CMS 319: Business and Professional Speaking

You will select a position to “apply” for by either 1) finding an appropriate advertisement or 2) creating a job description for your ideal position. Your audience (classmates) will be the members of the organization who will interview you for the position. Using the qualifications described in the ad/description, you will plan a 3 to 5 minute presentation designed to explain why you are a qualified, ideal candidate for the position. You will complete the following steps:

• Select a position advertisement or prepare a job description (see instructions below).
• Plan the presentation, including an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. The presentation should focus on establishing that your skills and qualifications fit the desired position.
• Practice your presentation and deliver it to the class on the assigned day.

Your Responsibilities

1. Prior to your presentation, submit your position advertisement or job description to your instructor. If you decide to write your own job description, include a brief description of the organization, the title and nature of the position, and the skills and qualifications required. For example, if you would love to work for the Walt Disney Company, you might create a job description (about a paragraph) for an entry-level position in their Imagineering Division (ride and theme park design) which stresses the need for 1) an architecture, engineering, or art degree, 2) strong interpersonal skills, and 3) computer literacy.

 
2. Prepare your presentation, ensuring that you include an introduction, body, and conclusion, as follows:

Introduction:

Keep your introduction brief. You should accomplish the following goals:

• Gain the attention of your audience
• Introduce yourself
• State the purpose of your presentation (i.e., “I am the ideal candidate for the entry-level position currently open at the Walt Disney Company.”)
• Preview your main points (claims that constitute the reasons you’re the best candidate for the position)

The body of the speech should include how your skills and qualifications match the job description and how you can contribute to the business. This is where you PROVE to the audience that you are THE person for the job. In doing so, you’ll make claims about why you should be hired and support these claims with examples from your education and experience. Focus on TWO or THREE reasons (claims) the company should hire you and support these reasons with 2-3 examples. These examples may include any of the following ideas:

• Educational background
• Career-related experiences and past employment
• Assets that set you apart from other people (i.e., computer or interpersonal skills)

Your conclusion should be brief, but your presentation MUST have one. In the conclusion, you should include the following:

• A review of why you are the best candidate
• A memorable closing statement

3. You have a total of 3 to 5 minutes to make this presentation. Presentations that exceed or fall short of the 3 to 5 minute interval will be penalized. If a speech is shorter than three minutes, one point will be deducted for each 15 second interval. For example, a speech that is 1-14 seconds short, would lose 1 point; a speech that is 15-29 seconds short, would lose two points, etc. Please, time your speech when you practice to prevent deductions.

 
4. Limit your notes to your instructor’s requirements. Include only KEY WORDS to prompt your thinking on notes. Do not write out whole sections (or the entire presentation) on your notes. If you choose to ignore this advice, expect to be penalized 5 points.

 
5. You should dress the part. If you’re applying to be a Wall Street trader, your instructor won’t expect you to purchase a suit, but please do your best to be convincing. If you’re applying to manage a sportswear store, on the other hand, you can dress more casually.

 
6. Your delivery should include professional language, and a smooth voice free from fillers (um, ah, oh, etc.). You should make meaningful eye contact and engage your audience. You are talking about yourself and ideal job, this should be an exciting topic to present and hear about!

 
7. On the day of your presentation, submit the following items in your folder:

• A copy of your advertisement/job description
• Instructor’s Evaluation for Presenting Yourself
• Presentation notes (place these in the folder following your presentation)

8. After giving your presentation, complete the Self-Assessment (see form in this packet for instructions). Please consult the tentative course schedule in your syllabus for the due date.

NAME:_____________________________________________________ Speech Time:______

Introduction

1     2     3     4     5

Gain audience’s attention

Introduce yourself

State the purpose of the presentation

Preview main claims

                    1     2     3     4     5

State the reasons (claims) you’re the best candidate

Offer examples

Explain how examples prove you are the best candidate

Use clear and effective transitions

                    1     2     3     4

Review why you’re the best candidate

End memorably

                    1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9

Use notes effectively/Extemporaneous

Use appropriate enthusiasm

Professionalism/Appropriate language

Make eye contact

Use voice effectively (e.g., rate, volume)

Use effective gestures/movements

                    1     2

Included position’s title, purpose, and details about

skills/qualifications

Self-Assessment for Presenting Yourself

NAME: ______________________________ TOTAL/5 pts. _____

On a separate page, please write a brief 1-2 page essay that analyzes your presenting yourself presentation. You should base your paper based upon your experiences while delivering the presentation AND your observation of the videotape (see syllabus for the location of videotape). This paper should be typed (or word processed), in essay form, have 1 inch margins, and be written with a standard 12 point font. Please be sure to proofread your paper for proper grammar, spelling, etc. The paper should address each of the following questions and contain an introduction and conclusion.

1.     Was my introduction effective and complete? Explain and give examples.

2.     Did I clearly state and prove that I was the best candidate for the job? Explain and give examples.

3.     Was my conclusion effective and complete? Explain and give examples.

4.     Did my delivery enable me to engage the audience? Explain and give examples.

5.     For my next speech, the two things I’ll work on are:

NOTE:  Peer feedback forms have been omitted from the online assignments.