Ready to boost your networking presence, but a little unsure about your presentation? A MOAA member is ready to help.

“I don’t think people retiring from the military know how much they have going for them,” said Lt. Col. Frank DiBartolomeo, USAF (Ret) – Toastmaster, author, consulting company founder, and host of a Nov. 18 MOAA webinar outlining why great speaking is critical to great networking.

Helping those about to enter the civilian the world makes him feel “over the moon,” said DiBartolomeo, pictured, who retired from service in 1999 and earned the Distinguished Toastmaster award – the group’s highest national honor – in 2002.

Register for the webinar at this link, and check out a few quick tips below for those hoping to sharpen their speech and land themselves a new job.

1. Audience and Action

Focus on who you’re speaking to, DiBartolomeo said, and try to provide a way to continue the discussion after you part ways by “structuring a networking conversation and ensuring that you have a call to action.”

This approach answers the question, “What can the person … do with what they’ve seen and heard?” he said. “Several times I’ve gone to presentations, and they’re fabulous, but I’m not quite sure I know what to do with it.”

[RELATED: Upcoming Transition and Career Events From MOAA]

2. Be SMART

When you do give a call to action, or ask whoever you’re engaging with to follow up, you want to make sure the request meets a few key criteria – it should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-sensitive. In other words, SMART.

3. Appreciate Soft Skills

Fine-tuning your public presentation capabilities will have far-reaching benefits, DiBartolomeo said, adding that “a lot of skills that you learn from great speaking are very transferable during interviews.” Once you’ve landed the position, you’ll continue to rely on these and other tools: “The soft skills,” DiBartolomeo said, “are what keep people in jobs.”  

[RELATED: How to Showcase Your Soft Skills to Prospective Employers]

To learn more, register now for the webinar. Can’t make it? No problem. Register now and we’ll send you a link to the recording.