On the road to Nebraska again :). It’s been four years since all of my siblings were together. We all traveled to my sisters over Easter to be with my dad who has terminal cancer. Since it is a seventeen hour drive ONE WAY, the girls and I had lots of time to talk, reflect, and watch all six Harry Potter movies TWICE.
My kids and I don’t have cell phones and thus are not yet part of the “texting” world. My siblings, nieces and nephews however are very quick at this skill. One would think that with all the technological advancements in communications that interpersonal relationships would be thriving. However, my observation has been that instead of enhancing relationships, many times these devices are used to take the place of face to face verbal dialogue. The ability to have a conversation I fear is becoming a lost art form. So many feelings, emotions, and intentions are conveyed non-verbally that if left to just a quick “text” or “tweet” the message is left open to many interpretations. Let’s face it , an “lol” will never be as good as belly laugh of a best friend. For me texting is like watching a silent black and white movie; whereas sitting down to chat is the complete Blu Ray experience.
Technology is a wonderful way to reach people over the miles, but it will never be the same as sitting around a table sharing stories and connecting with the people you love.
PAGEANT INTERVIEW:
TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF
The pageant interview is where you get to shine and share your personality. It’s really your opportunity to emotionally connect with the judges face to face. If you go into the interview room with the mindset, I’m going to make new friends and share with the judges what makes me ME, that thought alone will help to calm those jitters.
The other thing you can do, months before the pageant, is practice answering questions about everything and anything. There are fundamental interview questions that everyone needs to know how to answer. Because the power of the interview is in both what you say and how you say it, you need to allow enough time to practice answering questions out loud. Yes, not in your head, but out loud.
You don’t ever want your answers to sound memorized or fake; but, unfortunately, when contestants aren’t use to answering questions out loud, that’s how it may come across. It takes skill to be able to speak in a way that sounds effortless and natural. Trust me, as an actress and former elected politician, it takes practice. Some people may pick it up quicker than others; but, you can find your own voice and method of articulating exactly what you mean to say. How many times have you said something only to realize that words you used didn’t convey what you meant to say. It happens to everyone.
People make their first impressions within the first few seconds of meeting you so you want to be very selective about the information you choose to share. For example, to break the ice, most judges will start the interview with some version of the “tell me about yourself” question. Your first response may be something like this: “My name is Rhonda Shappert. I’m 43 years old and live in Ohio with my husband and three daughters. I’m a personal development coach and enjoy traveling.”
Ok, that answers the question, but it’s not very memorable. Instead, a different choice could be “Well, one of my favorite things to do is sing four part harmony with my husband and three daughters. We perform across the state of Ohio, enjoy eating Graeter’s ice cream and playing the board game Scattergories together.” Isn’t this answer more picturesque and interesting? Remember, you only have a couple minutes to make a lasting impression on the judges and your interview is only 2-5 minutes in length.
Every word that comes from your mouth needs to count. As an experienced judge, I have heard some pretty amazing answers come from people, good and bad. A few people approach answering interview questions from the point of what the contestant thinks will impress the judges. A skilled person will see right through that. And memorizing other contestants answers is not going to cut it either. The reason that person’s answer was so amazing is because it came from a place of conviction from within the person delivering the statement.
To help you prepare for an interview that will put you on top, request my FREE interview tool which has the beginning 10 questions everyone must be able to nail during their interview.
Because the power of the interview is in both what you say and how you say it, as an added bonus, for a limited time I’m offering to everyone who requests my interview tool a free 15 minute phone call where you can share your answer with me and we’ll work on your interview skills.
I promise you, this brief free consultation will leave you feeling more confident about your speaking ability and add points to your score.
Have you ever been asked a question during a pageant interview that completely stumped you? Type it in the comment box on my blog www.ThePageantExpert.com, and I’ll give you my take on an answer.
I look forward to hearing from you.