If you have an interview or a presentation, you probably have a lot of emotions, especially if it is one of the first experiences of this kind. Find out in this article what you can do to eliminate emotions when you have an interview or speech.
Why we have emotions and what is happening in our body
Researchers have found that our thoughts often generate emotions. This means that two people may have different emotions, even if the same thoughts generate them.
When you have a speech or an interview, it can be challenging to manage your emotions. These feelings are generated by the fear of not being seen in a worse way, the fear of showing yourself vulnerable in front of others.
A typical reaction to such a presentation is speech anxiety. Millions of people experience it from nerves or "butterflies" before speaking to extreme self-awareness and complete panic. The fear of public speaking can manifest itself in many ways, but a visible symptom is a physical response the speaker experiences.
Your body's reaction to any situation of fear can be intense. This is one of the reasons why speech anxiety is such an uncomfortable and seemingly insoluble problem. (Another factor is the inadequacy of the body's response: public speaking is not a dangerous situation, although if you have a phobia of speech, you experience it that way.)
What happens in our body when we have emotions? Stress is a significant factor that causes us to feel negative emotions in our bodies. They can look like this:
Accelerated heartbeats. When the brain receives stress signals, it triggers the adrenal glands to create adrenaline and cortisol. As these hormones are released, your heart reacts by speeding up your heartbeat, which explains your heart rate.
Difficulty breathing. When your body is stressed, it responds by giving you more oxygen so that your body can receive more blood. Unfortunately, this increase in oxygen can start to do the opposite of what you would expect, causing you to breathe fast and even hyperventilate.
Five tricks to get rid of emotions in a job interview
The interview's outcome generally depends on the degree of preparation and self-control. Often there will be no entirely correct answers, and the decisive factor for a company to choose between candidates is the candidate's ability to display his skills and project an image of confidence and self-control.
Here are some suggestions to help you enhance your self-control:
- Be aware of body language and posture. Avoid twisting your back or looking at the ground; constant movement of the legs, feet, or hands may indicate nervousness and insecurity.
- Control your tone of voice. The tone of your voice must be compatible with the situation. The tone of voice must be clear, modulated, and firm enough to be heard. If you control your tone of voice, your words and arguments will be more credible.
- Use good diction. Speak slowly, avoid complicated words (especially if the job interview is in another language), and consider that speaking too fast or taking long breaks can ruin the clarity of what you want to say.
- Your look and attention. Turning your gaze to the eyes of the person you are talking to will make her perceive respect and attention during the interview. This will help show interest in the message as well as the information that is being exchanged.
- Watch out for gestures. Gestures are essential when transmitting an idea, and there must be a congruence between what you say and what you express through gestures. One gesture can cause your message to lose credibility, effectiveness, or impact.
- Smile. A "natural" smile is a crucial component through which you can project: sincerity, positivism, empathy, trust, and peace of mind.
- Picture. Ensure the clothes and accessories align with the organization's dress code. The recruiter must perceive you as someone who cares about hygiene and appearance.
- Do not rush. When faced with a difficult question, take the time to formulate a coherent answer. You can ask the recruiter to rephrase the question (if you didn't fully understand it) or ask for a little more information or background to make your answer more assertive.
Tricks to get rid of emotions when you speak in public
Here are some tricks to get rid of emotions when you speak in public:
Understand your audience: Ask yourself who your audience is, your purpose, and why you care. Caring for your subject will help you have the right emotions when you connect with your subject.
Consider the emotions around your audience: no matter how much you want to push your limits, you should avoid going too far. You can do this by repeating it with someone else before the presentation. In addition, you can choose another anecdote instead of your story that overwhelms you with emotions to emphasize the same point. Such a story will attract less emotion.
Get back on track: Avoiding emotions in your presentation may be impossible. So, look for ways to get back when you're overwhelmed, such as breaks and breathing, drinking some water, and adding an emotional story at the end of the performance to avoid leaving the stage without completing the speech or presentation.
Please stay on the other side of the stage: some new presenters prefer to present their presentation behind the podium rather than in the standard-setting of the stage, which makes them feel less exposed. However, moving to the opposite side of the stage will bring you closer to your participants. You can also consider moving around the room to get their attention.
Vary the pace of remarks: avoid talking monotonously, but rather speed up or slow down when speaking. Avoid using the same speed of speech throughout the presentation. Your audience will notice when you change gears and focus on the delivered material.
Pause: Reduce your voice when you want the audience to focus on a certain point. For example, a delay in silence or a descent close to a whisper will cause participants to concentrate intensely or be curious to hear the conclusion. The break will help them anticipate your response.
Enter an analogy or story to illustrate your point of view: your audience may get bored of your dry or technical presentation. For example, a management team's representation of the engineering department is very detailed. So use a real-world parallel when explaining a particular point.
Influential speakers aim to ensure that their audience pays attention to their content. They want to educate, inform and inspire people and can only do so by capturing their attention and re-interacting with them where needed.
