Properly Presenting Yourself

Properly Presenting Yourself 

By: Emily Larrabee

We have all had to give a presentation in class or give an elevator pitch in front of recruiters. These events cause nerves to arise, which causes blockage between your mouth and your brain, making you to say things you do not really mean. Here are some tips to properly present yourself:

Shoulders back, stand up straight- No one is going to take you seriously if you have poor posture. By pulling your shoulders back and standing up straight, it makes you look approachable and gives you the feeling of confidence. If you can fake confidence for a few minutes, it will get you far when presenting yourself.

DO NOT say um, so, like, yeah, or curse- When using filler words constantly during a conversation or presentation, it sounds like you cannot organize your thoughts. Make sure you do not rush yourself and make sure you know what you want to say before you say it. Also, if you tend to swear, make sure you are able to filter your words before speaking. Nothing makes you look worse then cursing during presentations or an interview. 

Avoid Fidgeting- It is ok to be nervous during a presentation or interview, but you want to try to avoid showing your nerves to your audience. Fidgeting or stuttering can take your audience’s attention away from what your main point is. Again, confidence needs to be shown and fidgeting shows a lack of confidence. 

Speak Up- Do not be as quiet as a mouse when talking to your audience, but also do not talk so loud that people across the street could hear you. You want to make sure people hear what you have to say and that you are excited about what you are talking about. Also try to avoid mumbling. It shows that you are not confident in what you have to say and that can turn people off during a presentation or interview. 

Again, it is ok to be nervous when talking in front of a large group or an interviewer. It is perfectly normal for that feeling to occur, but have the confidence to get your point across. Everyone has been in your shoes. If you feel like you are lacking confidence, fake it till you make it.