How to write a winning scholarship essay - Gen Tanabe, Kelly Tanabe 2018

Dress & act the part
Winning interview strategies

Studies have shown than in speeches, the audience remembers what you look like and how you sound more than what you actually say.

While it may seem unimportant, presentation style and presence are probably more significant than you think.

Think about the delivery of your answers and keep the following points in mind:

sit up straight. During interviews, don’t slouch. Sitting up straight with your shoulders back conveys confidence, strength and intelligence. It communicates that you are interested in the conversation.

speak in a positive tone of voice. One thing that keeps interviewers engaged is your tone. Make sure to speak with positive inflection in your words. Convey confidence in your answers by speaking loudly enough for the judges to hear you clearly. This will not only maintain your interviewers’ interest but will also suggest that you have an optimistic outlook toward life.

don’t be monotonous. Speaking at the same rate and tone of voice without variation is a good way to give the interviewers very heavy eyelids. Tape record yourself and pay attention to your tone of voice. There should be a natural variation in your timbre.

speak at a natural pace. If you’re like most people, the more nervous you are the faster you speak. Combat this by speaking on the slower side of your natural pace. During the interview you might think that you are speaking too slowly, but in reality you are probably speaking at just the right pace.

make natural gestures. Let your hands and face convey action and emotions. Use them as tools to illustrate anecdotes and punctuate important points.

make eye contact. Eye contact engages interviewers and conveys self-assurance and honesty. If it is a group interview, make eye contact with all of the interviewers—don’t just focus on one. Maintaining good eye contact can be difficult, but just imagine little dollar signs in your interviewers’ eyes and you shouldn’t have any trouble. Ka-ching!