When you think of introducing yourself, what feelings arise? You may begin to feel nervous, anxious, or apprehensive at the thought of talking about yourself. You are not alone. The National Institute of Mental Health reports that 73% of the public have speaking anxiety. These are natural feelings and typically emerge because you aren’t clear about your message. The good news is that a well prepared personal narrative can help ease these feelings.
The study “Keep Talking: (Mis)Understanding the Hedonic Trajectory of Conversation” found that participants’ expectations of enjoying a conversation with a stranger increased when they were able to write down topics prior to having the conversation. Building a framework for how you speak about yourself is exactly what you will have the opportunity to do when preparing your personal narrative.
A personal narrative with key messages of your experiences and personality can be utilized in different scenarios, such as business introductions, networking, and job interviews. Knowing your audience will assist in your preparation and provide an opportunity to present your personal narrative in a more natural versus scripted way.
Work with your Career Coach to understand how to craft a personal narrative you’ll be comfortable delivering. Schedule an appointment in Handshake and check out these resources ahead of your meeting:
The Importance of a Personal Narrative (Video)
Create a Personal Narrative for Any Conversation
National Social Anxiety Center
How much they would enjoy conversation with a stranger
