Public Speaking Jobs
Public speaking can be a lucrative career for anyone passionate about their area of expertise and want to share their knowledge with others. Getting over the fear of speaking in public is the main deterrent to success, but can be overcome with certain exercises and of course, with practice.
A career in Public Speaking may seem daunting at first. But as far as jobs go, this is one area that is basically recession proof and as you become more proficient in your speaking abilities, the need for your skills will increase.
And exactly where do you find speaking engagements that you might qualify for?
First, get involved with local organizations such as your Chamber of Commerce, Toastmaster’s club (this will hone your speaking skills and help you get over speaking fears), local community organizations and trade organizations that specialize in your particular area of expertise. Say you are in the financial business. You would want to join any organizations that promote the financial trade to get ideas for speaking engagements.
Opportunities abound if you Google your particular specialty. Also, when you blog on any site, make sure you promote yourself as being available to speak at various venues. Having your own web page is probably one of the best things you can do to promote your services. Also, having business cards with your information on them is essential: hand them out every chance that you get, including leaving them on the table as you leave a restaurant or handing them out to retailers. Make sure that your resume is up to date and even if you have not had many (or any) speaking opportunities in the past, highlight areas in your career where you had to speak at meetings or give presentations to employees or managers of companies. Make sure that the resume reflects your expertise of the subject you wish to talk about. Use your imagination and spread the word about your interest of speaking as you go about your daily activities.
Provide paper and pens as well as water, coffee and tea for your guests when you are going to give a speech. People love to take notes. If you have written a book or an article relating to your topic, have copies available to hand out or sell at the end of the event. It is best not to hand out too much material prior to your speech as you might distract your audience. Save it for the end of the speech. Prepare a list of questions that the audience might pose at the end of the speech and know the answers.
Public speaking requires a confidence that a lot of people just don’t have. Passion about your subject and about people, as well as a sense of humor is essential. Every public speaker has a couple of good jokes or anecdotes up their sleeve. Beginning your speech in front of an audience with a short joke or a funny story loosens up your audience.They begin to identify with you and feel that they can relate to the topic matter. Sprinkle a few more stories in with the rest of your speech, and your audience will be hooked.
Speaking in a loud, clear voice with lots of eye contact with your audience and variances in your speech pattern are essential. Don’t rely on notes too much. Using charts or Power Point presentations are always helpful. Summing up the most essential details of your presentation at the end of your speech is imperative.
The most important aspect of Public Speaking is knowing your subject matter and loving to talk about it. Whether you are a public servant, a writer, a financial whiz, or an expert in any field whatsoever…you can find work as a Public Speaker. But be overly prepared and don’t let your speech last so long that you lose your audience’s attention. Offer fifteen minute breaks, if necessary and try to keep a smile on your face, your voice clear, and your words sincere. These are the things that will make or break your new career as a Public Speaker.
