SPEAKER'S GUIDE

General points

Who will be there
School security regulations will require that a non-CRB-checked visitor to the school has a teacher present at all times, so expect that. Do not be surprised if you are speaking to just a small group – you have an even better opportunity to ‘connect’ and make a difference in a small group. It might also be that there are other Speakers there, too. The school will have had to contact a few of you personally to have made this happen – to slightly move timings. If that’s what happens, work to make it an overall positive experience for you all. Could be that there are positive outcomes for you and your organisation by interfacing with these other speakers, too.

Simple
Keep it simple and face-to-face, avoiding death by PowerPoint! And smile. These young people will not understand ‘management speak’.

Concise
Allow just 20 minutes for your talk, and leave a further 10 minutes for questions at the end. The questions may be really straightforward or off the wall. Be ready for anything. If there are no questions have a few more topics up your sleeve that you can talk on if required to. It’s a good idea to keep your watch visible so you don’t run over. This is important, as timetables in schools wait for no man!

Keep it light
Try and include a bit of humour and a joke or two.

Freebies
If you have any freebies you can take along from your company - why not? Note pads, biros, and suchlike, even the odd bar of chocolate has been known to be effective at breaking the ice!

Handouts/Brochures
If your company or employer has brochures you can bring along and leave behind, then do so, if it will help set the context of your talk.

Visual aids
These would normally not be necessary, but if you feel it would add impact to your message then do bring them along. There will not be time for the venue to set up a projector or whatever, but perhaps photographs of your workplace – if unusual – might be enlightening.

Introduction
Introduce yourself: your name, your job title and your company/employment type; where it is – maybe you went to that very school. Say that you’re pleased to be there to tell them about your job, a job you love. Also say that there will be question time at the end, so they may wish to keep a note of any questions as you go along.

Why you got interested
Tell them why you were keen to enter the career in the beginning and what kind of person you are – why you are well-suited to your career, your attributes, skills, what you were good at/interested in when you were their age.

How you got started - qualifications
Explain how you actually entered your career. (Everyone’s career paths are unique, and that’s what makes yours interesting. Focus on how you started, your qualifications and where and you obtained them (if relevant) and any training you’ve since done in the job.

If your/their choice of GCSE subjects and A level subjects/Diplomas is especially important, unpack this.

Your career path
Explain the path your career has taken: perhaps you have worked your way up over some years, working for a number of different employers or perhaps have sidestepped from another career, or have been developing your own business.

A day in the life of…
Quickly go through the main function of the organisation you work for now, and a typical working day for you – what the job is really like day to day.

The good and bad
Unpack the good things you like about it and the difficult areas – more good than bad!

Earning potential
Your audience will be interested in what the renumeration is like, and how salary/wage bands increase with experience. Talk as openly as you can about this, be realistic.