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“There are several types Toastmasters program specifically targets
listening, critical thinking, giving feedback,
of experience that always time management, planning and implementa-
tion, organization and delegation, facilitation,
make me take notice mentoring, motivation, and team-building.
Toastmasters members can choose to under-
of a candidate,” says take projects such as mounting publicity and
membership campaigns, planning training
webinar specialist Susan programs, organizing special events, and serving
as a top officer in a district comprising thousands
Black (Niven). “One is of members.
Toastmasters.” 6. Attention from employers who recognize
the value of Toastmasters and sometimes favor
freezing up when asked to speak unexpectedly. Toastmasters members in hiring. “There are
In addition to delivering prepared speeches, several types of experience that always make me
Toastmasters members attain experience in take notice of a candidate,” says webinar specialist
impromptu speaking during a regular meeting Susan Black (Niven). “One is Toastmasters. Why
component called “Table Topics,” in which they Toastmasters? Because the communication,
speak for 1-2 minutes on a subject for which teamwork, leadership, and feedback skills
they’ve had no advance preparation. In the work- that every member in every club learns are
place, the rewards of learning to speak on your all-important in virtually any job. But probably
feet are tremendous. You may be called upon the most important thing, for me, is the self-
to speak to your boss, the media, customers, confidence that Toastmasters build along the way,
and other audiences with little previous notice. and which affects every aspect of their lives,” says
Developing your ability to speak eloquently Niven, who has served in volunteer leadership
off the cuff means you’re ready to talk about positions from the club level through to the
anything and respond quickly to questions Board of Directors of Toastmasters International.
instead of having your mind go blank.
As evidence of employers that recognize
And speaking of questions, can you imagine Toastmasters’ value, more than 3,000
how practice in thinking and speaking on your organizations, including the Walt Disney
feet can benefit you in a job interview? Company, The Coca-Cola Company, and Apple
Computer, sponsor in-house Toastmasters clubs
4. Experience in running time-efficient as communication training for employees.
meetings. You have probably been in meetings
that dragged on and on and went way over 7. A way to legitimately characterize employ-
their allotted time. That doesn’t happen in ment gaps constructively. We’ve always advised
Toastmasters. Toastmasters clubs meet for a job-seekers to try to account productively
set amount of time—often an hour—and are for time between jobs. Sometimes, however,
committed to staying within that timeframe. candidates aren’t very convincing in describing
“Toastmasters has shown me how to keep a vague “consulting” or “project” work. Active
meeting on task,” says Colville Toastmasters Toastmasters members don’t have that problem.
founder Troy Anderson, “so that everyone comes “I had been unemployed for a year and a half at
away without feeling frustrated from spending the height of the economic downturn,” recalls
a lot of time and yet not making any headway.” Linda Eenigenburg, a metrics analyst at Aon
Linda Evans, also of the Colville club, says, “I Hewitt, Chicago. During an interview, both hiring
like that the meetings are so organized and only managers, Eenigenburg says, were concerned
an hour long.” about this gap and asked her what she had been
5. Even more skills and resume items. Beyond doing during that time. Without hesitation, she
communication and leadership skills, the described her extensive activities in Toastmasters
International the past few years. “I was hired
within 24 hours,” she says.
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