............................................................................................................................................................. North South University English Club Workshop Review: On 20 June, 2012 North South University English Club organized a workshop on public speaking and presentation. It was the first event of English Club that has been planned through a verbal survey. The program started at 3.30 pm and ended at 6.30 pm. Around three hundred students were participated at that workshop. It seems like 90% students get confused at times actually how faculty members want themselves to present during a presentation. This workshop was conducted by some senior faculty members of North South University. They gave some important advice regarding Presentation & Public speaking. For Presentation & Public speaking a presenter should follow some things. They are as following: Presentation: #Dress up formally for a presentation. #Always keep the first slide blank. #Do not crowd your slides with texts. #Just put the main ideas in bullet points. #Don’t use too much visual or sound effects. #Slide shows are for the audiences, so do not just read out your slides. #If you forget any point then go back to your slides and take a look, after that start over with a joke or continue your normal speech. #Practice your presentation again and again before the main shot to see that you can finish it within the limited time. #Give credit to the sources from where you have collected your data and pictures at the end of the presentation. #Don’t say those things which make no sense or which are irrelevant to your topic. #Be creative to grab the attention of the audiences; but remember don’t be too creative. #Making different kind of sounds (coughing, umm etc) while talking is very bad for professional presentation; try to avoid doing that. #After finishing the presentation listen to the questions of the audiences carefully and come up with relevant answers. #If you don’t know the answers, take your time and reply politely. #While giving presentation you should use easy vocabularies that people can easily understand. #Don’t mix up two languages in formal presentation. #Collect information about the age, gender, education, experience and expertise of the audiences. #The audiences’ familiarity with the topic you are presenting should also be kept in mind. #Give examples from the daily life to keep the audiences along with you. #Listen to the feedbacks of the audiences. #During presentation SMILE; it always works to convince the audiences but don’t giggle. #Don’t put your hands on the back or waist, neither put your hands in pocket; always put your hands in front and make those move in a persuasive manner. #Enjoy the awkward things with the audience; be a good sport. Group presentation: #During group presentation try to have the same attire; it will make you look similar. #In terms of group presentation if the group gets any question from the audience, discuss it with the group members and then let the person take the lead who knows the answer best. #At group presentation put the best presenter at first. Public Speaking: #Gestures and postures of the speaker are very important; but one should not exaggerate. #A speaker should not be monotonous. #By practicing again and again one can become a competent public speaker. #While speaking a speaker should make eye contacts with the audiences but don’t make one to one eye contact that will make the audience uncomfortable or may seem like the speaker is favoring one particular listener. #Get well dressed but do not over dress. #Acting while speaking is a very important thing that a speaker should do. Add intonation, some actions, change of postures etc while speaking. #Speak to yourself; practice in front of the mirror that will help you to build a confidence level as a speaker and give you a fluency in your speech. #Keep small notes or use some slides (multimedia presentation) to keep your speech in track. #A speaker should know his or her audience and speak as well as act according to the audience‘s type. #Don’t be too conscious because being over conscious can be bad for a speaker. #Be imaginative and natural while speaking. #Try to be exactly who you are and do what you want to do. #You have to feel your audience; if you get too serious the audience may get bored and fall asleep. So, add jokes in you speech, not the common form of jokes but witty humors related to the context. #Do homework about your audiences before the event. #Engage your audience in your speech by asking their feedbacks or asking for examples from them. #Ask questions to the back row audiences (do they hear you clearly or ask for feedbacks from them), that will help you to keep them with you. Interview: #Even if your CGPA is too high, prepare yourself for the interview. #Learn about the respective company before going to the interview session from its website. #Wear formal dresses for the interview. #Remember to wear those things which looks good on you and you feel comfortable at. #Do not wear those kind of clothes in which you don’t feel confident or comfortable (suits for boys; sari for girls). #Ask for permission of the interviewer before sitting. #Sit straightly on the chair. #Look at the interviewer when they are asking questions. #Answer quickly; even if you don’t have the answer be confident witty and flexible. #Don’t put your hands on the table. #Be modest at your interview and do not argue with the interviewer. #If any of the interviewers asks irrelevant questions don’t get angry or let them understand that you are irritated. #Try to understand the interviewers or read their minds if possible and answer according to that.