For many seniors, the approaching end of the fall semester means an increase in anxieties regarding the job market, and their impending entry into it. What can be done to increase the likelihood of getting hired at that dream job?
As usual, resumes and recommendations will be crucial, but recent studies indicate that public speaking skills are the newest must-have asset for navigating the job market.
According to an article published by the New York Times on Nov. 4, almost half of the universities in the United States now require a public speaking or communications course to graduate. Universities without such requirements have been emphasizing public speaking in other ways, as that skill has become increasingly coveted by employers.
While Tufts offers classes in public speaking, the university does not have a public speaking requirement of any kind. But some professors feel that it would be beneficial for the university to take the lead in helping to improve students' public speaking skills. Professor Barbara Grossman, chair of Tufts' Department of Drama and Dance, is one of them.
"It is extremely important for a person to be able to develop their ideas succinctly," Grossman said. "And it is important for the university to foster those skills."
The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), an organization that surveys employers annually on the skills they look for in recent graduates, recently released a survey that underscored the growing importance of public speaking. This year's survey found that "communication skills," of both the verbal and written variety, top employers' lists, followed by "honesty/integrity" and "interpersonal skills."
Of course, learning how to communicate effectively has a variety of applications. Professor Deborah Cooney, who teaches Tufts' public speaking classes for the Department of Drama and Dance, said that public speaking is more than just a skill required to get a job.
"You need to be able to establish your own credibility and find common ground with other people," she said.
Beyond getting the job in the first place, Grossman said that, for certain occupations, public speaking is necessary throughout the course of one's career.
"[Public speaking] is especially important for those aspiring to a leadership position," Grossman says. "[Leaders] need to be able to express themselves and get their ideas across in a way that others can understand."
Cooney uses a variety of methods to increase the speaking ability of her students. She said she encourages her students to speak up in class and provides them with examples of great public speaking by showing famous speeches, like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech.
Shy students who are worried about speaking in public are not alone. Cooney said that there are all levels of speakers in her classes.
"The students in my class range from people who are afraid to speak in any small group to those who have no problems speaking in a large auditorium," she said.
For some students, however, fulfilling a requirement in public speaking would be uncomfortable if not outright frightening. Freshman Emily Lin said she worries that taking a public speaking class would force her to do something she normally does not like to do.
"I'm not sure if I would want to take [a course in public speaking]," Lin said. "I wouldn't because I hate speaking in front of others, but I know it's a good quality to have, so I probably should want to take it."
According to the New York Times article, many schools with a public speaking requirement have "reticence courses" - classes that allow shy students to fulfill the public speaking credit without having to actually give large speeches. Instead, these classes focus on gaining the confidence to speak and losing the anxiety associated with public speaking.
Studies published in the journal Communication Quarterly emphasize the significance of being able to speak comfortably in front of others. Results show that students with "communication apprehension" on average have a half-point lower grade point average than students who don't have it.
Grossman, mindful of how helpful public speaking skills can be, said she thinks Tufts should join the national trend and make public speaking a requirement for graduation.
"[The administration] should add it. It is a skill that will serve people well throughout their lives," she said.
If Tufts were to decide to add a public speaking requirement, it would require a large increase in the number of courses offered in the subject. In a typical semester, Tufts offers two sections of the class with fewer than 20 students per section.
Even without the requirement, Director of Career Services Jean Papalia said she is confident that Tufts students still learn the skills that employers are looking for when it comes to public speaking.
"The distribution requirements at Tufts promote the development of communication skills as part of a well rounded education," Papalia said.
Lin said she doesn't doubt the system at Tufts, but believes that anyone, including herself, would benefit from a course dealing exclusively with public speaking.
"I could use the improvement [in my communication skills]," Lin said. "Anyone can, even those really charismatic people who can talk to any size of an audience would learn something and improve in a [public speaking class]."
Cooney said that, regardless of requirements, every student should consider taking a public speaking course or working in other ways to improve their public speaking skills. Deep down, she said, everyone is a good public speaker.
"It's about charm and finding yours," Cooney said. "Everyone has some, it's just a matter of how much."
