The qualities of good speakers also make for great conversationalists. And in today’s job market, conversations can bring you more results than speeches.
Especially in Boston. Think about the kind of people Boston attracts: driven entrepreneurs, passionate students, and inspired professionals from every industry. I know many of them through Boston World Partnerships, which brings together Bostonians in all sectors to promote the city. Well-connected people are everywhere; there’s a good chance that the person who can get you to your next job is sitting next to you on the Red Line. Imagine if you could start a conversation with that person, exchange business cards, follow up by email, and have your resume passed directly to the hiring manager.
As a teacher of public speaking, I spend a lot of time helping people present their world-class ideas to investors, employees, or customers. When I help entrepreneurs with their pitches, I’m quick to tell them that they are always “on” - always pitching - because they never know when they’ll meet that VC whom everyone’s been chasing who just happens to be on the same train to New York.
Regardless of whether you are pitching an idea, you are always pitching yourself. Practice 3-4 sentences that explain who you are and what you’re working on in a way that captures someone’s attention and leads to follow-up questions. You’re not writing a dramatic monologue, you’re writing a conversation-starter. And then infuse it with the same passion and authenticity with which you talk about your hobbies or your family.
Entrepreneurs like Dharmesh Shah of HubSpot (Full disclosure: my husband works there) like to say that the best time to raise money is before you actually need it. Similarly, the best time to look for a job is when you don’t need one. You can start a relationship just for the fun of it and then call on it later in life.
