How to handle pressure during presentation and interview ?
Can you tell me some sysstematic practice/exercies to hanlde following problems that are in my nature now and these habits has destriyed my interviews and presentations.
1)I am full of angry and tensed facial expressions during interviews and presentation
2)Fail to convey my message
3)Darkness appear in front of my mind and i dont understand what other persons area saying .I just become frightened.
Can you tell em some systemtic way to handle these problems?
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
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Thanks in advance.
An fresh graduate
Clarification added March 23, 2010:
Mr Ed Han:
Please go in more detail regarding anger management.
I shall be happy if you people suggest me some exercises to keep laser focused and avoid tension in highly pressured environment
Good Answers (1)
Sreekalyana C K.
Software Development Lead at VSD, LLC
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1. Start preparing for the interview in advance.
2.Gather the needed information, organize it well.
3.Go through the information, take your time to understand and digest it.
4.If you need to present it or converse with others, practice in front of a mirror.
5.Practice before your friends and well wishers and ask for their feedback.
6.Keep working on your flaws until you get it right.
7. Keep your cool and don't let small things distract you.
8.Don't get tense even if you don't understand what others are saying,just ask them to repeat the question/query.
9. Take a bottle of water if your mouth dries up.
10.Go to the rest room before the interview,so you don't have to be bloated during the interview.
11. Just before the interview, just think about some of your greatest achievements.
12.Remind yourself that no matter what happens you will maintain your cool, and take your time to answer questions.
13. You will always have another shot at everything, if not this time there will be another one.
14. Always enter the interview room with a smile(try it you will feel better).
15.Try to be as friendly as possible,be gentle and courteous.
16.At the end of the interview thank the people for their patience and time.
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Ed H.
Wordsmith with proven ability to translate business objectives into communications strategies and tactics
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Sultann, I think that everything you describe arises from the anger and the expression of it. I think it's very important to understand why you are so angry, what is it that triggers your anger, and how can you calm down.
Therefore, when it happens, I would suggest:
1. When you are angry, pause and take a few seconds to take a deep breath, relax. The person with whom you are meeting wants to know what you have to communicate. What you have to communicate can be helpful to him or her, so remember that you are trying to help that person.
2. Do not fear silence: people fear silence unnecessarily. Make use of the silence: it can make you a more effective communicator. Use a stalling technique if necessary to allow you to gather your thoughts.
3. Once you are calm, you will likely find you can recall what you were asked or what point you were trying to make. Continue smoothly.
However, I really think you should consider trying to find the source or your anger and addressing it in some fashion, to make these steps unnecessary.
Christine H.
Do you have your copy of my FREE Report yet? Get "Top 10 Linked Profile Success Secrets" now at: goo.gl/beKnU
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Research the company and the position, list questions you want to ask, remember this is your opportunity to interview the company as well ... and breathe.
Monica M. P.
Expertise: Operational Efficiencies & Margin Enhancements
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1. Facial Expressions - it sounds like you hold the tension you are feeling in your face and it comes across as anger. Step one: Fully prepare for the situation to the extent that you even consider what to say and do if embarrassed - know your material and prepare your answers so that you can recite them in your sleep backwards and forwards. Step two: Practice in front of a mirror and work on taking deep breaths or smiling to see which action has the best result for you. Step three: Right before visualize the whole experience - see yourself calm and smiling - see everything going well in your mind.
2. Message: Practive will help with this, but add one more step here, take a deep breath whic will allow you time to calm and gather your thoughts and then respond slowly and deliberately as you exhale.
3. Active Listening: It's okay to ask for clarification so if you don't understand what they are asking - repeat what they just said the way you heard it and ask if that is what they mean - then deep breath and answer.
Be sure to practice and work on whatever you seem to be bad at. For example, if you go through a fake interview with a friend and something pops out at you and gets you nervous, ask yourself why.
And remember, a bad interview isn't the end of the world. Everyone gets nervous and they really aren't thinking negatively of you as a human being. And if they are, you don't want to work with them anyway.
Greg O.
Forget Public Speaking 101 - This is Presentation Training. REDEFINED. VP at Turpin Communication
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Sultann,
What you’ve described is what we call being in the funhouse. It is, of course, no fun at all. Your mind goes blank, you can’t see straight, words come out all wrong, and you seem to have no control over the muscles in your face. And the longer it goes on, the worse it gets.
I agree with the advice of others here, but it takes time and focus to overcome the type of anxiety you’ve described.
You may want to check out this online course we developed for people suffering from these issues. It’s called “Managing Nervousness & Engaging Listeners.” In it we describe the path to overcoming these fears.
Use promo code {linkedin20} (no brackets) to receive 20% discount.
Links:
David P.
IT Operations Manager at Opera Solutions
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Why would you be full of anger?
The best way to overcome any issues in presenting is to practice, practice and practice. It does not have to be in a business setting. Pick a social setting and talk in front of people.
For interviews, go on every one your can manage even if you are not fully interested or qualified. You get practice honing your interviewing skills and who knows, you could end up liking the opportunity.
Get feedback from people you trust. Make sure it is honest and constructive. If your family is only going to say nice things, then find someone more objective.
Good luck,
David
David M.
Digital marketing specialist who enhances revenue...
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The keys are research, preparation, knowledge and confidence. Know the topic, organize your thoughts and prepare verbally expressing your knowledge. This should give you confidence and that confidence should be reflected in your body language.
The issue has been addressed in great detail here. I'm going to use a few of them myself. So thanks for asking the question.
My only other tip is going to sound simple, but it's a basic one: smile.
Fake it if you have to. Try to engage the interviewer in small talk prior to the main event...it may begin to relax you before the vital questions are asked. Take a look around the person's desk...any signs reflecting their interests? For example, golf (to use a stereotypical example). Possibly ask a light question related to it. It may even provoke a small joke on behalf of the interviewer, which may help to relax you.
All the other comments are excellent. Breathing exercises are also great.
J. Anthony C.
Experienced Surveyor, Consultant, Speaker, Trainer, Author & Officer of LSPS & NSPS
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Many of these answers are related directly at or immediately prior to your problems.
If you have time, may I suggest a more general route?
Try some stretching and relaxation exercises. Yoga comes to mind.
"Centering" one's mind and body are very beneficial for dealing with stress and helpful with maintaining control of body and emotion.
There are others, too.
Best wishes,
JAC
Randall W.
Advertising, Public Relations, Training, Trade Show Exhibits, Corporate Event Planning, Video Production
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In addition to the great advice you have already received, the three presentation articles linked below should answer your questions and provide you with more helpful information.
Links:
Hans M. H.
Experienced Communication, Training & Development Executive
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You have already received a lot of excellent suggestions above. I'm sorry that being in an interview situation or having to present is so unnerving for you. The two situations are somewhat different, but I would nevertheless suggest two things: 1) prepare, prepare, prepare: practice your speech in front of a mirror so you can see your own expression. The more familiar you are with the content, the easier it will be to deliver it. As for Interviews, imagine the questions you might be asked. Write them down and have a friend ask them to you. Answer them and practice that way. 1) Your so called angry expression is due to nervousness and fear. As soon as you start feeling fear, briefly close your eyes and take a deep breath. Someone suggested practicing smiling. Do that at home in front of the mirror, for 10-15 minutes a day, just smile at yourself. on the way to the interview or presentation, you could even put a pen between your teeth to help you. We have something called the facial feedback loop and forcing your facial muscles to emulate a smile will actually improve your mood and make you happier. 2) again, preparation. When you first think about your message, try to condense it as much as possible, ideally express what you try to say with just one word. If that's impossible, write down a single sentence. It is only when you know exactly what it is you're trying to say that you can convey that to others. It'll take some practice. 3) This is quite common among people who are afraid of speaking in public. For most, practice helps. However, if you really feel that none of the steps described above and by the other replies help, you may want to talk to a counselor. There are people who have developed a fobia that can be treated using e.g. cognitive therapy, but that should be determined by a professional. Best of luck! Hans
From the interview perspective, I would try to gain a fuller appreciation of the whole experience and start by putting yourself in the shoes of the interviewer. Get yourself absorbed in the process by volunteering to sit-in on interviews to gain an appreciation of what is like to perform on the other side of the table thereby building your own confidence leading to improvements in your interview performance.
Geoff F.
"Hands-on" Software Architect and Senior Developer
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Understand the place you are interviewing. What are their needs? Do their needs coincide with yours? Then when you go to the interview, assume you don't know the answer to these questions and ask the interviewer questions that give you an answer. Next, what do you do well? What are your contributions? Give the interviewer a chance to find out in their own way but then, before the interview is complete, make sure you expose these things (Unless you discover from asking questions that these things are not important to them).
Consider that you may not want the job. Take the approach in your mind that the purpose of the interview is not to decide if this company is best or if you are the best guy but if this relationship is mutually beneficial. Put your best foot forward but be honest. Getting hired for a job that really doesn't fit is my concept of hell ... don't be so far from who you really are that you succeed, winning a job you ultimately don't want.
When you feel what you call Darkness, Pause, think, ask for clarification. You will appear thoughtful, considerate, interested. If you find yourself talking really fast, take this step as well.
Pay attention to where you look. If you pause to think, make sure your face is still open to the interviewer and your eyes still looking in their direction.
Patricia N.
Social Media Strategist recognized by Forbes
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Sultann, from the wording of your question it would suggest English is not your first language. Is that part of the barrier you are facing ~ not clearly being able to answer what you are asked because of the language barrier? Of course I don't know what types of positions you are applying for but perhaps that is also something you might want to investigate.
Links:
Christine C.
Presentation skills trainer for experts who want to broaden their impact
Sultann,
I'd bet that your angry / tense facial expressions are a result of nervousness. Don't worry; you're not alone. Most people giving presentations or interviewing for jobs get nervous. Here are a few tips to address anxiety you have before your interviews:
1. Rehearse likely questions. Ideally, you would be able to do this with a coach and view your performance on video so you can identify your communication strengths and areas to focus on. The practice also will help you think on your feet more effectively during the actual interview.
2. Visualize success. Before your interview, create a mental image of you answering interview questions with ease and getting a positive reaction from your interviewer. This will give you confidence going into the actual interview.
3. Warm up before you speak. Just like an athlete wouldn't line up at the start of a race without warming up and stretching their muscles, you shouldn't start a speech or go to an interview without stretching your neck, shoulders, back, etc. and doing some tongue twisters to get your voice and mouth warmed up.
4. Smile. When you speak, make sure you smile. This will help address the issue of angry / tense expressions. It'll also make you look friendly and confident.
Good luck!
