5 Ways to Overcome a Fear of Presenting

5 Ways to Overcome a Fear of Presenting He who has overcome his fears will truly be free. Aristotle There are many reasons why we fear presenting to others: fear of humiliation, fear of rejection and fear of failure are just three of the most quoted top ten human fears.  And there’s the issue they are often fantasized and rarely happen. Fear has many uses: some good, some bad. Fear can drive us forward or it can pull us back. Embracing your fears and understanding what drives them allows you to overcome them, and (as Aristotle said over two thousand years ago) be truly free.  So why are we fearful of presenting? One explanation can be found in our own human development. Many thousands of years ago, standing in front of a large group of people could have been a fatal experience. That survival instinct of ‘fight or flight’ remains with us. Luckily modern presentations have softened a little since then. Most importantly fear lets us know that what we are about to do is important. It has worth and meaning. We all know what it feels like to get to the other side of a particular fear, whatever it may be. We feel elated and exhilarated and, above all, alive. So fear can be a way of heightening our experience of life. Joseph Campbell, the American mythologist, famously said, “the cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek”. Many great movies, books and TV series are based around Campbell’s principles the hero must face his or her fear to reach a new state of understanding and it’s no different for the rest of us. Fear helps us to develop and grow. Embrace it! So what about nerves? Adrenaline puts your body into a state of alert. If those nerves become uncontrollable they can cause us to freeze, sweat and lose all powers of thought. Here are five crucial things you can do that will help your nerves work for you and not against you: 1. Breathe: Take a moment to recall a beautiful and calm place and breathe in through your nose, feeling your lungs inflate and your rib cage expanding. Place one hand above your groin as this will help you feel the breath. Slowly and easily exhale through your mouth; continue exhaling until you feel there is nothing left in you.  Breathe in when you feel your body wants to. Do this for fifteen minutes. This will calm you, centre your breath and focus your thoughts. 2. Be present: This is something you can do whilst you are waiting to speak to sharpen your level of awareness. What can you see, hear, smell, touch and feel around you? Try to do this with no judgment. For example if you notice the CEO yawning, that is all you say to yourself, (not the CEO is bored, late, wants the speaker to speed up!). The reason for this is that you are focusing your mind on the ‘now’ and not what is imagined. 3. Visualize: Another highly effective skill used by many of the world’s top athletes to improve their technique â€" is visualization. Days, hours or weeks before your presentation run it over and over in your imagination, visualizing the event going incredibly well, go into detail â€" see what you are wearing, see yourself answering those really difficult questions effortlessly. Repeat this as often as you like and keep improving and editing your own private scene. You can do this anywhere â€" walking the dog, in the shower, going for a run. 4. Move: Movement will disperse the adrenaline in the body. So if you are lucky enough to be able to run, jump or skip before speaking â€" then just do it. Moving around your stage whilst you are presenting will also help. Like an actor on stage, find your reasons to move. Get a drink, point out a detail on a slide or approach you audience. 5. Focus on your audience: We are often nervous because we focus on ourselves. “What if I forget, or they don’t laugh” etc. How can you help your audience and channel your energy out to them and not back into your own head. Think of it as a conversation. How would you like your audience to feel? Excited, challenged, under pressure, supported, there are hundreds of different ways your audience can be affected by your message. Be clear what they could be. Finally, always remember everyone wants your presentation to go well. No one wants to be bored or irritated. The vast majority of people want you to succeed and to feel they spent their time well listening to you. The recently departed Nelson Mandela once said: I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. RELATED: Are YOU Wired to Be the Best? Author:  Josh Hansen is a writer who covers a wide range of employment and digital (sometimes together) topics.

@AGCAS Produces Recruiting International Students - A Guide for Employers

@AGCAS Produces Recruiting International Students - A Guide for Employers With the ever-increasing bureaucracy and slap in the face international students in the UK face, its nice to see that professional bodies are working towards sharing expert knowledge and support to help recruiters and companies in the UK. Almost every company in the UK now states that the applicant (for any role) has to have the right to stay and work in the UK. And the Home Office will not issue international students work visas, unless they have a job. This vicious circle means that the UK misses out on a lot of international talent and international students and graduates miss out on a lot of opportunities. Now AGCAS has produced the Recruiting International Students A Guide For Employers, which really is one of the best, clearest and most concise guides we have seen. The Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services (AGCAS) is the professional body for careers and employability professionals working with prospective students, students and graduates in Higher and Further Education. It covers some of the most common issues and misconceptions surrounding the employment of international students and graduates, as demonstrated by the excerpt below: The above is an image from the excellent Recruiting International Students A Guide For Employers.  You can  download the guide  from the AGCAS website. It is free to download and no sign-up is required. For those of you who would like some initial expert advice on recruiting international students, AGCAS has teamed up with the specialist immigration law firm Carter Thomas. 6

How to Make the Most Out of Your LinkedIn Relationships [FB LIVE] - Classy Career Girl

How to Make the Most Out of Your LinkedIn Relationships [FB LIVE] Hey ladies! I am super excited because this month of August we are going to be spending a lot of time talking about how to find your dream career, job searching, and figuring out what your passion is. Every Tuesday, Im  going to be on Facebook live to answer one of your questions. Today were talking about  LinkedIn  and how to make the most out of your current LinkedIn relationships. Todays question is from Erin Ford: Im switching careers and doing my best to network via LinkedIn. What are some tangible ways I can get the most out of these relationships? How do I e-approach them, and what questions should I ask? First of all, LinkedIn is changing dramatically. Is anyone else noticing this? Let me tell you the changes Im seeing on Linkedin: I used to not get that many messages on LinkedIn, but these days Im getting  a lot  of spam. Its making me a) really annoyed, and b) really careful with who Im responding to and how much time I spend interacting with people on LinkedIn. In the messages Im getting, you can almost always tell theyre copy-pasted, self-promos, or automated emails, and it just turns me away. Im also getting messages from people who are sending something to me every single day, like a link to a helpful article  that I think you would like every single day. I actually just end up  unconnecting/unfriending them because it is so annoying. So, all that to say, LinkedIn is changing, and its more important than ever to stand out if you want to make the most out of your LinkedIn relationships. For example, Erin is using LinkedIn to make her career transition, so its really important she stands out to important connections. I want to tell you 3 different steps you can take today to really make the most out of your LinkedIn relationships.   How to Make the Most Out of Your LinkedIn Relationships 1.  Find Connections In Your Target Position First, I want you to find people on LinkedIn who are in roles that you really want to  have someday; people you really want to meet. I would also search your connections connections to look for mutual connections they could introduce you to. For example, someone was looking for a mentor and messaged me about it on LinkedIn. I told her to feel free to look through my connections and Id be happy to introduce her to someone, but I put that work onto her to actually look through my connections (because there are a lot!). If someone looked through my connections and said, Hey, Anna, I would really like to connect to so-and-so I would quickly connect them. Dont be afraid to ask your connections for introductions! They will almost always be more than happy to help you. I would also look through groups: people you want to talk to or meet, people in positions you want,  people  who would be beneficial to add to your network, and who other people you already know (mutual connections) could introduce you to. 2. Send an Informational Interview Note Next, ask for an informational  interview. Send them a note with some brief information on who you are and how you learned about them. Give  them some reason that you’re similar, (ex. youre in the same group, someone referred you to them, you have a mutual connection or interest) so they know how you found them. Tell them why youre contacting them. Here is a template you can use to contact them: Dear (Name of Person) I am currently an MBA student at the Rady School of Management at University of California, San Diego. My career counselor at the Rady School suggested I contact you to conduct an informational interview. My passion and desire is to become (your career target) and your background and experience will be invaluable to me as I pursue my career. At your convenience, I would like to schedule a 15-minute informational meeting with you in person or over the phone. The purpose of the meeting is to gather additional information that will better assist me with my career decisions. Thank you for considering my request. Thanks, (Your Name and contact information) Feel free to use this exact template! It works every time.  Ive used it over and over again. In 2011, I did a networking challenge and I conducted 50 + informational interviews in that year using this exact same template. Notice that Im only taking 15 minutes of their time.  People are busy, right? Time is valuable and a lot can happen in 15 to 30 minutes. We just want to ask for a quick 15 minutes of their time. 3. Get Them on The Phone or Meet in Person Focus on getting that person on the phone or meeting them in person. Online networking is great, LinkedIn is great, but the value that youre getting is  making that online connection in real life. So talk to them over the phone or meet them for coffee. People really do want help you, but you have to ask! So, to summarize: 1. Look through your connections. Find people in careers you want or people you really want to meet. Look through groups or join some groups! You can join at least 50 groups, so I highly recommend joining groups in your industry or in your location. You can also look through your current  connections connections  to look for people they could introduce you to. 2. Ask for an informational interview. Use this template I gave you! It really does work. Tell them why youre contacting them and what you want to be. In order to do these informational interviews, people want to know that theyre actually going to help you. They want to know that youre clear and focused on where youre going and that their input will actually be of value to you. 3. Ask for 15 minutes of their time and get them on the phone or meet them in person. If they dont respond, or if they are too busy, its fine! Theyre probably not the kind of people you want in your network anyway, so dont get bummed. I think youll find that youll actually get a lot more responses than you expect! So if you want more LinkedIn tips or advice, we have a whole e-book that I put together for you! You can download that here: The Practical Guide to LinkedIn:  How to Find Your Next Job on LinkedIn! Also, on September 5th we are holding a 4-part virtual workshop to determine what your dream career is. You can grab your free spot here: The Get Unstuck Workshop

Imagine That Doing Life Awake!

Imagine That Doing Life Awake! Remember the time you were driving and suddenly jarred back to awareness?  You know you got on the road but at some point you zoned out and whatever happened between point A and point B is a blank. What part of you was driving?  How did you drive without consciously thinking about it? Weve all had experiences like this.  So, how much of life are we missing?  Since were able  to function in this almost absent state of mind, whos in charge!?  And, how can we tap into whatever is in charge? Heres how to start. Intuition By Any Other Name Serendipity.  Coincidence. Synchronicity.  And a whole host of new age buzz words and phrases.  As mysterious as it all seems, these are all part of the programs, powers, and abilities that are in all of us. Its unfortunate that all these are wrapped up as though they are some great secret. The good news is that they all relate to what weve commonly referred to as intuition.  And intuition isnt something thats exclusive to women. In How Women Decide, Therese Huston showed that both men and women use what we call intuition.   The difference, she concludes, is more about culturally-learned roles than anything else.  We all have the ability to listen, or not, to the information feed from our brain and then process it consciously. So intuition isnt a quirky little voice that occasionally pops up.  Its simply the times when we make the connection to the same source that guides us unconsciously down the road.  And is collecting all kinds of information of which were mostly unaware. Tapping Into Intuition So how do we learn to tap into the dashboard of our brain?  A lot is simply a matter of deciding to pay attention.  Since youll be the observer or student in this process, you might even want to take a few notes.  As you keep closer track of the messages, suggestions, and ways youve been subconsciously choosing your path, itll become easier to make connections.  Being clear about the path youve taken makes it easier to see where the path youre on leads. As you do this, youll begin to realize that what you previously thought was just coincidence is much more than just chance.  Theyre actually often the result of your subconscious choices and subsequent path that brought you to the present moment.  And youll find yourself smiling in awe rather than raising an eyebrow in doubt and question. I recently found a great resource for anyone who wants to explore the concept of coincidence more deeply.  If you want a course in awakening your awareness and connecting to your intuition in a wonderful new way, check out Dr. Bernard Beitmans book Connecting With Coincidence.  Its a great read and youll come away with a lot of new aha! moments. Taking Control of Your Journey Weve all  learned to  use GPS to guide us from place to place.  At first, it was a fascinating new toy that helped us get around.  As it became more familiar, and trusted, it became a part of daily life. Imagine connecting to and fully activating the built-in GPS you have in your subconscious.  To be more fully aware of all the sensory input youre receiving.  And then, imagine how much more exciting your journey of life will be as you realize the buffet of choices you have each and every moment! Images: Awake? Anders Sandberg

What is the Role of Your Resume Headline?

What is the Role of Your Resume Headline?Resume headline is an important part of a resume. It tells a potential employer about the type of work experience the candidate has. A recruiter is looking for key skills that can make a difference in the future job duties and experience. Hence, it should show the candidate's personality and potentials.Answering 'how to write a resume headline' is quite easy and straightforward. Firstly, you need to know what your resume headline is going to do for you. So, first of all, you need to determine what your resume headline is designed to convey. After that, you need to consider different ways on how to improve your resume headline.For instance, if your resume is designed to showcase your achievements and accomplishments, your profile part will be most important. Your resume headline should reflect your desired target audience. If you are seeking a job at a large company, your resume title will need to contain the words 'to top the ladder'. Similarl y, if you are aspiring to work as a manager, your resume title needs to emphasize on a descriptive phrase.Resume titles should be thought out carefully and should be written in such a way that they convey a sense of urgency. The title of your resume should be concise and to the point. It should not overwhelm the reader. Also, your resume headline should be non-ambiguous and clear. This is to make sure that your resume is easy to understand and read.Another aspect that plays a crucial role in improving your resume headline is the manner of speaking. If you use written English, then your resume title is bound to be effective. However, sometimes, the best way to display your skills is through your speaking abilities. If you have the potential to speak clearly and confidently, then your resume title will work better. Some experts believe that the resume title must communicate the message about the job and it should not be too general.Most employers, especially in large organizations, co nsider top level performance, work experience and character of the applicant in making hiring decisions. Employers prefer candidates who demonstrate their commitment, seriousness and are confident to work under pressure. Your resume title is the single best piece of information that the recruiter can provide. Therefore, it is important that your resume to highlight your leadership, skill and potential.Writing an effective resume headline is easy. You can copy the resume of your friend or colleague, which is a good idea because they might have done it before. If not, you can search for tips online or read up on some of the best resume writing services. This will make the task more manageable.To summarize, resume headline is an important aspect of your resume and should be improved. It is important to make your resume appealing to the recruiter.

What if changing your mind, changed the outcome

What if changing your mind, changed the outcome I am completely enthralled with the XXIX Olympic Games. I find it tremendously uplifting to watch people stretch themselves and rise to the occasion.In particular, Ive been struck by the comments of US swimmer Jason Lezak. (If you havent been watching, Jason swam the last leg of the 4X100 Meter Freestyle Relay and miraculously brought home the gold for his team.)Jason said that at the last turn he could see his leading opponent was a full body length ahead. His first reaction was, Ill never catch him. But then something amazing happened Jason changed his mind. He said to himself, Thats ridiculous. This is is the Olympics.It was with that thought in mind that Jason swam a full second and a half faster than ever before. He not only caught the leader but surpassed him and won the gold. Later Jason would say that he was just tired of losing.Jason not only furthered his own dream that day but contributed to Michael Phelps amazing achievement of the most goal medals of all time.We may not all be Olympic athletes but we can all change our minds to be more supportive of ourselves and our achievements. What if your mindset could change your situation? What if instead of losing out on your next interview or next promotion or next opportunity you instead thought only of doing what you needed to do to win?Id love to hear your stories. What would you like to change your mindset about? Has changing your mind changed the outcome for you?

How to prepare for your job search - Sterling Career Concepts

How to prepare for your job search How to prepare for your job search How to Prepare for Your Job Search Wondering how to prepare for your job search?  Just like with any other project, you need the right tools to help you succeed in your job search: An updated, targeted résumé A “complete” LinkedIn profile with at least 150 connections Cover letters  that can be customized for particular job postings Answers to the top 20 interview questions you might be expected to answer And finally, thank you (or more appropriately, follow up) letters You wouldn’t go into battle unarmed, so don’t go into a job search unprepared. There are many free and low-cost resources online to get you started with each of these items, including all of the information-rich posts right here on the Sterling Career Concepts blog. Sterling also offers paid services to turn your job search stress into job search success. Email Laurie  directly  for a customized proposal on how to  start moving your search forward today.  Lets do this!