Eloquence is the art of expressing yourself with ease, emotion, and conviction. It also means exposing yourself to the gaze and judgment of others, but above all, it is a matter of sincerity. It is a skill that is often innate and necessary to the legal profession (lawyers) and journalism, but also to all professions that involve a relationship with clients, as they must be effective in the outcome of their conversations.
This exercise requires overcoming your fears and preparing yourself to have a structured discussion that is listened to and appreciated. I must say, it is much less comfortable than the written word!
Mastering your rhetoric is the key to being effective and getting your message across, but also to gaining charisma and leadership.
Our objective is to give you the essential notions to be efficient and, if you like it, why not continue your learning of “ORATORY ART” by building your character and style.
→ Prepare for your interview by mastering your topic
Organise your ideas, structure, and write your speech – make it your own. Learn your introduction and conclusion off by heart. Avoid digressing or getting lost and make sure you deliver a single message around a strong idea.
A mastered technique will allow you to present the subject, the facts, then the argument and the conclusion.
The subject and the conclusion must be MEMORABLE.
The facts and argument must be CONVINCING.
Work on your “punchline” to make an impression.
→ Adapt to the speaker and use the same jargon.
Words must be understood so use the same language as the person you are speaking to. For example, use appropriate professional vocabulary to show that you are comfortable with technical or common terms, and so that your speech has an impact.
Avoid and correct language tics: too often we hear “um” or ‘uh’ at the beginning or end of sentences and that can break the rhythm and clarity of your speech!
Work on the INFORMATION, yes, but YOU are just as important:
→ Manage your stress as well as possible and have confidence in yourself.
Believe in yourself, and be reassured. Playing with your personality, your appearance, and expressing yourself with sincerity and authenticity will allow you to considerably improve your performance and the scope of your speech.
→ Don't recite your speech, LIVE IT!
Use and control your voice, find your tone, and your own way of expressing yourself with your personality. Don’t curb your emotions – play with your “pathos” to reveal your personality, and your panache. To do this, use anecdotes, testimonials, or a story of your success.
Having an audible voice, an appropriate rhythm, and a warm presence, are all elements that will keep your interviewer on the phone!
→ Don't forget THE POSTURE
The verbal message is inseparable from the corporal message and the image that one sends back, it is thus imperative to align your body language with your eloquence.
Good posture helps you to capture the audience’s gaze, and depending on the professional environment in which you are in or the message you want to convey, you will have to adapt your posture and your gestures (be wary of: exiting with arms folded, having your hand in front of your mouth when speaking, looking down when speaking, and nervously playing with a pen).
→ Work on your pitch, rehearse your speech
Practise in front of your friends and family to get your speech down to the last word. Filming yourself is an excellent method that will allow you to have a faithful reproduction of your performance (your voice, your gestures, your hesitations etc.) and thus identify your areas for improvement.
This exercise will also allow you to manage your time. Everything counts in the first 30 seconds.
Finally, to make it definitively meaningful, get inspired by TEDtalks (Technology Entertainment and Design) which is a good introduction to successful speaking.
And to go further, CrossRoads suggests you work on your performance in the interview, to manage your stress and to develop your confidence and your self-esteem to capture the attention of the recruiter.
CrossRoads, the “training and personal development” division of the recruiting firm SP SEARCH, offers tailor-made solutions to stimulate your potential, restore your confidence, and create the perfect combination between your skills, your personality and your professional goals. A multidisciplinary team of experts will help you to reshuffle your cards and to identify what you are made for, but above all, to accompany you at each stage of your development.
In practical terms, CrossRoads means :
⌯ A training program “Chase your dream job” to get the job that suits you.
⌯ A program of introspection and self-awareness to enable you to “Assess the situation” and to give a meaning to your career (professional assessment, skills assessment, assessments).
⌯ An individual coaching program “My personal coach” to find solutions with the help of experts in their field (HR, recruiters, lawyer, negotiation consultant, training in English, support in setting up a company, etc.).
