Hello, my Amazing Readers!
Sounding smart is something all of us try to do at least once in our lives. Whether it's in a virtual zoom meeting, or on a first date, or in a job interview, society has convinced us that sounding smarter will be more impressive and give positive feedback for us. Sounding smarter isn't that tricky, as most people try to sound smarter by using larger words in their vocabulary. But another way to sound smarter, which I believe is more beneficial, is to do to research on whatever subject it is you're trying to sound smart in. Whether it's an upcoming pitch with a client or a job interview, doing research beforehand can pay off in making you sound smarter, as well as give the answers to questions you might be asked.
But what is the best way to go about doing research? You definitely don't want to go overboard and dig into stuff more than you have time for. In this blog, I want to lay out some tips for looking through information in a quick and effective way that won't waste your time, and help to make you sound smarter overall.
1. Use "gutting" to help summarize information
This was a trick I learned back in high school. "Gutting" as I call it, is just taking the bare minimum of information you need from something. This means fully reading the introduction and the conclusion of something, whether it's an article or a blog post, and then reading the first sentence of every paragraph to get the highlights. This can help you understand the changes in your subject.
2. Always look at the "about" section for a website
Whether this is a company you may work with after a job interview or a potential client, the "about" page tells you a brief history of the company, as well as hopefully their styles and goals. This is essential in trying to peg down where you may fit with this company, as well as their goals and what they're style is. This way you can better understand how you might change your pitch to better fit their needs.
3. Bullet points are your best friend
This is helpful for especially blogs, but reading the bullet points of any article gives you an easy and quick summary of the research. If an article doesn't have bullet points, try reading the first sentence of each paragraph, and if you have time, the few sentences after that one.
Researching information can be a time-consuming process, but hopefully, these tips help you to better condense information and allow you to use your time more effectively. If you have any questions about these tips or comments, reach out to me on social media.
Until next time,
Katie
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