Throughout your studies, you'll be called upon to give oral presentations, presentations, interviews... It's not always easy to pass them successfully. Speaking in front of a large audience or simply in front of an examining board can be stressful and make you lose your composure. EdLive has a few tips to help you feel more at ease and succeed in your next oral presentation.

Getting ready

It's important to prepare in advance. Knowing your subject and mastering it will help you feel more at ease on the big day. Don't hesitate to rehearse your speech, timing yourself so as to manage your timing as well as possible. However, don't learn your text by heart, as this could result in a robotized speech that your audience will gradually lose interest in.

The outfit

It's often said that clothes don't make the man, but at an oral exam, dress is one of the first things the jury looks at. To make a good impression, choose a sober, simple outfit that makes you look serious and professional. Ties, suits and tailoring are not necessary. Simply avoid wearing a T-shirt or jeans, and favor a shirt or blouse with a skirt or pants. Don't forget to accessorize your outfit with a watch. It will be indispensable for managing your time.

De-stress

There's a good chance you'll be stressed during an oral, so try to manage your stage fright as best you can. Taking long, deep breaths will help reduce the pressure and your heart rate. For many people, stage fright goes away once the test has begun. If this isn't your case, don't hesitate to say so. Saying it out loud is usually a great calming influence, and jury members are often sympathetic. Contrary to what you might imagine, they are not torturers, and are mostly benevolent and tolerant with the stressed candidates they see.

Smile

It may seem like a harmless tip, but smiling makes all the difference. Many candidates forget to smile because of stress. Smiling puts you in a positive frame of mind and makes you more communicative. It also makes the person you're talking to feel better about you.

Setting the tone

It's important to avoid a monotone so that your audience doesn't fall asleep after a few minutes. A steady, dynamic rhythm is the key to keeping your audience's attention throughout your speech.

Paying attention to non-verbal communication

Your elocution and the structure and content of your speech aren't everything. During an oral presentation, your non-verbal communication is also taken into account. Gesticulating in all directions, touching your hair, crossing your arms in front of you, putting your hands in your pockets... All these gestures are highly unpleasant for the people listening to you. The best thing to do is to stand up straight, speak using your hands to illustrate what you're saying, and above all, as mentioned above, don't forget to smile.

Anticipating questions

You can prepare for the question-and-answer session by anticipating the questions the jury might ask you. If you don't understand certain questions on the day, don't hesitate to ask the jury to rephrase them. It's better for you to have the examiner repeat the question than to answer it off the cuff.