Though many people argue that technical
skills will help job-seekers land gently in a new economy focused on
services like health care and big data, there’s still one timeless skill
that pays countless dividends: the ability to speak well.
I have been a lawyer at a
leading law firm and for the Department of Justice, and now I am a law
school professor. The people and students I’ve worked with who make a
strong impression all have one thing in common — they present themselves
well verbally.
Take, for example, one of
our recent graduates. When he started law school, this student was
markedly shy. But he realized that his success as a lawyer would depend
on his ability to connect with other people, so he practiced and
improved by enrolling in law classes involving public speaking.
Though jobs are few and
far between, he got an offer by chatting up a well-known speaker after
his talk at the law school. His ability to speak up — a skill that did
not come naturally at first — made him stand out.
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