Pitching yourself or your services is a physical act. So, how about making a warm-up of talking to someone else part of your preparation?!
… candidates who are confident and enthusiastic and relaxed get hired. That’s physical stuff, folks!
There are many benefits of a warm-up:
Verbalizing your thoughts helps bring them to life. The physical act of speaking makes it real. Your ideas get in your cells and jazz up (or down) your nervous system. You start feeling what resonates and what moves you. You start to find your voice. You begin to feel the energy of communicating.
You get visible. Speaking to someone gets you out in the daylight. You start to reveal what may be hidden… You take the wrapping paper off your gifts. You shift into the possibility and excitement of being seen. You say, yes, I want to be seen (and if that feels scary then you know it’s a good idea to get in the daylight with a friend before you put your gifts out in the world of social media or internet applications or job interviews). You begin opening to interacting, conversation and relating, which of course is where you ultimately want to land- in front of that person who is going to hire you!
You get clarity about what lands. You shine a light on your gems. Your friendly listener can tell you what they learned, what stood out, words or phrases where you came alive, and places where you trailed off. You get to know where you have gems and where there are diamonds in the rough. As you mine the gems and polish the diamonds, you learn what you want to emphasize and where you have bragging rights.
You get affirmation. Make sure you ask to hear about your strengths! Your listener can tell you what stood out in your stories – everything from what you did and what you brought to a situation to the significance of your impact. Take notes and add them to your brag list (entitled, what makes my work important).
You get new vocabulary. When you ask your listener to tell you what s/he heard you will have new ways of talking about what you do and what you offer. It’s really helpful to have someone paraphrase and summarize. One new word is a gem that can change the way you tell an old story. You’ll find energy in new language.
You get tools and support to help you brag – and that helps your upright posture!
You have been heard. You have been seen. Take in the new language and perspective, the information about where you light up and where you stand out, and the experience of being seen, being acknowledged and being appreciated. Take the energy from the interaction to support you when you deliver your interview responses and marketing pitches. That’s the physical impact that translates into sitting up straight and standing tall
Take in the other person’s words. Feel the impact of their language and perspective and affirmation. Try on new statements like: “I’m told that this is where I shine, My work and skills make a difference in xx.” Claim the headlines and strengths that were mirrored back to you.
Now that you’re in better shape, remember to stand in your strength in your next interview.