Mediterranean cooking. What all these examples have in common is the goal of imparting information to an audience.

Informative speaking is integrated into many different occupations. Physicians often lecture about their areas of expertise to medical students, other physicians, and patients. Teachers find themselves presenting to parents as well as to their students. Firefighters give demonstrations about how to effectively control a fire in the house. Informative speaking is a common part of numerous jobs and other everyday activities. As a result, learning how to speak effectively has become an essential skill in today’s world.

Persuasive Speaking

A second common reason for speaking to an audience is to persuade others. In our everyday lives, we are often called on to convince, motivate, or otherwise persuade others to change their beliefs, take an action, or reconsider a decision. Advocating for music education in your local school district, convincing clients to purchase your company’s products, or inspiring high school students to attend college all involve influencing other people through public speaking.

For some people, such as elected officials, giving persuasive speeches is a crucial part of attaining and continuing career success. Other people make careers out of speaking to groups of people who pay to listen to them. Motivational authors and speakers, such as Les Brown ( http://www.lesbrown.com ), make millions of dollars each year from people who want to be motivated to do better in their lives. Brian Tracy, another professional speaker and author, specializes in helping business leaders become more productive and effective in the workplace ( http://www.briantracy.com ).

Whether public speaking is something you do every day or just a few times a year, persuading others is a challenging task. If you develop the skill to persuade effectively, it can be personally and professionally rewarding.

Entertaining Speaking

Entertaining speaking involves an array of speaking occasions ranging from introductions to wedding toasts, to presenting and accepting awards, to delivering eulogies at funerals and memorial services in addition to after-dinner speeches and motivational speeches. Entertaining speaking has been important since the time of the ancient Greeks, when Aristotle identified epideictic speaking (speaking in a ceremonial context) as an important type of address. As with persuasive and informative speaking, there are professionals, from religious leaders to comedians, who make a living simply from delivering entertaining speeches. As anyone who has watched an awards show on television or has seen an incoherent best man deliver a wedding toast can attest, speaking to entertain is a task that requires preparation and practice to be effective.

Personal Benefits of Public Speaking

Oral communication skills were the number one skill that college graduates found useful in the business world, according to a study by sociologist Andrew Zekeri (Zekeri, 2004). That fact alone makes learning about public speaking worthwhile. However, there are many other benefits of communicating effectively for the hundreds of thousands of college students every year who take public speaking courses. Let’s take a look at some of the personal benefits you’ll get both from a course in public speaking and from giving public speeches.

Benefits of Public Speaking Courses

In addition to learning the process of creating and delivering an effective speech, students of public speaking leave the class with a number of other benefits as well. Some of these benefits include

• developing critical thinking skills,
• fine-tuning verbal and nonverbal skills,
• overcoming fear of public speaking.

Developing Critical Thinking Skills

One of the very first benefits you will gain from your public speaking course is an increased ability to think critically. Problem solving is one of many critical thinking skills you will engage in during this course. For example, when preparing a persuasive speech, you’ll have to think through real problems affecting your campus, community, or the world and provide possible solutions to those problems. You’ll also have to think about the positive and negative consequences of your solutions and then communicate your ideas to others. At first, it may seem easy to come up with solutions for a campus problem such as a shortage of parking spaces: just build more spaces. But after thinking and researching further you may find out that building costs, environmental impact from loss of green space, maintenance needs, or limited locations for additional spaces make this solution impractical. Being able to think through problems and analyze the potential costs and benefits of solutions is an essential part of critical thinking and of public speaking aimed at persuading others. These skills will help you not only in public speaking contexts but throughout your life as well. As we stated earlier, college graduates in Zekeri’s study rated oral communication skills as the most useful for success in the business world. The second most valuable skill they reported was problem-solving ability, so your public speaking course is doubly valuable!

Another benefit to public speaking is that it will enhance your ability to conduct and analyze research. Public speakers must provide credible evidence within their speeches if they are going to persuade various audiences. So your public speaking course will further refine your ability to find and utilize a range of sources.

Fine-Tuning Verbal and Nonverbal Skills

A second benefit of taking a public speaking course is that it will help you fine-tune your verbal and nonverbal communication skills. Whether you competed in public speaking in high school or this is your first time speaking in front of an audience, having the opportunity to actively practice communication skills and receive professional feedback will help you become a better overall communicator. Often, people don’t even realize that they twirl their hair or repeatedly mispronounce words while speaking in public settings until they receive feedback from a teacher during a public speaking course. People around the United States will often pay speech coaches over one hundred dollars per hour to help them enhance their speaking skills. You have a built-in speech coach right in your classroom, so it is to your advantage to use the opportunity to improve your verbal and nonverbal communication skills.

Overcoming Fear of Public Speaking

An additional benefit of taking a public speaking class is that it will help reduce your fear of public speaking. Whether they’ve spoken in public a lot or are just getting started, most people experience some anxiety when engaging in public speaking. Heidi Rose and Andrew Rancer evaluated students’ levels of public speaking anxiety during both the first and last weeks of their public speaking class and found that those levels decreased over the course of the semester (Rose & Rancer, 1993). One explanation is that people often have little exposure to public speaking. By taking a course in public speaking, students become better acquainted with the public speaking process, making them more confident and less apprehensive. In addition, you will learn specific strategies for overcoming the challenges of speech anxiety. We will discuss this topic in greater detail in Chapter 3 “Speaking Confidently” .

Benefits of Engaging in Public Speaking

Once you’ve learned the basic skills associated with public speaking, you’ll find that being able to effectively speak in public has profound benefits, including

• influencing the world around you,
• developing leadership skills,
• becoming a thought leader.

Influencing the World around You

If you don’t like something about your local government, then speak out about your issue! One of the best ways to get our society to change is through the power of speech. Common citizens in the United States and around the world, like you, are influencing the world in real ways through the power of speech. Just type the words “citizens speak out” in a search engine and you’ll find numerous examples of how common citizens use the power of speech to make real changes in the world—for example, by speaking out against “fracking” for natural gas (a process in which chemicals are injected into rocks in an attempt to open them up for fast flow of natural gas or oil) or in favor of retaining a popular local sheriff. One of the amazing parts of being a citizen in a democracy is the right to stand up and speak out, which is a luxury many people in the world do not have. So if you don’t like something, be the force of change you’re looking for through the power of speech.

Developing Leadership Skills

Have you ever thought about climbing the corporate ladder and eventually finding yourself in a management or other leadership position? If so, then public speaking skills are very important. Hackman and Johnson assert that effective public speaking skills are a necessity for all leaders (Hackman & Johnson, 2004). If you want people to follow you, you have to communicate effectively and clearly what followers should do. According to Bender, “Powerful leadership comes from knowing what matters to you. Powerful presentations come from expressing this effectively. It’s important to develop both” (Bender, 1998). One of the most important skills for leaders to develop is their public speaking skills, which is why executives spend millions of dollars every year going to public speaking workshops; hiring public speaking coaches; and buying public speaking books, CDs, and DVDs.

Becoming a Thought Leader

Even if you are not in an official leadership position, effective public speaking can help you become a “ thought leader .” Joel Kurtzman, editor of Strategy & Business , coined this term to call attention to individuals who contribute new ideas to the world of business. According to business consultant Ken Lizotte, “when your colleagues, prospects, and customers view you as one very smart guy or gal to know, then you’re a thought leader” (Lizotte, 2008). Typically, thought leaders engage in a range of behaviors, including enacting and conducting research on business practices. To achieve thought leader status, individuals must communicate their ideas to others through both writing and public speaking. Lizotte demonstrates how becoming a thought leader can be personally and financially rewarding at the same time: when others look to you as a thought leader, you will be more desired and make more money as a result. Business gurus often refer to “intellectual capital,” or the combination of your knowledge and ability to communicate that knowledge to others (Lizotte, 2008). Whether standing before a group of executives discussing the next great trend in business or delivering a webinar (a seminar over the web), thought leaders use public speaking every day to create the future that the rest of us live in.

Key Takeaways

• People have many reasons for engaging in public speaking, but the skills necessary for public speaking are applicable whether someone is speaking for informative, persuasive, or entertainment reasons.
• Taking a public speaking class will improve your speaking skills, help you be a more critical thinker, fine-tune your verbal and nonverbal communication skills, and help you overcome public speaking anxiety.
• Effective public speaking skills have many direct benefits for the individual speaker, including influencing the world around you, developing leadership skills, and becoming a go-to person for ideas and solutions.
• Talk to people who are currently working in the career you hope to pursue. Of the three types of public speaking discussed in the text, which do they use most commonly use in their work?
• Read one of the free speeches available at http://www.vsotd.com . What do you think the speaker was trying to accomplish? What was her or his reason for speaking?
• Which personal benefit are you most interested in receiving from a public speaking class? Why?

Bender, P. U. (1998). Stand, deliver and lead. Ivey Business Journal , 62 (3), 46–47.

Edmund, N. W. (2005). End the biggest educational and intellectual blunder in history: A $100,000 challenge to our top educational leaders . Ft. Lauderdale, FL: Scientific Method Publishing Co.

Hackman, M. Z., & Johnson, C. E. (2004). Leadership: A communication perspective (4th ed.). Long Grove, IL: Waveland.

Lizotte, K. (2008). The expert’s edge: Become the go-to authority people turn to every time [Kindle 2 version]. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Retrieved from Amazon.com (locations 72–78).

Rose, H. M., & Rancer, A. S. (1993). The impact of basic courses in oral interpretation and public speaking on communication apprehension. Communication Reports , 6 , 54–60.

Zekeri, A. A. (2004). College curriculum competencies and skills former students found essential to their careers. College Student Journal , 38 , 412–422.

Stand up, Speak out Copyright © 2016 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

Public Speaking as an Effective Skill Essay

Public speaking is a highly important and useful skill that carries multiple advantages for personal life and professional career. Public speaking skills are required for specialists of various kinds. In this regard, mastering public speaking is going to serve as great enforcement for anyone. The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate different situations where public speaking skills play an important role to show the reasons why public speaking is considered an effective skill.

First of all, the knowledge of theoretical and practical sides of public speaking provides one with multiple benefits such as understanding the ways people think and process the information, communicating thoughtfully and with higher efficiency, using the critical thinking, knowing how to organise and prepare presentations, researching the unfamiliar audiences and using appropriate communication strategies (Coopman, Lull 2014, p. 12). It is a well-known fact that most people experience certain difficulties in adjusting to a new society. For example, in a situation when a person starts working at a new place, they would feel the need to fit into the group of new co-workers, find a common language and establish friendly atmosphere at the workplace.

Public speaking skills provide a person with an ability to evaluate the audience, analyse their needs, learn their potentials, and successfully build contact with them. Proper application of public speaking knowledge will allow the new member of a group to move through the stage of getting to know the colleagues and feel comfortable talking with new people in unfamiliar situations (Coopman & Lull 2014, p. 12). In this case, public speaking skills will allow avoiding the discomfort at the workplace, which may lead to disruption of the work process and create problems for the whole company.

The most obvious situation where public speaking skills are always very useful is an actual performance in front of a group of people such as a public address, presentation of a new project at work, or a motivational speech. In such situations, the speaker can represent a group of fellows or the ideas important for many people. Due to this, a successful performance and efficient delivery of information are highly valuable and important (Keith & Lundberg 2013, p. 4). When one person is chosen to speak on behalf of many, it creates a certain pressure and responsibility for the speaker. In the case of the successful performance of one, the whole group will benefit. The good public speaker has to be able to present the information, keep the audience interested in the delivered ideas, and defend the point of view in case of criticism or counter argumentation.

The skills of public speaking provide one with courage, confidence, and the ability to fluently express themselves. One more situation that demonstrates the importance of public speaking skills is a casual conversation with a stranger. People are social creatures, interpersonal relationships of different kinds are highly important for us. Starting and maintaining friendships, being close to family members, having romantic relationships makes our lives easier and fuller. A skillful speaker will be able to represent themselves in the best and most appropriate way. This can be quite a challenging occupation. Performing in front of just one person is another variation of public speaking (Goldwasser 2006, p. 42). Successful personal representation in any situation, will it be a first date or a job interview, is extremely meaningful for anyone. This is why the development of public speaking skills is considered highly beneficial.

To conclude, almost every day, people face situations where speaking in front of an audience is required. The size of the audience may vary from one to hundreds or thousands of people, but the importance of professional and efficient delivery of information is always high. Knowledge of theoretical and practical sides of public speaking will enable the speaker to feel confident and comfortable and to present themselves and the necessary information in the best ways.

Coopman, S. & Lull, J. 2014, Public Speaking: The Evolving Art. Cengage Learning United States, Boston.

Goldwasser, I. 2006, Interactive Communication: A Guide to Effective Communication. Pearson Education Australia, Sydney.

Keith, W. & Lundberg, C. 2013, Public Speaking: Choice and Responsibility. Cengage Learning United States, Boston.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, October 31). Public Speaking as an Effective Skill. https://ivypanda.com/essays/public-speaking-skills/

"Public Speaking as an Effective Skill." IvyPanda , 31 Oct. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/public-speaking-skills/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Public Speaking as an Effective Skill'. 31 October.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Public Speaking as an Effective Skill." October 31, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/public-speaking-skills/.

1. IvyPanda . "Public Speaking as an Effective Skill." October 31, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/public-speaking-skills/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Public Speaking as an Effective Skill." October 31, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/public-speaking-skills/.

• Anthropological Theory Sources as It Relates to Observing an Unfamiliar Place
• Better Public Speaking and Presentation
• Public Speaking: Presentation Analysis
• Effective Persuasive Speaking
• Public Speaking and Audience Analysis
• The Art of Public Speaking
• Public Speaking: Ethics and Critical Thinking
• Public Speaker: Essential Qualities
• Ethical Speaking in the Board of Directors
• Communications: Public Speaking Problems
• Computer Mediated Interpersonal and Intercultural Communication
• Transmission vs. Ritual Communication
• Types of Communication Disputes: Mediation and Arbitration
• Human Communication: Issues and Future
• "The Fine Art of Small Talk" by Debra Fine

Home — Essay Samples — Life — Communication Skills — My Battle with Public Speaking

My Battle with Public Speaking

• Categories: Communication Skills Speak

About this sample

Words: 980 |

Updated: 15 November, 2023

Words: 980 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Works Cited

• American Psychological Association. (n.d.). The Road to Resilience.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018). Mental Health Basics.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Workplace Health Promotion.
• Galinsky, T., Swanson, N., & Sauter, S. (2001). The Human Side of Work: Improving Work-Life Balance. American Psychological Association.
• Harvard Health Publishing. (2021). Spirituality and Health: What’s the Connection? Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/spirituality-and-health-whats-the-connection
• Healthy People 2030. (2021). Wellness. Retrieved from https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/social-determinants-health/wellness
• National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2018). Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment: A Research-Based Guide. Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/principles-drug-addiction-treatment-research-based-guide-third-edition/frequently-asked-questions/how-effective-drug-addiction-treatment
• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2020). Eight Dimensions of Wellness.
• United States Department of Labor. (n.d.). Occupational Wellness.
• World Health Organization. (2021). Mental health: strengthening our response.

Video Version

Cite this Essay

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Prof. Kifaru

Verified writer

• Expert in: Life Sociology

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

1 pages / 475 words

1 pages / 366 words

1 pages / 967 words

2 pages / 830 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Communication Skills

Distorted listening is a phenomenon that occurs when individuals misinterpret or misunderstand the messages being communicated to them. This can happen for a variety of reasons, including cognitive biases, emotional responses, [...]

Effective communication is the lifeblood of any successful organization. In the dynamic and interconnected world of business, the ability to convey ideas, information, and messages with clarity and precision is crucial. Business [...]

In the realm of effective communication and persuasion, the rhetorical question stands out as a unique and powerful device. Unlike ordinary questions, which seek information, rhetorical questions are designed to make a point or [...]

Student ambassador programs are not only instrumental in promoting educational institutions but also serve as fertile ground for personal growth and development. These programs provide students with opportunities to develop [...]

Healthy ways to get through a relationship breakup Relationships and breakups are a major cause of heartache and unhappiness in everyone's life. Because if you haven't encountered a breakup it’s something that can happen. It’s [...]

Soft skills can be defined as character traits or interpersonal aptitudes that affect your ability to work and interact with others, personal attributes, personality traits, inherent social cues, and conversation capabilities [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

Join A Collaborative Innovative Community. Start Your Transformation

Public Speaking 101 | My Experiences As A Public Speaker

• July 9, 2018

Public speaking is a useful skill to have, and I am fortunate enough to have the chance to use it for good! I usually get asked for tips on how to become a great speaker. I didn’t become one overnight. In fact, my first gig on stage as a motivational speaker didn’t go so well. However, with various experiences, I was able to share my message of positivity to people through public speaking. Let me share these tips and experiences, so you may also become a great speaker!

Public Speaking Tips to Become a Great Speaker

1. get inspiration.

I believe every person has the power to change the world , and there are many ways to do that. You don’t need to be born rich to make a greater impact.

What could I find that was going to be more meaningful and more fulfilling to me so I could start to change the world? I knew helping people was the answer, but I didn’t know a way to do that.

I started to get some experience in my current career, in the insurance business, speaking in front of groups. While I knew being a speaker and teaching people felt good, I didn’t know it could be a real business.

2. Find Your Influence

Do you want to #inspire people and help them reach their #potential ? https://t.co/kdoXte6fJx — Ted McGrath (@ted_mcgrath) September 7, 2017

I thought about it, and I realized I actually didn’t get my own inspiration from specific people. Instead, I believe what drove me to become a coach and motivational speaker was a gut feeling. I just knew I wanted to be one.

3. How To Be A Great Speaker

Communication is more than someone talking and someone else listening. It’s about you making a connection with your audience. Your words should empower them to create transformation within their lives. Public speaking is about guiding transformation within people who are not ready to stand up for themselves yet. Still, you may be asking, “How do I become a great speaker and make an impact?” I have starting tips here .

4. Remember, You Don’t Have to Be Amazing the First Time

When I started out as a speaker, I gave my first-ever talk at a financial seminar. My first speech was in front of an audience who were invited through direct mail. I was 22 years old at that time, but I looked like a 12-year-old.

My advice is this: the first thing you need to do is to face the audience and just be there. Do that with these inspiring pieces of advice. 

5. Learn How to Sell from the Stage

When it comes to knowing the techniques of how to sell, there are two things you need to understand: how to design the ultimate offer and how to deliver it to your audience so they’re inspired to take action and enroll with you. To succeed, I have 7 steps you need to implement to make offers that inspire your ideal clients to say yes to you.

6. Make an Effective Call to Action from the Stage

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXT88Yoj07f/ How do you make an impactful call to action – one that converts to sales? Then, how do you get people to say yes to your offer when you make it from the stage?

One of the most important parts of getting a high percentage of people to say yes to your offer from the stage is by doing these  three calls to action.

7. Build a Motivational Speaking Brand

Establishing your own brand, particularly a motivational speaking brand, is never an easy endeavor. It is especially challenging to build a motivational speaking brand because the people behind them are compelled to be role models who walk their talk. From my experience, I’ve had to go through my personal growth process before I became truly confident in this industry. I’d like to share with you the story of my journey toward building my brand here.

8. Speaking for Free Is More Lucrative Than Getting Paid to Speak

As you’re building your speaker profile, you can get lured in by paid speaking opportunities. However, being a speaker who runs a live event business is another story. There are different ways you can make a profit apart from paid speaking events. Today, I’m going to let you in on five different strategies here.

9. Find Your Message and Make an Impact in the World

When it comes to learning how to find your message, remember this: You have a life story to tell, life lessons to teach, and a message to share with the world that can change lives. Your life story is unique, your life lessons are unique, and your message is unique.

Still, how do you go about creating your message from your life story and learning how to speak with confidence and clarity? Find out here.

10. Run Your First Live Event and Make It Profitable

How SMALL live events can generate BIG profits: https://t.co/a83tFnTg8r — Ted McGrath (@ted_mcgrath) September 21, 2017

11. Make Your Message Stand Out

Are you wondering how to make your message stand out when you speak publicly? When I started out, I also wondered the same thing, especially when there’s the same message that others want to share out there too. What I realized is every story is unique. With that said, every way of storytelling is unique too. If you want to learn how I do it, read my message to you here!

12. How to Get Booked as a Speaker on Other People’s Stages

Remember: The key is to get in the game, start doing it, and make it real! Learn more: https://t.co/6RN2Wts0WT . https://t.co/j5DW48CMGA — Ted McGrath (@ted_mcgrath) September 18, 2017

13. Make It Happen

Success is something a lot of people aspire to. If you look around, it may seem easy to define what success is, but then really looking at these observations, you may find yourself asking, “Can anyone succeed?” Yes, you can make it happen .

Before you start improving your public speaking skills, remember to think about why you want to do this. I have always known I wanted to do this, but that didn’t mean I was a great speaker right off the bat. Learn from these tips, start sharing your message to millions, and take that first step into making an impact on other people’s lives!

Share your public speaking experience with me in the comments section below!

Up Next:  5 Authentic Persuasion Techniques To Enroll More Clients In Your Coaching Programs

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ted McGrath

Transformation coach, theater performer, speaker, and best selling author, recent posts, the celebrity edge podcast, episode 7, guest: elena cardone, the celebrity edge podcast, episode 6, guest: deion sanders, the celebrity edge podcast, episode 5, guest: aeneas williams, the celebrity edge podcast, episode 4, guest: julius erving, the celebrity edge podcast, episode 3, guest: willie gault, transformation.

Click on one of the options below to get started

and hear their stories

• © 2022 Ted McGrath Brands, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
• 690 Main Street #1109 Safety Harbor FL 34695-3551
• Contact Us: [email protected]
• PRIVACY POLICY
• LEGAL & POLICIES

Custom Crafted By Quantum

Home Essay Examples Sociology Public Speaking

Life Experience With Public Speaking

• Category Sociology
• Subcategory Communication
• Topic Public Speaking

My earliest memories of public speaking would have to be from my junior or senior year in high school. I remember entering the classroom and as soon as the teacher informed us that presentations were that day, my heart would start racing and my palms would start sweating profusely. Once it was my turn to present, my thought process became overwhelmed and I would draw a blank causing me to read directly from my paper. I began to feel embarrassed, while my face and ears turned a bright red and now the rest of my body started to sweat as I read with a slightly shaken voice. Public speaking has always been a struggle for me because it is outside of my comfort zone.

Over the years I have come to realize the many obstacles I faced when it came to public speaking. Classes I have attended such as Principles of Instruction and a Leader Lead course, through the military, have assisted me in gaining a bit more confidence in my public speaking abilities. I began to realize why my experience from high school was the way it was. In high school, I dreaded speaking in front of the class because I didn’t prepare myself by going over my material and/or practice presenting. Through my military classes I learned how to prepare a presentation, consider the type of audience I was presenting to, and the different forms: informative, persuasive, and demonstrative. These classes forced me to embrace the uncomfortable feeling until it became somewhat comfortable and constructive criticism was given at the end of each presentation.

Our writers can write you a new plagiarism-free essay on any topic

Reflecting, I enjoy a public speaker who is enthusiastic, whose voice demands attention with conviction, and exudes emotion in their words. You can already assume that motivational speakers are probably my favorite. In comparison, my public speaking voice is usually semi-monotone, and I am a bit soft-spoken. I have trouble with not knowing where to place my hands, whether it is in my pockets or entangling them together while I fiddle with my thumbs. I feel awkward being the center of attention while trying to glance at everyone as I am talking, which sometimes causes me to stand still and not make use of the floor space. My hands still get sweaty at times, but I think that’s just a normal occurrence for me. I tend to take longer pauses than needed when I am trying to find my words. I have been informed of my ability to do well on subjects that I am passionate about through critiques. I also think that the size of the group that is being spoken to plays a huge role in my anxiety activating.

Public speaking has been a rollercoaster of a ride. Although I have had many different experiences with public speaking, every experience starts off the same but ends with me feeling a bit more confident about my ability to perform. I still get the feeling of anxiousness, but I try to subside the effects by doing some breathing techniques and visualizing myself succeeding in my speech. Preparing and practicing have greatly helped make presentations a little less worrisome. I have come to realize that I am not alone with the struggle of speaking in public and that if I continue to practice and gain more experiences I will only get better as time progresses.

We have 98 writers available online to start working on your essay just NOW!

Related Topics

Related essays.

By clicking "Send essay" you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

By clicking "Receive essay" you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

We can edit this one and make it plagiarism-free in no time

We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

Module 5: Choosing and Researching a Topic

Finding support for your speech, learning objectives.

Identify the different locations to find support for your speech.

Gathering supporting materials for your speech requires creativity, thoroughness, and careful note-taking. There are many possible sources of evidence or support for your speech. Five of the most common sources are:

• Your Own Experiences
• Others’ Experiences

Academic Research

Internet research.

To these, we could add a sixth:

6. Thinking Outside the Box

Within these categories we can further differentiate between primary sources and secondary sources.

• Primary sources: information that is first-hand or straight from the source; information that is unfiltered by interpretation or editing.
• Secondary sources: information that is not directly from the source; information that has been compiled, filtered, edited, or interpreted in some way.

Personal Experience

If you’re planning to talk about the experiences of someone you know, make sure you have their consent to do so, or change the details of the story enough that the person’s identity cannot be guessed. Even if you’ve concealed the identity of the person involved, it can be problematic to tell others’ stories without their involvement; some stories are just not yours to tell. This question often comes up when artists or authors portray experiences that are not theirs, thus raising the possibility that they are exploiting the story, rather than inhabiting it with artistic empathy. [1] [2] If you want to tell a story to humanize a statistical or social reality, it’s often best to create a hypothetical example, or to use a publicly available source, to avoid any sense you might be exploiting a story to make your point.

To watch: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, “The Danger of a Single Story”

In this powerful and popular TED talk, writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice—and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding. Pay close attention from the 2:51 to the 4:05 mark as she uses a story from her childhood to make her point.

You can view the transcript for “The danger of a single story | Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie” here (opens in new window) .

Academic (or scholarly) research includes materials written by experts reviewed by other experts in their field (also known as peer-reviewed). This type of research typically includes background on a topic and details about a research study and its results. Academic research is published in scholarly journals, dissertations, and professional conference proceedings. You can find academic research and scholarly journals through databases in your college’s library, including Academic OneFile and JSTOR. Google Scholar is a free search engine where you can search for research on a wide range of topics.

Using the search term “resume for college students” in Google Scholar shows thousands of results. The following hit might be a useful article to read for the speech topic:

Be aware that academic research is often quite technical and difficult for a non-expert to understand. If that is the case, the “Abstract” at the beginning of an article or the “Findings” section near the end can provide a clearer summary of the research and findings. Not every speech will need academic research for support, but it can add credibility and depth to your speech.

Using the terms “college student resume” in a Google search shows the article “How to Write a College Student Resume” on the job listing site Indeed.com.

Note, however, the two paid ads above the images. Paid ads probably won’t be relevant to your search, and they will almost certainly try to get you to pay for something (or, at a minimum, sign up for something).

Not every article you read will seem relevant to your speech, but since your topic is probably evolving, keep a careful list of your notes and their sources.

Note : The internet can be a great research tool, but it is also chock-full of errors, misinformation, half-truths, time-sinks, scams, and things that are just plain unpleasant. When using the internet for research, it is  crucial to ask probing questions about the credibility of your source. The next page has in-depth recommendations about assessing whether online sources are credible.

Internet research can provide materials for your main ideas, supporting evidence and examples. Credible articles and websites will also include statements from experts on your topic, whom you can then quote or paraphrase in your speech. Pay attention to any stories, anecdotes, research, and examples you might integrate into your speech. Your internet research will be useful for exploring your topic more broadly and gathering supporting examples that will add depth and personality to your speech.

Students are often surprised at how they can add value to their speeches with interviews. An interview might be a formal situation where you contact an expert, a professor, etc., and schedule a time to ask them specific questions about your speech topic. Alternatively, you might email or text your questions. Contact the interviewee early in your research and be sure to ask questions that aren’t easy to find from other sources. For instance, if you interview a career advisor about resumes, it would be a waste of the advisor’s time to ask what a resume is. Instead, ask interesting questions like, “What are the most common mistakes you see students make on their resumes?” or “What’s one thing you wish more students knew about resumes?” or “How have resumes changed over the past couple years?” Be sure to take careful notes and always follow up with a gracious thank-you note.

Don’t overlook those in your personal network who might have valuable information on your topic. In your research about resumes, you might ask questions of your aunt who works in recruiting at a hospital. Or, you might ask your roommate questions about their recent resume experience applying for an internship.

Thinking Outside the Box

As you gather materials for your speech content, be open to creative ways to gather material that can add value and interest to your speech. Throughout your  research, look for video clips, photos, gifs, memes, etc., that will add energy and interest to your speech. For instance, as you’re researching resumes, you might remember a scene from the 2001 comedy Legally Blonde and tie it into your introduction as a humorous way to introduce common resume mistakes.

Depending on your topic, another type of supporting material might come from polls or questions to connections on social media. You might create a poll that asks about resume experience, or simply ask for stories about good or bad resume experiences. While the results of these polls or questions are not scientific, they can often provide some anecdotes, peer testimonials, or insights you might not have considered.

These outside-the-box materials might be used as a hook in your introduction or as more colorful or personalized support for your main points.

• Holmes, Anna, and James Parker. “Who Gets to Tell Other People's Stories?” The New York Times , The New York Times, 24 May 2016, http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/29/books/review/who-gets-to-tell-other-peoples-stories.html . ↵
• Loughrey, Clarisse. “Who Gets to Tell Other People's Stories? How Madeline's Madeline Explores Exploitation in Art.” The Independent , 13 May 2019, http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/madelines-madeline-jospheine-decker-exploitation-art-vox-lux-a8903951.html . ↵
• Car Mirror Image. Authored by : Dhinal Chheda. Located at : https://flic.kr/p/gVnLEz . License : CC BY: Attribution
• Computer. Located at : https://www.pikrepo.com/fcokz/woman-in-black-hijab-using-computer-in-office . License : CC0: No Rights Reserved
• Screen capture from Legally Blond. License : Other . License Terms : Fair Use
• The danger of a single story | Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Provided by : TED. Located at : https://youtu.be/D9Ihs241zeg . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
• Finding Support for your Speech. Authored by : Susan Bagley-Koyle with Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution