Public Speaking Chapter 1

Importance of Public Speaking

• Ability to verbally communicate with persons inside and outside the organization is the most important skill employers want from job applicants.
• 1,200 job recruiters reported that effective communication is the most important and hardest to find skill.
• Employers consistently rank the ability to communicate above technical knowledge when deciding whom to hire and whom to promote.
• Public speaking is increasingly used by young professionals to stand out in the competitive job market.
• College graduates are often asked to give a presentation as part of their job interview.

Careers and Public Speaking

• Businesses value employees with good technical skills and verbal communication skills.
• Public speaking is used in a variety of careers, including accounting, architecture, teaching, and engineering.
• The ability to speak effectively is highly prized, and those who can combine technical skills with verbal communication skills will stand out.

Public Speaking in Daily Life

• Public speaking is a vital means of civic engagement in community life.
• The principles of public speaking are derived from a long tradition and have been confirmed by scientific research.

Conversation and Public Speaking

• The average adult spends about 30% of their waking hours in conversation.
• Conversation skills, such as organizing thoughts logically and adapting to listener feedback, are also useful in public speaking.
• Improving public speaking skills can also improve communication in other situations.

Explore the importance of verbal communication in the workplace, as highlighted by surveys of employers and job recruiters.